My venue has sent an indemnity form - advice?

[yourdj]

If they fell over on the dancefloor due to it being rubbish and not maintained then it's not your fault whatsoever.

Blimey!!!! The next thing they'll be saying is "Can you just play slow music all evening so that no'one is in danger of hurting themselves".

It sounds pathetic mate but by the sounds of this venue, well who knows!!?

Funny you say that this is what a friend (who also DJ's from time to time at the venue) has just emailed me:

Personally, I would refuse to sign it and so would any other DJ or entertainer, I'd imagine. It's the very thin end of the wedge, so far as I can see and in effect nullifies any attemmpts to entertain, if our actions are going to driven by "I hope someone doesn't fall over, hurt themselves etc etc" whilst being entertained.

So, we don't play rock and roll, the twist, or any other type of music in case someone hurts themslves? Ridiculous.
People are there of their own volition and know what the risks are. We don't force anyone to dance, do we?

[Shakermaker Promotions]

There you go!
As has been said a few times before by myself and also others on here with reference to venues...you could lose out if you refuse to sign the form and they may look elsewhere and get someone else that will sign it.

If I were in your position and they are happy with your work, I would arrange a meeting with them to go over your concerns. I wouldn't just say "I'm not signing it" and then again, I wouldn't just think "Oh, I better sign it incase I lose the residency / work etc"...In other words, have a good think about it all before you do anything.

[paulg]

maybe just run it past your PLI provider?

[funkymook]

I wonder how it would stand up in court if they ever actually invoked it?

Could be so vague as to be meaningless so would make no odds if you did sign it.

Obviously you'd need proper legal advice before you assumed that.

[DazzyD]

I would have thought that the venue couldn't idemnify their legal responsibilities with regards to safety so I'd be thinking that this document wouldn't make any difference whether you signed it or not.

Of course, I could be wrong!!

[yourdj]

Obviously you'd need proper legal advice before you assumed that.

i would do but I am not wasting a gigs worth of money on this rubbish.

[DJ James Lake]

I would just send them another copy of your pli insurance and keep sending it every time they ask for that form they sent to be signed

[Shakermaker Promotions]

there is no contract as we are a prefered supplier. I did not want to get tied into anything.

I just had to go back to the beginning of the thread to take a look at the full details as I skipped over them when I first read the post.

Toby, you have a decision to make mate.
If you have personally only DJ'd there 3 times during the year then is it worth the bother?
If you have only DJ'd there 3 times during the year through choice because you have other people working there for you and are taking a cut then again, is it worth the bother?

I personally don't think it is worth the bother if they are putting this on you. They are simply covering their butts so it begs the question, why all of a sudden? Why haven't they done this before?

They sound like they are being stricter than strict. It's not the Savoy at the end of the day (is it?). Most (decent) venues will ask for PLI and PAT and maybe (can't remember what it's called off hand....risk assessment?), your plans if something goes wrong.

You don't have a contract with them, you've made that clear. So, maybe that's something you can talk to them about after Christmas? Work out a contract that suits the both of you IF you want to continue doing stuff there.
You say you are the "preferred supplier" so does that mean everything goes through you? Do the other guys get the work from you or do you co-ordinate it all and are more or less the middle man? Do they get contacted directly by the venue? If you are the middle man and everything goes through you and you pass on the work...well, it's down to you obviously to sort this out and then notify your DJ's of the new working conditions and I think that'll be hard.

If your DJ's get contacted directly then it's up to them what they do.

I'd be very tempted to walk away from this one.

[DJDC]

Offer a solution.

Ask them if every guest who attends an event that your performing at on their behalf will sign an indemnity covering you? i.e. Any person entering the function room and reacting by any physical means to any music or instruction by the entertainment does so at their own risk and indemnifies the entertainer from all such risks. Or you could place 'warning signs' around the function room and make regular announcments to the guest regarding their health & Safety and how they have to conduct themselves.

Alternatively refuse to allow any guest into the function room until they have undertaken a full 'site induction, and have signed to confirm they understood their H&S responsibilities. In addition if anyone wants to do anything other then the usual, video, take photo's uindertake a first dance, cut the cake, make speeches additional training or toolbox talks will be requiredand you will want to see sight of any appropiate risk assessements, method statements, and understand any safe method of working they plan to implement.

I also wonder how this would work with the venues own staff, what if a guest dragged the glass collector onto the floor for a dance they would then become your responsibility, or a geust bumped and knocked a member of their staff over? I wonder how you would interpret that under Management of Health and Safety at work act? Potentially they could be illegally trying to get out of their responsibilities under H&S law.

I'd say heres my PLI, PAT, manufacturers instructions for the equipment I use (in accordance with said instructions), and what ever is not covered within these can be recorded within any risk assessment, method statements or Safe methods of working. These are my responsibilities and this will demonstrate I have undertaken reasonable measures to ensure all risks are managed to the lowest level practicable.

[yourdj]

maybe that's something you can talk to them about after Christmas? Work out a contract that suits the both of you IF you want to continue doing stuff there.

I have. Both my DJ's have refused to sign it.

I am going to make another contract and present that to them.
Basically the same thing but within the confines and around any equipment only
(ie speaker stands, lighting as that is the only thing which I am presenting that has any form of risk attached to it.

IF ANYONE CAN HELP ME WITH THE WORDING THAT WOULD BE EXCELLENT.

There are also other issue relating to the rates they are charging, so I am going to have a meeting next week and negotiate and year long contract for exclusive rights to the venue and a better rate of pay too.

We have provided an excellent service and deserve to be treated a bit better.

Offer a solution.

Ask them if every guest who attends an event that your performing at on their behalf will sign an indemnity covering you? i.e. Any person entering the function room and reacting by any physical means to any music or instruction by the entertainment does so at their own risk and indemnifies the entertainer from all such risks. Or you could place 'warning signs' around the function room and make regular announcments to the guest regarding their health & Safety and how they have to conduct themselves.

Alternatively refuse to allow any guest into the function room until they have undertaken a full 'site induction, and have signed to confirm they understood their H&S responsibilities. In addition if anyone wants to do anything other then the usual, video, take photo's uindertake a first dance, cut the cake, make speeches additional training or toolbox talks will be requiredand you will want to see sight of any appropiate risk assessements, method statements, and understand any safe method of working they plan to implement.

I also wonder how this would work with the venues own staff, what if a guest dragged the glass collector onto the floor for a dance they would then become your responsibility, or a geust bumped and knocked a member of their staff over? I wonder how you would interpret that under Management of Health and Safety at work act? Potentially they could be illegally trying to get out of their responsibilities under H&S law.

I'd say heres my PLI, PAT, manufacturers instructions for the equipment I use (in accordance with said instructions), and what ever is not covered within these can be recorded within any risk assessment, method statements or Safe methods of working. These are my responsibilities and this will demonstrate I have undertaken reasonable measures to ensure all risks are managed to the lowest level practicable.

Thats pretty funny.