What a ‘Safe’ Adrenaline Event Really Means: 10 Key Points
It’s no surprise that within the nature of what we do, safety assurance is a big talking point, not only between our partners and clients, but also within our team.
We’re often asked what ‘safe’ actually looks like in practice. So here are a few principles that sit at the core of everything we do at Big Bang Experiences.
Safety isn’t the absence of fear
We often have fundraisers and participants tell us, whilst leaning out over the edge of a building, that they’re scared. And every time, our instructors say the same thing:
‘It would be weird if you weren’t’
That’s the point! Safety isn’t about removing adrenaline, it’s about controlling the risk behind it. Dangling off a high-rise or stepping off a crane isn’t normal in most people’s day-to-day lives. But that’s exactly why they're doing it. To challenge themselves and push their boundaries, all in the name of a cause they care about.
The donations and sponsorships wouldn’t come through if these activities were mundane, and that’s why they’re a perfect fundraising solution for so many charities and businesses.
Our participants take care of the emotion, and we handle the operational aspects behind it.
Most of the safety work we do is invisible
What fundraisers and organisers see when we arrive on-site is just the tip of the iceberg.
Just a few of the things we handle for you:
Risk assessments written weeks before the event
Permissions, method statements, contingency plans
Redundant back-ups that people never see
If you’re doing things right, no one notices it, and they should never have to.
Safety starts long before the event day
Event day is the very end of the process, not the start. It may seem that we arrive, set up our platforms, lines and structures, but that’s the final piece of the puzzle. Behind the scenes, the lead-up to the day is a structured process for our team that takes months, not weeks. Think:
Site visits
Weather modelling and cut-off points
Equipment checks, backups, and replacements on hand
Crew briefings and role clarity
When we receive a new inquiry, our first question is rarely ‘when?’ but ‘what’s needed to make this happen safely?’
Saying ‘no’ is part of being safe
Safe operators know when to draw a line.
We cap numbers
We stop events early if conditions change
We won’t rush people through
We won’t ‘just squeeze a few more in’
And we have absolutely no reservations about doing so. Sometimes this means altering the slightly-too-crazy ideas that come to us, and sometimes it just means taking a break while the wind dies down. But we always make it happen, and make sure it does so safely.
People matter more than processes
Paperwork matters, but people matter more.
For us, this means:
Experienced crew
Clear communication on and below the platform
Reading body language
Knowing when someone needs more time
After more than 30 years delivering height-based experiences, we’ve learned that real safety relies on human judgement just as much as checklists.
Calm is contagious
We believe that a calm site is a safe one. This means no shouting, no rushing, no chaos, but clear, steady instructions and a controlled environment.
Participants mirror the energy of the crew. Whilst we know that our everyday activities aren't the same as everyone else's, we understand the importance of being calm and collected, and recognise the confidence this builds.
Real safety protects dignity as well as bodies
A safe event protects how people feel as well as their physical safety. It’s important to foster an environment with no pressure, no embarrassment, and no ‘come on, just jump’.
People need the room to opt out without judgement, and reassurance that simply getting to the platform is an achievement.
Informed consent is one of our key pillars of safety - no one should be forced to do something they really don’t want to do, because that’s when emotion can take over.
Safety and fundraising are linked
When people feel safe, they fundraise harder. They’ll talk about the experience more, they’ll be part of the event next year, and even recommend it to others.
Fear + trust = impact, which is always what we try to achieve.
Experience is the real safety net
Experience isn’t just years, it’s pattern recognition.
Knowing when the weather is about to turn, when a participant isn’t ready yet, and when it’s better to wait rather than push through.
This is hard to teach but easy to underestimate, and it’s why we’ll never go ahead with something that feels uncomfortable, even if saying 'no' feels uncomfortable too.
A safe adrenaline event still impacts people
Our aim is not to leave people terrified and glad they're back on solid ground. If someone steps away feeling proud, supported and energised, we know we’ve done our job.
This is what our feedback and testimonials are full of, and just the kind of thing we love to hear.
At the end of the day, a safe adrenaline event isn’t about ticking boxes, it’s about creating an environment where people feel supported enough to do something brave.
If you’re exploring challenge events for fundraising, CSR or team engagement, and want to understand what “safe” really looks like in practice, we'd be happy to have a conversation going over your key questions.
