A SURVEY of safety in nightclubs in six EU countries concludes that there is scope for the harmonisation of safety requirements across member states.
Consistency in fire and evacuation procedures and in controls on lighting effects, noise levels and provisions for disabled people are recommended by the EU funded study.
Night clubs in Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain were surveyed. A survey of night clubs bin Ireland by the Consumers Association of Ireland was linked to the study and received funding from the European Commission.
The EU study concluded that all night clubs should have some method of counting and controlling numbers entering and of taking appropriate steps to prevent drugs and weapons from being brought into clubs. National laws should govern the extent of the checks on clubs.
Procedures for emergencies should be clearly documented, disseminated among staff and reinforced by regular emergency drills and fire practices, the report says.
It also recommends that night clubs should be obliged to provide a "quiet area" where customers can "rest their ears" from excessive noise. Such areas should be large enough to accommodate a significant number of people.