The operator of Manchester Arena denied 'complacency' as it revealed security changes at the venue made following criticism at the public inquiry into the bombing atrocity.
Gary Simpson, director of security, safety and risk for SMG Europe, gave evidence on Monday to address 'monitored recommendations' contained in the inquiry's first published report into the Arena's security.
Suicide bomber Salman Abedi should have been identified as a 'threat' and challenged, chairman Sir John Saunders said in the report last June, and security arrangements for the Arena 'should have prevented or minimised the devastating impact of the attack'.
"They failed to do so," Sir John added.
SMG and Showsec, the venue's contracted stewarding company, together with British Transport Police, were 'principally responsible for the missed opportunities' to prevent the bombing, the report said.
Sir John published nine 'monitored recommendations'.
Resuming following the Christmas and New Year break, organisations and public bodies named are now returning to the inquiry to reveal progress on the recommendations and improvements made following the attack in general.
British Transport Police, meanwhile, told the inquiry on Monday of a new proposal to 'train and issue all frontline officers with tourniquets'.
And it was confirmed Greater Manchester Police has now taken 'primacy' for policing the Arena area over from BTP.
Nicholas de la Poer QC, counsel to the inquiry, said there must be 'transparency and accountability'.
"It is a criticism all to often levelled at public inquiries that after all the time, money and effort that has gone into them, nothing is done as a result," he said. "Reports get filed away and everyone moves on with no changes being made."
He said 'every step must and will be taken' to ensure 'that doesn't happen here'.
"It is clear that very substantial changes have been made since May 22, 2017, in relation to many areas of concern raised," added the QC.
"The Manchester Arena inquiry is not solely for the benefit of Manchester and those who visit. Many of the findings apply or potentially apply across the UK.
"They relate to national guidance or a lack of it. They relate to systemic issues in organisations which operate across the country. They apply to sector or industry attitudes. It is hoped this evidence will be heard, reported and discussed."
Mr Simpson went through a raft of security changes and policies now in place - his complete statement has been published on the inquiry's website.
"My job is to seek continual improvement," he said. "If you came back to me in a year's time, I could hopefully give you another example of another 12 things that we have done.
"I give you reassurance that absolutely we are not complacent as a business - and I am not complacent as an individual."
Mr Simpson, who previously held a senior security role at Manchester United, said counter terrorism and security plans for an event at the Arena now starts to be discussed three months in advance of the event.
After the attack, SMG sought advice from private counter-terror specialists, the inquiry heard, and all recommendations have been implemented.
Security threats, he said, are dynamic and can change quickly.
"At any point in time, there is always going to be additional work required," Mr Simpson added. "We can never be complacent. It always requires continual review and assessment."
He said the 'project' of security at the Arena and other venues was not 'finished' - and won't be because situations always change.
"Security is not like health and safety risks," he said.
"You must continually review the measures you have got in place - the threat landscapes."
Mr Simpson said 'dedicated security managers' were now in place at all SMG Europe venues, including the Arena.
He said 'every single venue' needs a specific terrorism risk assessment for 'every single event' - and SMG has been developing a risk assessment process for three years, which is continually changing.
Mr Simpson added: "You could actually reassess the risk for one event three or four times before the event itself - and it's important we do that. That's then subject to an audit process.
"At the moment, with there being a severe threat level, you can't have a low risk event in our business."
On security patrols, a new digital system called 'HALO' has been introduced at the Arena.
It's an 'incident management command and control system' where staff are instructed to complete tasks via mobile devices - and can be monitored.
Mr Simpson said there's been 24 new 'procedures and emergency plans' implemented - and the majority relate to counter-terrorism.
"If you see somebody suspicious now, you report it now, in real-time," he said.
"All organisations are more on top of suspicious individuals."
Training and briefing has been improved and is changing - and the CCTV blind spot where bomber Abedi hid before he carried out the attack has been addressed.
The City Room blast zone is now a 'sterile area' in event days. "Only people who are ticket holders going to the venue can go in there," he said.
'Detection' dogs are used and Mr Simpson said the Arena hoped to 'close a contract this week' for what was described as a 'weapons detection system'.
"We will be investing in new technology - the next level of metal detection," he added.
"The technology is designed to screen those attending events for weapons more effectively and accurately. It also enables the weapons screening to be conducted more quickly than is possible than by a walk-through metal detector.
"Dogs are on site before, during and after the event."
Bleed control kits are also now in place at all venues, the inquiry heard.
The inquiry was told a 'toolkit' is used at venues to 'facilitate assessment of security risk from a range of threats'.
Mr Simpson said it 'calculates risk based on a number of threat vectors, including terrorism, protest, disorder and anti-social behaviour threats'.
Terrorism risks, he added, are not 'assessed by referenced to the statistical probability of an attack happening'.
"Every single event at every venue is separately considered and assessed, sometimes on several occasions."
Showsec, the contracted stewarding company, also outlined on Monday a series of security changes it has made.
The Arena bombing on May 22, 2017, claimed 22 lives - the youngest an eight-year-old girl.
Sixty three people were seriously injured and 111 hospitalised. The inquiry continues.
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