Introduction
All activities on-site (including but not limited to stand construction, demonstrations and breakdown) must comply with all current UK health and safety legislation. Not everyone has extensive experience with regards to the legal and practical aspects of health & safety management. This section is therefore designed to give you sufficient guidance to discharge your health & safety responsibilities for the event. Guidance, however, can only go so far and therefore, please be aware that you have a legal duty to ensure that your operations do not compromise health and safety. Failing to do so can lead to prosecution and other legal sanctions. We also request that you do not leave health and safety responsibilities to the last minute.
Future Publishing Ltd is committed to providing, maintaining and promoting the highest standards of health & safety at all our events and all exhibitors and contractors are expected to ensure that they too provide a safe place and system of work, as is their legal duty under current legislation. The Head of Events is ultimately responsible for health and safety at the show and, with support from the operations team, will:
- Allocate sufficient resources to meet our health & safety objectives.
- Provide and maintain safe working conditions in accordance with the statutory requirements.
- Provide adequate control of health & safety risks arising from work activities.
- Consult with venue, exhibitors and contractors on matters affecting health & safety.
- Provide relevant health & safety information to employees and others.
- Ensure all employees are competent to do their tasks.
- Ensure so far as is reasonable that the contractors we engage for the show are competent.
- Comply with the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations.
- Comply with our duties under Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) 2015
Future Publishing Ltd has carried out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks associated with this event, details of which can be obtained from the Organisers Office if required.
Key Exhibitor Responsibilities
As an exhibitor you have a legal duty of care for the safety of anyone who may be affected by your activities on-site. You are ultimately responsible for all aspects of safety on your stand or work area during the build-up, the open period and the breakdown. Even when you contract out your stand build to your appointed contractor, you are still vicariously responsible for the activities of your contractors.
Exhibition halls are ever changing environments and everyone working in or passing through the halls is at risk to some extent. The safest way to deal with the risks is to avoid them altogether where possible, or to put in control measures to minimise the risks. This consideration of risk and controls underpins event health & safety and is why you are required to carry out a risk assessment covering your stand build and any open period activities which carry any form of risk. At the end of this section, we highlight the risks most commonly associated with events.
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) 2015 (CDM) - see also Site Rules
CDM are the main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects, including exhibitions, and they outline roles, responsibilities, policies and procedures which need to be implemented.
The key principles of CDM 2015 manage risks associated with stand construction and breakdown. Principles are:
- Eliminate or control risks so far as reasonably practicable.
- Ensure work is effectively planned.
- Appoint the right people and organisations at the right time.
- Make sure everyone has the information, instruction, training and supervision they need to carry out their jobs safely and without damaging health.
- Have systems in place to help parties co-operate and communicate with each other and co-ordinate their work.
- Consult workers with a view to securing effective health, safety and welfare measures.
It is not only the Organiser who is responsible for implementing CDM applicable site safety rules and procedures. Space Only stands (and any Shell Scheme stands carrying additional construction) are classified as CDM “mini sites” within the overall event and therefore all exhibitors must operate within the framework of CDM. You should therefore manage your health & safety responsibilities under the key principles outlined above and:
- Appoint a competent person to be responsible for your health & safety for the event – both in the planning stages and the on-site stages.
- Ensure your competent person completes and submits the Health & Safety Declaration.
- Carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of all your open period activities – the health & safety declaration will assist you in doing this. Whilst the UK government has dropped all formal COVID-19 requirements, we urge you to consider COVID-19 when carrying out your risk assessments.
- Ensure your stand contractor covering your stand build submits a risk assessment, a method statement and a construction phase plan along with their stand plans. Templates and guidelines can be downloaded from the downloads section of this manual.
- Ensure your competent person circulates the Site Rules to everyone working on your stand during the construction phases and ensures everyone is inducted with them before going to site.
- Ensure construction work is carried out safely.
- Ensure that suitable welfare arrangements are made for all teams working on your stand.
- Ensure your competent person circulates the venue’s Emergency Procedures to everyone working on your stand – build-up, open period and breakdown.
- Ensure that your company has a written health & safety policy if it employs 5 or more staff.
The “Plan, Do, Check, Act” Approach
The law also requires organisations to implement their health & safety arrangements using specific management system frameworks. The recognised standards are detailed in the HSW’s HS(G)65 model “Successful Safety Management”. The health and safety aspects of events should be managed as closely to the framework as possible, from the initial allocation of rules and responsibilities and risk assessment through to the on-site safety monitoring stages, auditing, review, continuous analysis and improvement of performance. Therefore, take a “Plan, Do, Check, Act” approach to managing health and safety.
- Plan– Determine your policy / plan for implementation.
- Do– Profile risks / organise for heatlh & safety / implement your plan.
- Check– Measure performance.
- Act– Review performance / act on lessons learnt.
Exhibitors and stand contactors are requested to consider the health & safety rules below which are particularly relevant. This list is by no means exhaustive and a responsible attitude must be taken on all matters of Health & Safety whilst on-site. Everyone must also comply with any reasonable instruction given to them by Future Publishing’s appointed health and safety team.
Report any accidents or near misses to the Organisers Operations team immediately.
The abuse of alcohol, drugs and substances can affect work performance and safety. Any person suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other substances ill be removed from the venue by Security.
Children under 16 are not permitted into the halls at any time during build-up or breakdown.
Compressed Gases (e.g. LPG) & Air
The use of compressed gases is not permitted. Compressed air may be permitted by providing a method statement and risk assessment at least four weeks prior to the event – please contact andreahurst@fluid-events.co.uk for further information.
Construction & Display Materials
All construction and display materials must conform to the standards set out in the space only regulations.
All UK restrictions have now been lifted but we ask all exhibitors to take personal accountability for their health and not attend the event if they are displaying symptoms.
Any construction process likely to generate dust and fibres must be controlled under COSHH and processes involving high levels of dust will not be permitted to take place inside the venue.
All electrical work within the Halls will be carried in accordance with current legislation. Space only exhibitors and their contractors should ensure they have read the information given in the Space Only section of this manual.
Treat all cables as if they are live and avoid trailing cables around your stand during construction.
You have a duty to circulate the venue’s Emergency Procedures to all your appointed contractors and stand personnel. The emergency procedures can be downloaded from the Download section.
Fire Exits & Emergency Gangways
Must be kept clear at all times.
Fire extinguishers are distributed around the venue and they must not be removed. Exhibitors should ensure that all their stand contractors and staff are aware of how to use these extinguishers & of the location of the fire exits & alarm points within the halls. If an increased fire risk is presented by a specific activity, exhibitors must provide additional appropriate extinguishers and their activities will be monitored by the venue’s fire safety staff, possibly at additional cost.
In all cases, the following precautions must be taken:
- Equipment provided for the sole purpose of first response firefighting must not be abused, misused, relocated or concealed.
- The operational effectiveness of sprinkler installations must not be interfered with.
- Fire alarm call points must not be operated without due cause.
- Fire doors must not be obstructed, nor their effectiveness otherwise reduced.
- Fire hydrants must NOT be used as a source of water, except for fighting fires.
Flammable liquids and substances must be used and stored safely and segregation from waste and other risk areas. Chemicals and flammable liquids must be removed from the exhibition venue after use by the user or, in exceptional circumstances, brought to the attention of the venue cleaning department for safe and proper disposal. Such products must not be placed in general rubbish bins or skips.
Any process that generates noxious or toxic fumes is not permitted.
During build-up and breakdown emergency gangways must be kept clear at all times.
Under no circumstances will exhibits, stand dressings, furniture etc. be allowed to encroach into gangways and all stand activities such as selling, handing out leaflets etc. must be carried out from your stand area only. Nor are exhibitors permitted to distribute any items within gangways, features, restaurants, seating areas or entrances without the express permission of the Organisers (permission is normally only given to the area’s sponsors or partners).
Hanging wires are not to be left hanging below head height and must be marked with tape.
The control of substances hazardous to health regulations 2002 (COSHH) is intended to remove the problem of ill health caused by the exposure to hazardous substances at work. The definition of a substance that is hazardous to health is any substance that legally has to be labelled as “very toxic”, “toxic”, “harmful”, “irritant” or “corrosive”. If you, or your contractors, intend to use such substances you must carry out a written risk assessment, under the COSHH regulations and send a copy to andreahurst@fluid-events.co.uk by 15 July.
You must not undertake any welding, cutting or grinding that uses open flame or produces heat and sparks without getting a Hot Work Permit from the venue. Hot work activity will require a risk assessment and method statement prior to any permit being issued. Permits must be requested one month in advance.
The Organisers are required to submit details to the venue and local authority of any exhibitor proposing to have items of special risk on their stand. Please therefore identify any such items or activities on both the Health & Safety Form and on your stand plans if you are a space only exhibitor. Details must be provided at least six weeks prior to the event and the event Operations Team will liaise with you as to whether the item(s) are permitted for use and what paperwork must be submitted.
Items of special risk that must be declared to the Organisers include:
- Activities on water
- Any Dangerous & Obnoxious substance
- Audio visual displays & films
- Compressed Gases / Acetylene / LPG
- Crowd Management Safety – e.g. public participation activities
- Dangerous exhibits e.g. weapons, knives, tools etc
- Fairground and other amusements
- Flammable oils, liquids & gases
- Food Safety Advice required - food & alcohol sampling &/or preparation
- Fumes, Exhausts & Smoke
- Hot surfaces & Naked Flames
- Invasive Treatments – including but not limited to skin piercing incl. acupuncture, tattooing, electrolysis, cosmetic piercing, micro pigmentation.
- Lasers
- Livestock including animals, birds, reptiles, insects & fish etc
- Motor vehicles in the hall
- Non-structural items exceeding 4m in height e.g. Helium Balloons (Blimps) & Toy Balloons, Flagpoles
- Radioactive substances
- Requirements where provision is made for a closely seated audience of less than 200 people
- Special treatments – such as massage, facials, lash treatments, manicures etc.
- Simulators and rides
- Stepped access, ramps and balustrades.
- Smoke machines
- Water & water equipment
- Working Machinery & Apparatus
Ensure that all access equipment you use is of sound construction and adequate strength. Fix ladders either at the top or bottom, at a 1:4 angle. The ladder should safely reach 1.5m past the point on which it leans. Trestle type supports are not to be used as ladders under any circumstances. Domestic ladders are not suitable.
Exhibitors using features or exhibits that contain water such as fountains, ponds, hot tubs, spa baths etc. must follow precautions to prevent any possibility of legionella. The temperature inside the venue will be conducive to assisting legionella to multiply at a rapid rate in stagnant water. You must provide a risk assessment and method statement with regard to how water treatment /chlorination/ water change of the feature will be carried out. All water features and equipment MUST be managed by qualified and competent staff. Spa baths must have the filters checked and the sand filter back-washed daily. The water treatment process must be checked and pools continuously treated with oxidising biocide. Records must be kept up to date. Fountains and water features must be cleaned regularly and ponds, spray heads and make-up tanks including all wetted surfaces must be disinfected and de-scaled where necessary. Records must be kept up to date.
Fork and stacker trucks, jacks, hoists, cranes and lifts, etc, are not to be used by anyone other than the officially appointed lifting contractor who have fully trained and qualified personnel, in accordance to all relevant rules and regulations. Manual handlers/loaders must be trained in their specific roles and wear the appropriate PPE.
The law requires that, as far as reasonably practicable, you should avoid the need to undertake manual handling operations which involve a risk of injury and appropriate steps are taken following a risk assessment to reduce any chance of injury to the lowest level reasonably practicable.
- Think before lifting
- Stand as near to the object as possible
- Bend your knees and keep back straight
- Grasp the load firmly
- Lift with your legs
- Hold the load closely to the centre of your body
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require you assess the risks to your employees from noise at work, take action to reduce the noise exposure that produces the risk, provide your employees (and those in the immediate area) with hearing protection if you cannot reduce the noise exposure and ensure that the legal limits on noise exposure are not exceeded.
When using spraying equipment or pressure vessels, care must be taken over possible risks from fumes and barrier creams and masks must be provided. The use of lead-based paints and primers is not permitted. All waste products must be disposed of properly.
- Portable power equipment should be used for the purpose for which it was designed and have correctly fitted and used safety guards.
- It shall be visibly marked as inspected and tested within the previous 12 months.
- Portable electric tools are to be used with the minimum length of trailing leads and such equipment should not left unattended with a live power supply to it.
All stand contractors and staff must wear suitable protective clothing relevant to their job, which includes eye, ear, foot and hand protection. During build-up and breakdown, all personnel must wear high vis, appropriate footwear at all times and hard hats when working beneath or near overhead working.
Every exhibitor is required to ensure that anyone working on their stand during the construction phase has been inducted with the Site Rules.
Smoking, including vaping e-cigarettes) is not permitted in the halls in accordance with UK law.
- No vehicles will be permitted into the hall.
- Care must be taken, both by drivers and pedestrians, when accessing the loading bay .
- Pedestrians must wear high vis at all times when within the Loading Bay and pedestrian access via the Loading Bay entrance is not permitted.
- There is a 5mph speed limit in the Loading Bay
You are responsible for the disposal of waste generated by your own activities. Consider:
- Do not block aisles with your rubbish or equipment.
- You should ensure disused fluorescent lighting tubes are disposed of safely - not in the normal bins or skips.
- Never leave rubbish or packing materials on or behind your stand.
- Chemicals and flammable liquids must first be notified to the Organisers that they will be brought on to site, then afterwards safely removed by the user.
- Charges will be levied to anyone leaving excess waste behind.
The majority of requirements required through CDM are already in place at the BDC and information on access to toilets, seating, drinking water and retail food outlets is detailed in the Organisers site rules. Please ensure you brief all teams with the Site Rules and ensure you plan for the welfare of your teams, including working hours, equipment required and PPE required.
- All equipment provided for work within the venue must be suitable and appropriate for the tasks required and comply with current legislation. The use of “domestic” quality equipment is not acceptable.
- Woodworking machinery, tile cutters etc. shall be used with due consideration for the effect on others nearby (noise and dust) and may be required to be used outside the venue.
All reasonable steps should be taken to eliminate or minimise the risks associated with working at height A person is working “at height” if there is a possibility of their being injured from falling.
- Where work at height is necessary, a risk assessment must be carried out to identify the appropriate means of access and all work at height must be properly planned, organised and supervised.
- Working at height should not be carried out if it is reasonably practicable to do the work in any other way.
- Equipment used for working at height must be suitable for the task, eg: a) domestic steps and ladders are NOT permitted – only industrial steps and ladders are permitted; b) mobile tower scaffold shall be constructed and used as identified by the manufacturer; c) all working platforms shall be protected by guardrails when at a height assessed to present a hazard; d) guard rails, toe boards, barriers, etc, must be of sufficient size and strength and placed and secured correctly; e) working platforms and the supporting structure must be stable and capable of supporting the loads; f) wheeled structures must have wheel locks or other measures to prevent slippage. They must be safely erected, used and dismantled & g) nets, air bags and other collective safeguards must be risk assessed to demonstrate that no other, safer work equipment is available, and that appropriate training has been provided. All equipment must also be appropriately inspected.
The exhibition industry has also launched the "Stop the Drop" campaign with the aim of ensuring that all stakeholders involved in events are aware of the dangers of working at height. Please visit www.stop-thedrop.co.uk for more information.
Young persons under the age of 16 are not permitted onsite during the build-up and break down periods of the event.
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