It’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of a successful exhibition or trade show event. From exciting new product demonstrations to rare networking opportunities and driving new leads for your business, there’s always so much to do over such a short period of time. Exhibiting is a full-time job, literally! And just like all full-time jobs, there are some important employee rules and regulations to be aware of while working hard on exhibition day.
Nobody knows when a tragedy might occur. In the event of a major safety hazard, there’s usually precious little time to react, especially in crowded exhibition and conference venues. To help keep everyone safe at every event, its vital for you to be aware of exhibitor health and safety regulations in the UK.
In this important article, we’ll unpack some basic health and safety tips for exhibitors at British trade shows, giving you a simple breakdown of what your safety responsibilities are as an exhibitor. Whether you’re a marketing manager, CEO, or event planner, it’s everyone’s responsibility to keep their safety awareness up to scratch!
What The Law Says
In a sea of important UK safety regulations, two important pieces of safety legislation should stand out to exhibitors:
- The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (1988)
These pivotal documents provide the important information and context for the safety responsibilities of those working in the UK exhibitions industry. According to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (1988), exhibition stands are considered a work place, meaning that relevant health and safety protocols apply to a stand as a place of work and to the employees who work there.
We’ll break down some of the key practices in the tips section below, but it’s always a good idea to go through the regulations in full using the links above.
Tips For Exhibitor Health And Safety
Here are some important things to keep in mind when exhibiting:
- Get familiar with Risk Assessments
- Know your emergency procedures
- Appoint health and safety representative
- Wear PPE
- Train your staff
- Carry first aid
- Keep your exhibition area clean and tidy
- Follow design and build regulations
Get Familiar With Risk Assessments
A Risk Assessment is a special document outlining potential on-site safety risks and hazards, along with your plan of action to limit these risks and control them. Besides being a required submission for most exhibitions, the document should also be available to view on-site for the duration of your exhibition participation.
Risk Assessments are important since it’s the duty of any employer to protect their employees from possible harm. When completed properly with the appropriate attention they deserve, Risk Assessments significantly reduce the likelihood of surprise safety hazards by informing staff from where they might arise. They also detail how staff should act in the event of an emergency situation, by removing the hazard or limiting its effect.
Smaller businesses tend to have fewer risks than larger ones, and the same is true for exhibition stands of different sizes. You can conduct and submit the Risk Assessment yourself or hire someone qualified to do it for you.
More information on Risk Assessments and how to go about doing one can be found with the National Health and Safety Executive.
Understand Your Emergency Procedures
They’re commonly overlooked, but emergency procedures can be the difference between life and death. When a major hazard takes control of the exhibition hall, it’s vital that all your staff know what to do to either minimise the threat or evacuate safely.
Start by getting a hold of your venue’s fire escape plan. This document, typically in map format, shows people how they should safely evacuate the building to save lives and prevent a stampede. Take some time to identify the venue’s emergency exits and the closest one to your exhibition display.
Lastly, take note of nearby fire extinguishers which may be needed urgently in event of a fire. Ensure all your exhibition staff are familiar with the fire and emergency procedures and know how they should act in the event a fire occurs.
Appoint A Health And Safety Representative
Health and safety policy needs to be upheld at all times while working on-site at an exhibition, which is why it is strongly recommended that you appoint a Health and Safety Representative to oversee these matters on each exhibition day.
The Health and Safety Representative will represent their fellow employees in the workspace and liaise with you, the employer, about safety risk and hazard mitigation.
The duties and responsibilities of a Health and Safety Representative are covered under the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations (1996), which can be found here.
Wear PPE
PPE, or Personal Protective Equipment, is a cornerstone of modern health and safety best practices around the globe; it is designed to prevent personal injury amongst your staff.
In the context of the exhibitions industry, PPE should be worn by anyone present on-site during the build and dismantling phases of your exhibition booth. Additionally, PPE should also be worn by stand staff during any live product demonstrations or handling featuring dangerous, toxic, flammable, or otherwise hazardous substances. Employees should know, as part of their safety responsibilities whilst working, which items of suitable protective clothing to wear and how to wear them properly to minimise health risks.
Typical PPE gear for exhibitions includes high-visibility vests, protective headwear, sturdy footwear, gloves, protective glasses, and ear muffs at a minimum.
Train Your Staff
All staff have a responsibility to be aware of basic safety protocols and safe working practices. With the help of a Health and Safety Representative, employees scheduled to work in and around your exhibition booth should be instructed on all relevant safety information before the event happens. Employees should also be familiar with how to operate relevant equipment and machinery in a safe manner; they should also be aware of how to safely handle any substances integral to your exhibition display. Lastly, they should be aware of who to contact should an accident happen, like emergency services.
Through robust employer-employee co-operation on safety, you can get the peace of mind knowing major accidents pose less threat to your business.
Carry First Aid
While some venues may provide it themselves, it is up to exhibitors to carry their own first aid for when medical emergencies arise. Make sure your kit is complete, up-to-date, and ready for use by a qualified first aid practitioner. First aid assistance can be the difference between life and death in a medical emergency.
Keep Your Exhibition Area Clean And Tidy
A messy exhibition booth won’t just turn away visitors; it will attract accidents and hazards too. Remove all unnecessary clutter and keep your exhibition display open for foot traffic. At the same time, ensure any flammable, hazardous, or poisonous items are stored safely out of reach when not in use.
Follow Design And Build Regulations
The British Exhibition Stand Design Regulations contain many stand design provisions for safety purposes. These include specific restrictions on stand height, materials usage, display loads, and other aspects of exhibition stand design for safety purposes.
The scaffolding, tools, and portable power equipment you use during the construction and dismantling of your booth should also comply with the relevant regulations, and all staff that make use of such equipment should be trained to use them safely.
Health, Safety, And Your Exhibition
Behind every winning exhibition stand, there’s always a group of people who take health and safety seriously. Putting time into health and safety guards unforeseen losses for your business; it also contributes to a positive work environment for all your staff on trade show day, leading to better engagement with visitors and more juicy leads.
With years of experience under our belt, Booth Exhibits™ is an exhibition stand builder that won’t compromise your safety. We’re proud to say all of our designs comply with national British stand design regulations, giving you peace of mind on exhibition day like no other.
