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HEALTH & SAFETY

EXHIBITORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

 

As an exhibitor, you have a legal duty of care for the safety of anyone who may be affected by your activities. You are ultimately responsible for all aspects of safety on your stand during the build-up, open period and breakdown of the show. Where you contract out the building and finishing of your stand, you are still vicariously responsible for the activities of your contractors. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have completed the below:

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HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY

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Please click here to see the organisers’ health and safety policy.

 

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HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK ACT 1974 (HASAWA74)

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The Organisers take their responsibilities as laid out in accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act, etc, 1974 (HASAWA74) very seriously and it is vital that Exhibitors and their Contractors do the same. The Build-up, Open Period and Breakdown are covered by these and other mandatory requirements:

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  • The Health and Safety at Work Act, etc, 1974 (HASAWA74)

  • The Construction & Design Management (CDM) Regulations 2015

  • The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

  • The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

  • The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992

  • The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

  • The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

  • The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 1999

  • Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2002

  • The Building Regulations 1991 (England and Scotland)

  • Environmental Protection Act 1990

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Local Authority Regulations

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As Organisers, it is our policy to manage all events in accordance with the above and make the exhibition environment safe so far as is reasonably practicable. To this effect, we, have appointed a Health & Safety Officer for the show and medical and security facilities are provided on site. 

 

FIRST AID

 

Medical assistance on site is provided in the form of venue first aiders and specialist paramedics employed by the Organisers.  Assistance can be sought by contacting the Venue Operations Centre on Ext. 2222 from an internal phone or 0121 780 4141. Internal phones are located at all hall entrances and at all emergency exits.  Please state the exact location and the nature of the emergency.


Alternatively notify a member of uniformed security staff who are located at all main entrances and vehicle doors within the halls, and they will call for assistance; or contact the Organisers Office located in Hall 19 who will also raise the alarm for help.

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Medical Emergency: Tel   0121 780 4141

Extension: 2222

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY DO'S & DON'TS

 

Below is a list of various things to consider, but in terms of key risks within the build-up and breakdown phases please carefully consider the following:

  • Awareness of vehicles in the loading bays/unloading areas

  • Awareness of how to work safely at height – please take the time to look at www.stop-the-drop.co.uk and brief your teams

Please also consider the following points:

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  • Accidents

    • Report accidents or ‘near misses’ to the Organisers immediately

  • Alcohol & drugs

    • Any person found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be asked to leave the site immediately

  • Disabled access (The Equality Act 2010)

    • Please ensure your stand is easily accessible to all visitors. Disabled persons must be provided with the same service that is provided to others, and it is unlawful to not make a reasonable adjustment for a disabled person

  • Electrics

    • Don’t mess with your electrics. All electrical installation work must be undertaken by the official electrical contractor unless it has been prefabricated off site

  • Fire and emergency procedures

    • Read the Fire & Emergency Procedures that are contained within the Site rules

  • Fire extinguishers

    • We provide extinguishers based on the number required by the fire officer - please do not move them. If you require a specific type of fire extinguisher, please let us know

  • Food safety

    • Use the venue caterer for provision of any hospitality. If you are sampling, please notify us using the stand information form

  • Ladders

    • Use the right ladder for the job, fix at a 1:4 angle – be aware of the working at height regulations. Contact the organisers for further advice

  • Manual handling

    • Think before lifting / stand as near to the object as possible / bend your knees / keep back straight / grasp the load firmly / lift with your legs / hold the load closely to the centre of your body

  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

    • Wear a hi-vis vest in the unloading areas

    • Wear the right clothes and shoes for what you are doing, and the environment you are in

  • Rubbish

    • Don’t keep it stored on your stand – it’s a fire hazard. Contact the organisers to arrange disposal

  • Staff

    • Make sure your staff are briefed properly about the risks to be aware of, and have read and understood the Site rules

  • Vehicle movement

    • Be careful when you arrive and are unloading – there are traffic marshals to assist you

  • Weird and wonderful features

    • Contact the organisers if you are having a water feature, massage, any special effects, anything that causes excessive heat or light, animals or children

  • Working at height

    • If you are working at height, you must use the correct equipment and know how to use it safely 

  • Young persons

    • Under 16’s are NOT permitted during build up and breakdown

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KNIVES & OTHER SHARP IMPLEMENTS*

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Where knives or other sharp implements (eg garden tools) are sold, or used in any kind of demonstrations at this exhibition:

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*’Knives’, in this instance refers only to blades manufactured and intended purely for domestic, or professional trade use (e.g. kitchen knives, DIY/Tradesman’s knives). Any such product offering, or such used in demonstration, should be in keeping with the nature and profile of this event and its attendees. The same type/s of product/s must be available to purchase ‘off the shelf’ from major high street retailers.

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For anything resembling a blade which has been manufactured as, or where its primarily intention or function is as a weapon (or upon discovery is suspected to be intended as such), further regulations apply. Exhibitors intending to offer any form of weapon must declare so in good time pre-event and will be subject to scrutiny from the Venue, Organisers and potentially the Local Authority.  Acceptance/refusal/removal is at the sole discretion of any of the: Organiser, Venue or Local Authority at any time.

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  • The exhibitor’s risk assessment should address pre-sale demonstrations and handling of knives or other sharp implements by customers, e.g., sales should be made on a one-to-one basis and not in crowded areas

  • The venue may request details of the exhibitor’s trading company, in order to verify that the business is legitimate

  • It is recommended that exhibitors request appropriate photographic identification from customers appearing to be under 21, in order to ensure compliance with minimum age legal requirements

  • Knives & other sharp implements displayed on stands must be encapsulated in protective packaging or kept in enclosed cabinets, so that blades cannot be touched by the public

  • Knives & other sharp implements must be out of reach to the public, either displayed at the back of stands or encased.

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The person in control of the stand is responsible for the following:

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  • Secure transport, storage and use in accordance with guidelines

  • Safe use

  • Competency of the handlers/demonstrators

  • Identifying and ensuring the use of protective measures, e.g., screens,

  • Accounting for all stock at all times

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Any sale or demonstration involving knives that (any of) the show Organisers, the Venue or the Local Authority deem unsafe for any reason may be prohibited at any time.

 

NEC HEALTH & SAFETY INFORMATION

 

Click here for the NEC Health & Safety Information

 

 

RISK ASSESSMENT

 

Risk assessments can often seem daunting but may not need to be as complex as you might think.

It may be useful to have a look at our tips to start you off…

  • Split the event into parts

    • Build-up

    • Open days

    • Breakdown

  • Think about who is affected by your stand / activities:

    • Your staff

    • Your contractors

    • Visitors to your stand

    • Neighbouring stands

  • Think about what hazards could be involved to people at the above times:

    • Build-up – vehicles moving around the halls, lifting boxes, trip hazards, working at height, electrics, stand build etc.

    • Open days – tiredness, influence of alcohol, trip hazards, flashing lights, layout of stand etc.

    • Breakdown – similar hazards to build-up, but may be worth considering the risks of wanting to get home speedily i.e. rushing, everyone else rushing etc.

  • Evaluate the risks

    • Can the hazard be removed completely or done in a different way?

    • If the risk cannot be eliminated, can it be controlled?

    • Can protective measures be taken that will protect the entire workforce on-site?

  • Risk assessment document

    • Write down all of the above.

    • Pass on information about significant risks to those people identified

    • Record what measures you have taken to control these risks

  • Review during and after

    • Try to assess as you go along

    • Anything that you change on-site can be added in for your next event

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It is your legal responsibility to undertake a sufficient risk assessment and notify the operations manager of any significant risks. 

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All Space Only Stand holders must supply Separate Risk assessments for Build-Up and Breakdown as well as for the Open period.

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For guidelines and templates to writing a risk assessment please see the Health and Safety Executive’s website http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/ . For further information on working at height please contact the organisers.

 

When completing your risk assessment please take into consideration that you have enough space to accommodate all of your staff, stock, counters, demo benches, fridges, shelving etc. on your stand to avoid unnecessary risks caused by overcrowding on your stand and as a consequence using aisle space or causing an accident, during the build and open period.

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The organiser may request to see your written risk assessment during the show, and should an incident occur on your stand you should be able to produce it immediately for the Local Authority or Health and Safety Executive to investigate.

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DISABILED FACILITIES & THE EQUALITY ACT   

 

The Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to ensure that they do not discriminate against people with disabilities. Exhibitors are responsible for ensuring that their stand and any other activities at the show comply with this Act. Please see River Street Events guidelines policy statement in relation to this Act.

 

Exhibitors should take into consideration all forms of disability such as sight, sound and physical. For example: wheelchair access, signage, low-level counters, induction hearing loops. If you would like advice on this legislation in connection with your stand please contact the Organisers. Toilet and catering facilities are easily accessible for the disabled. The estate car park has disabled parking spaces for blue badge holders.  They are available on a first come first served basis and are adjacent to the Visitor Reception. Parking is currently free for blue badge holders.

 

EQUALITY ACT POLICY

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Objective

River Street Events Ltd wants to ensure all exhibitors and visitors to our events understand disability issues and that the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 in regard to disabled visitors and exhibitors are understood and acted upon to provide an equal level of service wherever reasonable and possible. By taking positive steps to remove any barriers preventing people gaining reasonable access to our shows, we must avoid any form of discrimination against people or groups of people when providing a service.

 

Introduction

River Street Events Ltd will in addition to its own responsibilities and commitments introduce specific provisions to prohibit discrimination against the disabled.

 

Part 3 of the Equality Act concerns the provision of goods, facilities or services to the public.

  • It is unlawful for service providers to victimise, harass or treat the disabled less favourably because of their disability or by offering a lower standard of service or subjecting them to any other detriment as a result of their disability.

  • Providers of goods and services must make reasonable adjustments to make them accessible to disabled people.

  • Providers have to make reasonable adjustments to their premises to remove or alter all physical barriers or features.

 

We will need to ensure that our staff are adequately trained to understand and implement the Equality Act 2010 and any legal obligations under the Act which they may be required to ensure compliance

 

General

For the purpose of the Equality Act a disabled person is anyone who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial adverse and long-term effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities. Reasonable adjustments are steps which are reasonable for the service provider to have to take. Such adjustments include:

 

  • Changes to practices, policies and procedures.

  • The provision of reasonable auxiliary aids to enable disabled people to use a service.

  • The provision of services by an alternative method to overcome a physical barrier.

  • The removal of physical features which inhibit access.

 

The duty to make reasonable adjustments is a duty owed to the disabled as a whole, not simply weighed up in relation to a disabled individual who requests access to a service. Understanding and positively responding to needs of disabled visitors and the requirements of the Equality Act is not a “bolt on” to our organisation.

 

We want to better understand the needs of our visitors with disabilities, how they want to be served and ensuring we operate our event management along with the principles of inclusive design. We welcome feedback from our visitors about how we can operate our events to enhance all visitors’ experience. Disabled people are a diverse group with different requirements and levels of need.

 

Where a service is provided free of charge to the public, disabled visitors should not be charged, even if it is more expensive to provide the service. Where a service is charged for, then the cost of providing the service to all concerned should be considered and a standard charge to all should be set.

 

Providing a service by a means accessible to a disabled person does not place any obligations on River Street Events to provide the same service to any other person without a disability. For example, if we provide an item in an alternative format e.g. Braille, audio etc. we do not have to make them available to the general public on demand.

 

Exhibitors

Our exhibitors are the main contact with our visitors and share with us the objective to improve the event and show experiences. We are working hard to ensure all our exhibitors understand their responsibilities under the Equality Act to show them where and how they can acquire the best equipment to better satisfy those responsibilities.

 

Access to Facilities

All areas including the Press Office must be made accessible to disabled people, where reasonably possible. It is especially important that River Street Events personnel and contractors responsible for meeting and greeting or serving members of the public are aware of the needs of disabled people and be able to respond positively.

 

Certain events may necessitate the need for an `occupational therapist’ to be employed. An assessment of each event shall take place to ascertain requirement levels for equipment and services such as:

  • Induction loops.

  • Sign language interpreters.

  • Seating for people in wheelchairs.

  • Seating for people with other mobility impairments.

  • Set designs to maximise access.

  • Access to drinking water for guide dogs and hearing dogs.

  • Low level counters.

  • Magnifiers.

  • Pen grips.

Box Office – all help desks, service centre, telephone lines to which the public have access to be able to handle requests for those with disabilities. People staffing such areas should check whether callers have any access requirements. Alternative means of contact by fax should be made available.

 

Access to Printed Materials/Websites

The acts and provisions cover any printed material or websites which River Street Events Ltd makes available to the public including leaflets, booklets, fact sheets, mailings etc. River Street Events Ltd should endeavour wherever reasonable to make available printed material in alternative formats such as Braille, audio or large print.

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Review

We commit to reviewing our policy and make incremental changes as and when issues arise.

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