This section is designed to give you guidance & to assist you with your legal responsibilities to ensure the health, safety and welfare of you, your colleagues, and contractors, as well as everyone involved with the event. Please remember that failing to do so can lead to prosecution, other legal sanctions, and very significant financial penalties. More importantly, however, it may also lead to people being badly hurt, or worse. Please do not leave health and safety issues to the last minute. The earlier we have your information the better the support we can give you.

Participation

Exhibitors and contractors shall demonstrate a commitment to the health, safety, and welfare of their people by:

• Taking, as reasonably as practicable measures to prevent injury or ill health.
• Providing a safe and healthy work area related to all associated stand activities.
• Ensuring the Informa Connect Health and Safety (H&S) Policy and related objectives are implemented.
• Extending safe conditions responsibilities to contracted services when outsourced.
• Communicating the importance of H&S with your appointed contractor(s) / sub-contractor(s) and extending safe conditions responsibilities to those services contracted.

Informa H&S Policy Statement

Roles and Responsibilities

Informa Connect shall enforce the requirements of the venue to maintain a safe environment and reduce any impact on the venue conditions.

Exhibitors shall assume accountabilities for all relevant stand activities and outsourced (sub) contracted services. Contractor appointment cannot transfer an exhibitor’s liability and it is an exhibitor’s responsibility to ensure relevant H&S legislation and safe systems of work during construction and dismantlement are adhered to at all times. An exhibitor’s H&S responsibility does not finish until the dismantling works are completed safely and the halls are vacated.

Informa Connect shall provide sufficient competent supervision during the entire tenancy.

The exhibitor shall appoint a competent Contractor to supply adequate resources e.g., manpower and materials, to design and/or control the safe build up, use and dismantlement of temporary structures to maintain safe conditions for themselves and others at all times. Exhibitors are required to ensure contractors and stand design details are submitted on time.

Exhibitors and contractors can seek H&S guidance on their obligations, throughout this manual and via the appointed H&S Contractor / Informa Technical Services (listed below) on any matters relating to appropriate H&S legislation, regulations, and standards.

Sub-contracted services are still under the responsibility of you as the nominated contractor and you shall ensure they are competent to undertake work and maintain safe conditions for themselves and others at all times.

Actions to Address Health and Safety Risk

Exhibitor and contractor shall assess all stand activities, to determine appropriate risk through adequate controls. A documented Risk Assessment shall be submitted to demonstrate known hazards before any action is implemented.

1. Identify Activities
2. Identify Hazards
3. Describe existing control measures
4. Rate Risk Level; High/Medium/Low

Risk Assessment Template

High rated risk shall be reduced by adding further controls. Referenced sources e.g., G-Guide, are available in multiple languages to aid acceptable control measures and acceptable level of risk. Appointed H&S Partners / Technical Services shall offer a secondary resource to the referred material.

Hazard Identification** should consider:

• Design, assembly, construction, dismantling and disposal
• Quality of contracted services
• On-stand activities
• People
• Those with access to the stand and activities, including staff, contractors, and visitors
• Those close to the stand who can be affected by the activities

Event open day on-stand activities (e.g. entertainment, music, demonstrations) requiring further assessment and approval can be found in **A-Z of Information** section. Applied controls shall be observed to ensure they are effective. Informa Connect reserves the right to reject, stop or restrict any practice, which they consider dangerous or detrimental to the show.

Awareness

The exhibitor and contractor shall ensure all people, including outsourced contracted services are aware of the impact of not conforming to the H&S requirements.

• Familiarisation with the venue and event floor plan
• Do everything reasonably practicable to protect themselves and others
• Awareness of Venue emergency arrangements e.g.: escape routes and assembly points
• Site safety rules
• Use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment for the required task
• Coordinate activities with the organiser
• Onsite H&S induction/training
• Control unsafe behaviour
• Badging protocols
• Onsite signing in and out (process) as required
• Report dangerous acts which may lead to serious injury or incident occurrences
• Ensure no form of modern slavery, forced or coerced labour, human trafficking, or child labour

 

Personal Protective Equipment

All onsite individuals must be familiar with the H&S information before entering the halls during any stage and use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment correctly.

Security

Informa Connect assesses protection measures to establish an acceptable culture to secure the event and our attendees in partnership with the venue to:

• Deter opportunist or motivated criminal activities.
• Detect onsite adversaries.
• Delay suitable & appropriate obstacles that can delay the advance and withdrawal of adversaries.

Exhibitor access to the hall(s) during build up and breakdown is restricted, there are scheduled access times for space only stands and shell scheme stands. Badges will be required to access the venue, please refer to the badges section of this manual for more information.

Prior to entering the hall(s) for build / breakdown, Exhibitors and contactors are required to:

• Check safety signage to confirm the site safety rules.
• Present your ID badge to security.
• Ensure adequate PPE is worn for the planned task(s) in accordance with Informa Connect & the venue standards.
• Read and acknowledge the Event Safety Declaration prior to entry *(if badge not already issued)*.
• Always display H&S Inducted Wristband / Badge where required.
• Badges visually displayed at all times to identify all those with permitted access.

Exhibitors and contractors requiring access to the halls beyond the show timetabled hours, must contact the Organiser Office to seek permission for out of hours access.

Informa Connect shall be entitled to conduct those measures required for guarding, including bag checks as may be necessary. Those who refuse to submit to these checks, carried out by legally authorised persons, will be excluded from the halls, regardless of their status (exhibitor, visitor, contractor or otherwise).

Informa Connect assumes no liability for items brought into the halls by exhibitors. In particular, no compensation shall be provided for damaged or stolen goods. If necessary, exhibitors should organise guarding of their stands themselves. Stand guards shall be supplied directly by the guard services company appointed by Informa Connect or the venue only.

Informa Connect reserves the right to admit children or young people to our show days, based on the present level of risk. Parents/guardians maintain overall responsibility for minors, and guided Informa protocols shall be followed. Children or young people under 18 CANNOT enter the halls during build or breakdown.

Floor Safety Management

Informa safety professionals shall monitor the stand activities and overall exhibition floor H&S risk exposure; as far as reasonably practicable, to safeguard:

• The assigned venue areas
• Encourage exhibitor appointed contractors to adopt good safety practices
• Removal and disposal of waste appropriately
• Monitor high risk activities
• Appropriate information, guidance, and supervision, on H&S issues
• Manage incidents/accident immediate scenes, including high potential near misses

Unsafe behaviour, or conditions may result in work being stopped and require additional controls to be implemented to correct issues prior to stand activities continuing. No resolution may result in offenders being asked to leave the site.

First Aid Cover

Onsite assistance will be available to aid injured or seriously ill person(s) prior to professional medical help can be obtained for the onsite duration. First aid stations shall be easily accessible via clear signage to guide all parties of the location(s).

Emergency Response

Exhibitors and contractors shall be aware of the venue emergency arrangements and will participate or comply with any requirement to apply a prompt response in the event of a serious, unexpected, and dangerous situation. Upon hearing the Alarm, you shall:

1. Stay calm, check own safety, and follow Security guidance.
2. Use directed escape route(s) and nominated emergency exit(s).
3. Do NOT stop to collect personal belongings.
4. Remain at designated Assembly Area until further notice.
5. Report to supervisor and report any serious concerns for missing person(s).
6. Do not leave assembly area and/or re-enter venue.
7. Await ‘ALL CLEAR’, back to event announcement.

If a fire or any other serious or dangerous situation is observed and no alarm has been raised, inform the nearest security officer or floor safety official. In event of imminent danger use Call Points prior to following above action sequence.

Incident / Accident Reporting

All significant incidents must be reported to the Info-hub directly or via the floor safety team as soon as it is safe to do so. Information required:

• Date and time of occurrence
• Nature of accident
• How it occurred
• Extent of injury / illness (if applicable)
• Damage or loss incurred (if applicable)

Informa Connect may investigate incidents and gather information and may request a statement of events to assist and prevent reoccurrence. Investigation outcomes may lead to a formal Improvement Notices being issued to any contracted service and subsequent Awareness Notifications being issued to Exhibitors. Financial penalties maybe incurred post investigation of any serious or dangerous occurrences that impact the exhibition.

Informa Connect is customer focused and implementing a duty of care in our commitment to protect the health, safety and welfare of our Exhibitors and others as a core business objective. Driven through proper planning and onsite control to demonstrate efficiency, effectiveness and ultimately a successful show.

Additional Contractor Guidance:

Safe Behaviour

Unsafe behaviour, or conditions may result in work being stopped and require additional controls to be implemented to rectify issues prior to stand activities continuing. No resolution may result in offenders being asked to leave the site.

Stand Build and Breakdown Hazards

• Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs onsite is completely forbidden. Any person found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be removed from the halls and the authorities may be contacted.
• Contractors are not to block aisle access. All waste must be removed by contractors and disposed of in a sustainable manner. Designated emergency aisles, portable fire extinguishers and fixed installations must be kept clear at all times - items left in these gangways are liable to removal and may be disposed of without liability. Lifting contractors are not permitted to place and block freight loads in designated emergency aisles.
• Use of compressed gases will only be permitted where essential and only by exception and these must be recorded on the stand risk assessment. Installation must be completed by a competent registered gas fitter to appropriate local standards.
• Any damage caused by you within the exhibition grounds, its buildings, or to the equipment or furnishings may be remedied by the Organiser following investigation and expensed to the exhibitor at a later date.
• During the build-up and breakdown power must only be taken from the temporary supplies provided by the official electrical contractor and not from cleaners’ sockets or other hall sockets. All work must be carried out by competent electrician and all temporary installations must be protected by an RCD and inspected before power is supplied. There should be sufficient correctly installed and rated power sockets to preclude the use of extension leads and long trailing flexes. If essential, extension leads must be correctly fused and limited to one per socket, with a flex length not exceeding 2m. Multi-sockets or ‘block adaptors’ must not be used at any time.
• Exhibitors have a duty to ensure proper food hygiene to guard against contamination and food poisoning. Foods with allergenic content must be clearly marked as such (e.g.: nuts). To comply with the law, you must provide the following if you are preparing or serving food from the stand:
• A double sink for washing and rinsing with piped supplies of hot and cold water
• A wash hand basin or anti-bacterial wipes if only pre-packaged food is being served
• Suitable nonslip floor covering for food prep area
• Suitable refuse facilities
• Any foods likely to support the growth of pathogenic or micro-organisms must be kept at or below 8°C.
• For hot food storage must be provided and stored at or above 63°C.
• All foods on display must be protected from the risk of contamination.
• A suitable first aid box must be provided with waterproof plasters.
• Counters and shelves must be smooth, impervious, and easily cleaned.
• All food containers must be kept clean.
• Open food must not be placed less than 150 mm from the ground.
• Those serving or preparing food must:
• Not be suffering (or have suffered in the last 2 days) from gastro-enteritis, or any illness or infection likely to cause food poisoning.
• Wear clean washable clothing to protect food from contamination.
• Keep hands and clothing clean.
• Cover all cuts with a waterproof dressing (anyone with septic wounds must not be allowed to handle food).
• Contractors have a duty to exercise proper controls over the release of harmful fumes and if necessary, carry out a COSHH assessment (see hazardous substances). Engines of vehicles in the halls must not be left on idle. Where this is unavoidable i.e., for cranes, the lifting supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the fumes caused by combustion do not build up in the halls, service tunnels or basements areas as a result.
• Hanging wires are not to be left hanging below head height and must be marked with tape.
• Hazardous substances are not to be brought into the halls unless essential. The use of hazardous substances must be subject to a COSHH assessment. Contractors must declare the use or display of hazardous substances as a special risk. Where substances may be potentially hazardous (e.g., certain paints and treatments), Material Safety Data Sheets must be available for inspection on demand. Where the nature or hazardous potential of a substance cannot be established, it will be excluded from the hall.
• All special effects must be treated as high risks and are subject to strict controls in accordance with a risk assessment and the appropriate legal and venue requirements. Further information can be obtained on these from the organiser.
• Smoking is not permitted in the halls at any time. Offenders may be asked to leave the halls and the exhibiting company will be informed.
• Smoke generators and pyrotechnics are not allowed.
• Vehicles may not be displayed without written permission. The vehicle must be made safe from risks of fire, fuel leak and unauthorized use. Motor vehicles used on stands must have minimum fuel, just enough to enter and leave the exhibition venue at the end of the event. Batteries remain disconnected and hold the appropriate certification from the country of origin.
• Working at height must be in accordance with the EU Working at Heights Directive (2001/45). As such, all working at heights is subject to risk assessment. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU AND YOUR CONTRACTORS UNDERSTAND THAT UNCONTROLLED ‘LIVE EDGE’ WORKING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
• All rigging from the roof is to be carried out by one of the official rigging contractors.
• All working platforms are to have a guard-rail, mid-rail and toe-board. Tools are to be kept on lanyards so far as is reasonably practicable. Outriggers must be deployed at all times. No person is to remain on any static tower structure whilst it is being moved from one location to another.
• Static and mobile access working platforms must be fit for purpose (see Working platforms) and assembled correctly to manufacturers’ specifications.
• Separate risk assessments are required for working on a live edge (before rails are in place). In such cases fall arrest equipment must always be used.
• Operatives working at height other than on a static working platform designed for that purpose (e.g., Scaffold or scaffold tower) must wear an appropriate harness, lanyard and a suitable arrestor for the height at which they are working at the time. Operatives must be ‘clipped’ on at all times. Those who are expected to move regularly must have a twin-clip harness, with one clip fastened to an appropriate structure at all times.
• Operatives working at height must have suitable head protection e.g., bump caps.
• Ground access to areas in the vicinity must be controlled to prevent persons accidentally walking directly under high works (e.g., a ground based operative and the use of hi-vis tape to cordon-off the area. Ground workers in the vicinity must not work directly under high works and wear suitable head protection e.g., hard hats.
• All Mobile Elevated Working Platforms (MEWS) must be properly maintained. Written evidence of this must be available for inspection on demand.
• All working platforms are to have a guard rail, mid rail, and toe board. Mobile access towers must be correctly constructed.
• Mobile access towers must be fit for purpose. Outriggers are to be used correctly with the correct height to width ratio (3.5 x shortest base width indoors and 3 x shortest base width outdoors).
• Mobile access towers may not be moved whilst in use and wheels must be locked off.
• Ladders must be footed or tied off. The use of domestic ladders and steps is strictly forbidden.

All of the above are a summarized guide. For full details on any particular aspect, you must seek professional advice. If you do not know who to contact for these services, please seek advice from the Informa Connect Operations Team.**