Health & Safety

Under Health & Safety legislation, exhibitors and their main contractors are responsible for all activities that take place on their stand throughout the event, and any actions that could affect others not on their stand. This includes preparing risk assessments and method statements, as well as the briefing, communicating to and controlling of all the sub-contractors who work on their stand.

RenewableUK is committed to providing, maintaining and promoting, so far as is reasonably practicable, the highest standards of Health, Safety & Welfare at all its events. All exhibitors and contractors at events organised by RenewableUK are expected to ensure they provide a safe place and system of work, as is their legal duty under HSAW 1974. Successful safety management requires the commitment, involvement and co-operation of all those on site at an event.

As part of the Association of Event Venues (AEV), Excel London adheres to the policies within the eGuide. The eGuide brings together guidance for achieving common standards of health, safety and operational planning, management and onsite conduct for events at all participating AEV member venues. 

THINK about your safety and the safety of others when working on site.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT: high visibility vests must be worn during build-up and breakdown. Please note that open-toed shoes and/or sandals will not be accepted on site during build-up and breakdown; appropriate footwear must be worn.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES should be read and understood.

EMERGENCY GANGWAYS must remain clear at all times. 

TRAFFIC could be moving around the hall and certainly around the loading areas. Take care when walking around the site and always ensure you are wearing hi-vis during build-up and breakdown days.

WORKING AT HEIGHT should only be undertaken following a proper assessment of the work involved as required by the Work at Height Regulations 2005.

WORKING HOURS should be managed to ensure that no member of your workforce is forced to work a dangerous length of time. Where it is necessary to consider late working please inform the Organiser’s Office immediately.  Late working cannot be guaranteed.

HOUSEKEEPING should be a priority when working on site.  This will ensure that your work does not affect other stands working around you as well as keeping your general working area clean and tidy.

HEALTH AND SAFETY FLOOR MANAGERS are on site to monitor all working practices and give advice where necessary.  Dangerous practices will result in an hour suspension from site.  Continued bad practice will result in your removal from site.

SMOKING & E-CIGARETTES are not permitted within the halls at any point during the show.

The Construction Design & Management Regulations 2015 (CDM) are the main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects. All exhibitors must comply with CDM Regulations.  

CDM aims to improve health and safety in the industry by helping you to:

• sensibly plan the work so the risks involved are managed from start to finish
• have the right people for the right job at the right time
• cooperate and coordinate your work with others
• have the right information about the risks and how they are being managed
• communicate this information effectively to those who need to know
• consult and engage with workers about the risks and how they are being managed.

These regulations have been implemented to further regulate the industry and ensure that safety is the highest priority, encouraging better communication of information and standardising lines of responsibility.

When will CDM be in operation? 

CDM will be put into operation at times when there is construction of any kind taking place within the hall, namely during build-up and breakdown. It will not, however, be in effect when only stand dressing and aesthetic works, such as painting, are taking place.

Controls for Access into the Halls

When CDM is in operation, it is important that we control access into the hall and only allow admittance to those who have completed the Health & Safety Form. This should be completed by 17 April. There will be limited opportunities for the Site Induction to be completed on site and as such it is to your advantage that this is done beforehand.

For ease of reference, please make sure that you have covered the following points amongst other safety precautions that you have identified. 

Do

• Make sure you and anyone staffing your stand understands the fire and evacuation procedures and locations of the hall exits.
• Ensure that any contractor working for you has a suitable and sufficient health and safety policy statement and good safety practices.
• Make sure that contractors are working safely and ensure they are trained and competent.
• Keep all gangways as clear as possible at all times. The designated emergency gangways may not be obstructed at any time.
• Working at height on ladders and scaffolding must be done in a controlled and safe manner.
• Treat all cables as though they were live.
• Make sure a qualified electrician carries out all electrical work. There is a Hall’s electrical inspector who will be pleased to provide information or answer questions.
• Ensure that all rubbish and packing from your stand is removed from the site. It must not be stored on or behind your stand during the show.
• Make sure that hazardous waste is disposed of safely.  
• Schedule enough time for your work and provide adequate breaks for your contractors and staff. Time constraints are no excuse for not adhering to safety standards.
• Make sure that you are properly insured for the exhibition.

Don’t

• Don't use flammable materials in your displays. This includes plastic flowers, polystyrene etc. Some combustible materials may be acceptable if treated with the correct materials. 
• Don't have overloaded or insecure displays. Stands and displays can be knocked by visitors and must be safe and secure. 
• Don't bring children into the hall. 
• Don't overload trolleys - not only can this damage your exhibits but it will make it difficult to move through aisles and may cause injury to you or other people. 

Shell Scheme and Show Ready Exhibitors must complete and submit the Health & Safety Form and Risk Assessment Form, and undertake their own Risk Assessment. If you have indicated on the form that you will be participating in a high-risk activity then you must submit further information to the Operations Team before coming on site. If you do not plan a high-risk activity, you do not need to submit a Risk Assessment but please be aware that we may ask to see your documentation.

Space Only Exhibitors must complete and submit the Health & Safety Form. All Space Only exhibitors must submit a suitable and sufficient Risk Assessment, covering the build-up, breakdown and open period, with your stand plan submission. A Method Statement, Construction Phase Plan and a copy of the stand builder's Public Liability Insurance must also be submitted.

Deadline: 17 April

Step 1: Look for the hazards: How and when will the work be done; where on the stand will each trade involved be working? What equipment, materials and chemicals will be used? How much noise and dust will there be? Where will there be vehicle movements and lifting?
 

Step 2: Decide who could be harmed and how: Who will be affected by your work and most at risk? Think of your employees, contractors or exhibitors on or near your stand, through to the visitors themselves. Safe working depends on co-operation between companies on site so take this into account and consider necessary precautions on every aspect of the work being carried out.
 

Step 3: Evaluate the risks: Once you have done this adequately, you can decide on the appropriate action. Ask yourself (a) can the hazard or risk be removed completely or done in a different way, (b) if the risk cannot be eliminated, can it be controlled, (c) can measures be taken that will protect the entire workforce on site?
 

Step 4: Record the findings: Write down the findings of your Risk Assessment. Pass on information about significant risks to those people identified in Step 2 and record what measures you have taken to control those risks.
 

Step 5: Review your findings: This allows you to learn by experience and take account of any unusual conditions or changes that occur on site. All venues have different rules and regulations, and no two exhibitions provide the same environment. In all complex stand building cases, you or your Principal Contractor should draw up a specific Safety Method Statement.
 

The risk guide, in the risk assessment template below, can be used to decide if a risk falls into high, medium or low category. This information should be stated next to each identified risk. The level of detail given in your risk assessment should be broadly proportionate to the level of risk involved.

RISK ASSESSMENT TEMPLATE
METHOD STATEMENT EXAMPLE
CONSTRUCTION PHASE PLAN TEMPLATE