Health and Safety

OVERVIEW – IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THIS SECTION

We appreciate that some of you may have limited experience with regards to the legal and practical aspects of health and safety management.  This section is designed to give you sufficient guidance to discharge your responsibilities. Guidance, however, can only go so far and 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. If you are unsure you are urged to contact the Operations Team.  Please do not leave health and safety issues to the last minute. The earlier we have your information, the better support we can give you.

Risk Assessment

Revolution Events has carried out suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks associated with this event.  However, general risks associated with any event are as follows:

• Multiple contractors / staff working in a single workplace
• Fall from working at heights
• Objects falling from height or vehicles
• Structural collapse of seating or an exhibition stand
• Food poisoning from temporary catering points
• Fire
• Major incident / accident
• Excessive working hours

The above list is simply an overview and not a comprehensive account of potential event risks.  It is the absolute duty of all parties to ensure that under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations suitable and sufficient risk assessments are conducted on all significant risks.  In general terms, emphasis should be always be placed on eliminating or reducing risk at source.  It must be remembered that personal protection equipment is usually a control of last resort.

Sponsor and Contractor Legal Duties

As a sponsor or contractor you have a legal duty for the safety of anyone who may be affected by your actions.  Ultimately it is you who are responsible for all aspects of safety on your stand during the build up, open period and breakdown. If you contract out the building / removing of your stand it is still ultimately you who are responsible for the actions of your contractor(s). You can discharge you duties by:

• Appointing a competent person to be responsible for health and safety on site
• Carrying out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of all your activities
• Obtaining risk assessments / method statements from any contractors used
• Ensuring all staff / contractors understand venue health and safety rules
• Ensuring all staff / contractors are familiar with the venue’s emergency procedures

Stand Designer’s Legal Duties

All stand designers have a legal duty to ensure that the stand(s) is designed to be fit for the intended purpose, structurally sound and safe to build, use and remove without any undue risks.

Items for Submission

Items to be submitted to Eli Tomkinson include:

• Health and Safety Declaration form
• Insurance Declaration form
• Name of your nominated health and safety person on site
• Notification and subsequent supporting risk assessments for any activity taking place on your stand that represents a significant risk.  This includes (but is not limited to):
• Water features
• Visitor treatments, e.g. massages
• Demonstrations
• Flammable substances / naked flames

Revolution Events will receive the following from official event contractors:

• Full risk assessment (specific to the event)
• Method statements (specific to the event)
• Health and safety policy
• Stand plans (specific to the event)
• Signed Insurance Declaration
• Signed Health and Safety Declaration
• Name and contact details (including out of office telephone details) of the nominated health and safety representative on site

Rules for working onsite*

* Please note whilst not all of the information below is relevant we request that you do read this section to ensure you are full aware of any rules / regulations that will affect you.

The following are the general health and safety site rules with regards to safe working.  Some of the rules may not be applicable to this event. You are reminded that venue staffs, sponsors and contractors alike have a legal duty to cooperate with the Organiser on matters of health and safety that includes compliance with these rules.

All participants must comply with any reasonable instruction given to them by either Revolution Events or the venue’s appointed health and safety representative.

Summary
Aisles
Alcohol and Drugs
Compressed gases (e.g. LPG)
Demonstrations
Dust
Fire
First Aid
Floor Conditions / Loadings
Hazardous Substances
Late Working
Lifting / Forklifting
Pirates
Waste
Working at Heights
Work Equipment and Tools
Working Platforms

Aisles
Sponsors are not to dump items in the aisles. Sponsors must remove all waste materials other than small items.  Designated emergency aisles must be kept clear at all times.  No object, furniture or display should protrude or be placed in the aisle during open hours.

Alcohol and Drugs
Drinking of alcohol is forbidden during build up / breakdown times. Taking of drugs is forbidden at all times during the event.

Compressed Gases (e.g. LPG)
Use of any compressed or pressurised (e.g. butane, propane) during the event is prohibited.

Demonstrations
If any demonstration is deemed to be above a acceptable noise level we, as Organisers, reserve the right to cancel the demonstration. The following would be considered to the demonstrations:

• Special effects – lasers, strobes, smokes and pyrotechnics

All special effects require prior approval by the venue so any sponsors wishing to use any of the above (or similar) should submit a detailed proposal with full Risk Assessment and Certificate of Apparatus for use, to Eli Tomkinson, to be passed onto the venue for processing.

• Special treatments – massage, etc

If you are planning to offer massages or similar special treatments please contact Eli Tomkinson immediately, as it will be necessary to apply for a Local Authority Licence.

Dust
Dust must be kept to a minimum. Dust extraction must be used, where fitted, on power tools.

Fire
There are strict rules governing what materials can be used to build stands and these will be covered by the venue’s regulations. Sponsors (and contractors) must ensure that they are followed.  In general you are not permitted to build your stand with anything that is flammable or non-flame resistant unless it has been treated.

Combustible waste must be safely disposed of and boxes / packaging must not be stored on the stand.

First aid fire fighting equipment is provided in the hall by the venue. Fire Extinguishers of approved pattern and capacity will be supplied by the venue, free of charge.

First Aid
There is a fully equipped First Aid room at each of the venues, which will be permanently staffed.

Floor Conditions / Loading
During build up / breakdown there is a significant risk of slips, trips, falls and sharp objects being left on the ground. All those working in the hall during these periods is advised to wear appropriate safety footwear.

Hazardous Substances
No Hazardous substances may be brought into the hall.

Late Working
No late working will be permitted. The stand design should be such that it can be built in the times specified within this Handbook.

Waste
All waste, including any food / beverages (cheese / teabags) must be removed from the exhibition hall after the close of the event.  Any waste left will result in charges being passed onto the sponsor unless an agreement has been reached (in writing) prior to the event.

Working at heights
Working at height is to be in accordance with LOLER and the Working at Heights Regulations. As such, all working at heights is subject to risk assessment.

All working platforms are to have a guardrail, mid rail and toe board. Static and mobile access platforms must be fit for purpose (see Working platforms)

Operatives working at height other than on a static working platform designed for that purpose, e.g. scaffolding, must be clipped on. They must also have suitable head protection on, e.g. bump caps.

Ground access to areas in the vicinity must be controlled to prevent persons accidentally walking directly under high works.  Ground workers must not walk under an area of high works and must wear suitable head protection, e.g. hard hats.

Work Equipment and Tools
Sponsors and contractors have duties under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations to ensure that all tools are fit for purpose and safe to use.

All dangerous tools, e.g. circular saws, must be controlled to avoid unauthorised use.

The use of battery powered tools is strongly recommended to reduce the number of trailing cables. If mains powered machines are required please ensure cables do not trail across aisles.

Working Platforms
All Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPS) must comply with LOLER and have had a Thorough Inspection (TI) in the previous 6 months.

All working platforms are to have a guardrail, 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 tied off and used in accordance with Construction (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations. The use of domestic ladders / steps is strictly forbidden.

The above information is simply a summarised guide.  For full details on any particular aspect you should seek professional advice, e.g. HSE Website, or feel free to contact Eli Tomkinson.

Revolution Events Ltd – Health and Safety Policy
Please click here to download a copy of the Revolution Events Health & Safety policy.