All activities on-site (including but not limited to stand construction, show demonstrations and breakdown) must comply with all current health & safety legislation. This section of the manual has been produced to provide exhibitors with clear, simple suggestions for understanding health & safety and implementation of a suitable & sufficient safety management programme to comply with the events’ health & safety procedures.
Aims & Objectives
It is the policy of Agriconnect Ltd to wherever possible, seek the co-operation of all concerned in order to achieve the highest standards, in all aspects of Health & Safety.
It is important to ensure that a high level of safe working practices are maintained at all times, which includes ensuring that everyone is reminded of their health & safety responsibilities whilst working at the exhibition. As an Exhibitor, Contractor or Agency you have a duty under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure that all personnel, contracted by you, are aware that they have a responsibility, so far as is reasonable practicable, for the health, safety and welfare of all employees and that any equipment, plant or systems of work which may be used are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health. This requirement includes ensuring that all employees are provided with information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure not only their own health and safety, but also that of others working in or around the vicinity. You are also required to have in your possession a copy of your own Health & Safety policy and risk assessments as well as those of each contractor employed by you which must be available for inspection for the duration of the exhibition.
Your Duties & Responsibilities
As an exhibitor, you have a legal duty of care for the health, safety and welfare 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 of the show and during the breakdown. Where you contract out the building and finishing of your stand to other parties (contractors), you are still vicariously responsible for the activities of your contractors.
It is your responsibility to ensure you have:
- Completed the Health & Safety Declaration Form
- Undertaken a Risk Assessment for your stand, relating to the entire exhibition (stand build, show days and breakdown); this assessment should also consider any fire risks.
- Notify the organisers of, and carry out a specific risk assessment for any of the specific activities outlined on the Health & Safety Declaration Form.
- Space Only exhibitors also have responsibilities under CDM regulations 2015 as a ‘client’.
Site Induction
Please ensure that everyone coming on site during build up and breakdown of the event has completed the site induction. Click here to complete.
A-Z of Safety Information
Accidents
Please report accidents or near misses to the organisers' office immediately .
Alcohol & Drugs Any person suspected to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be asked to leave the site immediately.
Dust & Fibers
Any construction process likely to generate dust and fibers must be sufficiently controlled under COSHH. Where relevant, this must be included in your risk assessment. Any processes involving high levels of dust will not be permitted to take place inside the venue.
Electrics
Don’t mess with your electrics! All installation work must be completed by the official contractor.
Portable Power Equipment
- Portable power equipment should be used for the purpose for which it was designed and have correctly fitted and used safety guards.
- It shall be visibly marked as inspected and tested within the previous 12 months.
- Portable electric tools are to be used with the minimum length of trailing leads and such equipment should not be left unattended with a live power supply to it.
Equality Act
Exhibitors should be aware that they have obligations to disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. Exhibitors are responsible for ensuring that their stand and any other activities at the show comply with this Act. We ask you to consider the three following principal duties:
- 1. To provide a disabled person with the same service that it provides others
- 2. The service must be provided on the same terms
- 3. The service must be provided to the same standard
Changes and adjustments that are made must be reasonable and reasons for making, or not making changes, must also be reasonable
Evacuation
If it becomes necessary to evacuate the venue for any reason, an alarm will sound. If the alarm sounds, everyone must leave the venue for their own safety. Please make your way to the nearest emergency exit and follow instructions from Stoneleigh Events Staff & the Security Stewards who will direct you to the nearest available assembly area (as detailed on the site map). In the event of an evacuation, please ensure that: - All electrical appliances are switched off - Any unidentified packages, cases or bags are reported.
Fire & Emergency Procedures
In the event of a fire emergency:
- Sound the alarm by activating the nearest Alarm Call Point.
- Inform either Security, the Event Organiser, the Venue Event Manager or call 02476 696969 detailing the location and nature of the fire and details of any casualties.
- The Venue Event Manager will contact the emergency services.
- If you cannot contact any of the above then telephone the fire brigade on 999 or (9)999 from an internal line. Give them your location and the postcode CV8 2LZ.
There are strict regulations governing the materials, which may be used in the construction of stands and in the demonstration of products.
All materials used in the construction of stands, features and displays, including signs and fascia’s, shall be:
- Of a suitable nature and quality for the purposes and conditions of their intended use
- Adequately prepared and fixed in order to adequately perform the functions for which they are designed
- Compliant with the British Standard relevant to the particular material or item and ultimately, non-combustible, inherently non-flammable or durably flameproof in accordance with BS 476-Part 7
- Water-based, where applicable, e.g. adhesives, paint and fillers
The venue, the organisers and any visiting local authority reserve the right to request the removal of any contravening item if it is found on site at the event.
Click here to download the NAEC Emergency Procedures.
First Aid
If first aid is required simply:
Medical support can be found in the foyer between halls 1 and 2 or the venue by calling 02476 696969
Tell them:
- The exact Location
- The nature of medical emergency
- Is the patient male or female Approximate age
- Are they breathing, conscious or unconscious, nature of illness
All accidents, incidents or near misses must be reported to the Organiser / NAEC
Flammable Liquids / Chemicals
It is the Exhibitors (or their appointed stand builders) responsibility to ensure that all staff and contractors have received suitable and sufficient information, instruction and or training on any hazardous substances which form part of the stand build and or stand exhibition. You must ensure that the correct protective clothing and equipment is provided (and worn) to enable them to carry out their work in a safe manner in accordance with CoSHH. Flammable liquids and substances must be used and stored safely and segregation from waste and other risk areas. Chemicals and flammable liquids must be removed from the exhibition venue after use by the user or, in exceptional circumstances, brought to the attention of the venue cleaning department for safe and proper disposal. Such products must not be placed in general rubbish bins or skips.
Floor Loading
Sealed power floated concrete loading capability 35Kn/m² suitable for heavy vehicles and forklifts
Any unusual loads must be discussed with the organisers prior to the build up. Failure to do this may result in items being unable to be brought into the hall.
Ladders
Use the right ladder for the job and ensure that you are familiar with the working at height guidance published on the HSE guidance: Safe use of ladders and stepladders: overview - HSE.
Lifting Operations
Forklifts must be pre-booked through Rainthorpes in the Tasks Section.
The deadline for placing your order is the Monday 11th November 2024. After this date there will be a surcharge.
No persons are allowed to operate their own lifting equipment in the halls. This should all be carried out by Rainthorpe Logistics.
Noise
You are required to assess the risks to your employees (and others who may be in the vicinity) from noise at work and if necessary take action to reduce the noise levels omitted. You must also provide your employees (and those in the immediate area) with hearing protection, if you cannot reduce the noise exposure and ensure that the legal limits on noise exposure, are not exceeded.
Personal Protective Equipment
You must ensure that you wear the right personal protective equipment (gloves, goggles, safety footwear etc.) for the task you are doing and the environment you are in. The need for specific PPE should be identified in your risk assessment.
On Site Monitoring
To ensure that the general health & safety requirements identified here (and any that are not) are complied with at all times, the Organisers have appointed a dedicated Health & Safety team to monitor the show floor throughout the build-up, Show open period and the breakdown. In the event of you or your contractor are not following correct health & safety practices, the Organisers and Venue will follow this 3 step procedure: first issue a verbal warning; then a written warning; Finally if bad practice continues the Organisers / Venue will issue a Cessation of Work Notice, requiring the contractor / exhibitor to leave site until such time as correct materials or correct working practices are satisfactorily implemented.
Risk Assessments
Risk assessments are an essential tool for planning how health and safety will be controlled in the workplace. It is simply a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. Each exhibitor must assess the risks for the three phases of the event and undertake a risk assessment identifying the hazards present on-site and ways in which you will then minimise and control those hazards. It is advised that exhibitors follow the HSE recommended five steps: 1. Look for possible hazards 2. Decide who could be harmed and how 3. Evaluate the risk 4. Record the findings 5. Review your findings Please also consider the following: Do you plan any significant construction on your stand? Will you be using any tools, power tools, ladders, paint or chemicals on your stand? Will there be any hazardous or moving exhibits/machinery on your stand? Will there by use of any form of gas on the stan at any time? Will you be responsible for dismantling the stand? Will there be any working at height? Will you be laying flooring or a platform? Will you be installing a ramp or stairs? If you have answered YES to any of the above YOU MUST include the related hazards on the Risk Assessment for your stand.
Sample Risk Assessment
Please click here to log in to the Health & Safety site which includes a sample risk assessment that you can complete. Please visit HSE website if you require further information
Traffic Rules
Please click here to view the NAEC Traffic & Delivery Information Venue Regulations The Health & Safety arrangements at the NAEC are intended to keep you safe and incident free. Whilst working at the NAEC, it is important that you’re aware of the safety rules, procedures and arrangements that are in place, not only for your own safety but also that of your colleagues. You have a responsibility to yourself and others in the CDM site. Please work safely and if you see something that may be of danger to yourself or others, report it immediately to the event organisers, the NAEC or your line manager.
Welfare
Toilets: Your nearest toilet facilities are located in the halls or the public circulation areas outside the halls
Water: Drinkable water is available from all wash basin cold water taps in the toilets.
Bottled water can be bought from any of the catering facilities when open, Vending machines are also available 24/7
Written Documentation
Your written documentation may include:
- A health and safety policy
- Activity based risk assessment (See risk assessment section above) Fire risk assessment
- COSHH Assessment (See COSHH assessment section above) Safe systems of work
- Method Statements
The above list is not exhaustive.
Work Equipment
All equipment provided for work within the venue must be suitable and appropriate for the tasks required. The use of “domestic” quality equipment is not acceptable.
Working At Height
A person is working “at height” if there is a possibility of their being injured from falling.
- Where work at height is necessary, your risk assessment must identify the appropriate means of access and all work at height must be properly planned, organised and supervised.
- Working at height should not be carried out if it is reasonably practicable to do the work in any other way.
- Access equipment used for working at height, must be suitable for the task and be appropriately inspected.
- All persons working at height must be provided with information, instruction and/or training in safe work at height practices.
- Equipment used for working at height must be suitable for the task, work equipment is available and that appropriate training has been provided. All equipment must also be appropriately inspected.
Please refer to http://www.stop-the-drop.co.uk/audiences/contractor for further information.
Please refer to the HSE website for more information: www.hse.gov.uk/work-at- height/index.htm .
Venue Regulations
The Health & Safety arrangements at the NAEC are intended to keep you safe and incident free.
Whilst working at the NAEC, it is important that you’re aware of the safety rules, procedures and arrangements that are in place, not only for your own safety but also that of your colleagues.
You have a responsibility to yourself and others in the CDM site.
Please work safely and if you see something that may be of danger to yourself or others, report it immediately to the event organisers, the NAEC or your line manager