Before you plan for your next exhibition, let’s make safety a priority here. Every exhibition stand is like a small workplace for employees. Thus, it has to follow the same rules and safety guidelines. This means that you must prepare two crucial documents.
- A risk assessment: To spot any risk and get it fixed.
- A method statement: To explain how the whole work will be done.
Why Exhibition Stand Risk Assessment Matters
Here is what you need to know further about these documents:
- If you’re building your stand, send these documents to the exhibition organisers. Plus, on both setup and dismantle days.
- If you choose an exhibition stand hire, they will handle the paperwork on your behalf, from the setup to the takedown days. You only have to cover the show’s open days.
Note: If you opt for stand hire, you need to officially appoint them as the “Principal Designer and Contractor.” This follows UK safety rules under the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015.
7 Critical Steps Of Complete Event Stand Risk Assessment
Are you getting ready for an exhibition? Let us help you with all the details of the risk assessments. It is all about spotting and fixing potential hazards to protect your employees, visitors, and brand name.
As the name suggests, risk assessment is all about spotting and fixing potential hazards to make your exhibition a smooth success. So, let’s discuss the steps in detail:
1. Identifying Common Hazards
A solid risk assessment report starts with spotting hazards. Thus, to make sure you haven’t left any stone unturned, walk around the stand area and keep an eye out for these common errors:
Electrical Hazards
Look for loose or exposed wires, overloaded extension cords, and faulty sockets that may spark the fire. Faulty electrical devices are one of the top causes of exhibition stand fires.
Tripping And Falling Risks
Are there any cables across the walkways, or is the floor uneven? Try your best to observe any obstacle that might trip people. For instance, are there any boxes or display stands in the hallway? That should be moved or secured away.
Fire Risks
Double-check for all flammable materials. Tall displays or large banners can tip or fall if not secured properly. Sometimes, fire risks also increase with the use of heating devices like portable heaters.
Heavy And Unstable Items
Are there any stacked materials, tall unnecessary displays, or large banners that can tip or fall if not secured properly? Mark everything over a few feet tall that should be anchored.
Crowd Control And Space Issues
Last but not least, if your stand is expected to attract many visitors, plan how to handle crowd flow efficiently. Otherwise, accidents, damages, and even a poor customer experience can occur.
Note: For each potential risk, consider how it might impact both staff and your visitors.
2. Assessing The Risks
Once you have identified all the risks, it’s time to evaluate the associated risks. Here is how to assess them accurately:
Estimate The Likelihood
How likely is this risk can cause an incident? And rate them as:
- Low: Unlikely to happen.
- Medium: Possible but not likely to happen.
- High: Likely to occur.
Determine The Impact
Consider the potential harm if that incident happens, and categorise them into:
- Low impact: Small injuries like bumps or scratches.
- Moderate impact: Injuries needing first aid, such as sprains or cuts.
- Severe impact: Might cause major injuries
Assess Risk Level
Now multiply the likelihood with the impact to get the risk level like it’s a low, medium or high.
Tip: This risk level assessment helps you to decide which hazards should be addressed first.
3. Planning Control Measures
The third step is to look out for ways to reduce or eliminate each risk. Below are some of the standard control measures to make your stand safer:
Secure Loose Cables
Use cable covers or mats to keep wires flat against the ground and prevent tripping hazards.
Use Only Tested And Certified Equipment
Secondly, ensure all electrical devices are tested for safety, often marked with “PATT Tested” stickers. Also, never overload a single socket.
Install Fire Safety Tools
It is always a best practice to keep a fire extinguisher near your stand and have a small fire blanket. Especially when you are using open flames or hot devices.
Anchor Heavy Items
Use weights and anchors to secure all tall and heavy displays. Also, double-check that displays and all heavy items are stable and cannot tip over.
Plan Visitor Flow
Design the exhibition stand layout for easy movement, limiting entry points if necessary to control visitors. Moreover, you can use the barriers or ropes if needed, but remember to plan them first.
Quick Note: Some measures may require specific materials or special tools. So it’s best to check with event organisers if they can provide safety items.
4. Writing Down The Risk Assessment
Once you have addressed each risk, properly document your entire assessment. A well documented risk assessment is useful during the event and serves as a guide for future exhibitions. Here is what to include:
Lists Of Hazards
Include each risk of hazard you just identified, e.g., tripping hazards from cables, fire risks from the heating devices, etc.
Risk Levels
Clearly state the likelihood and impact ratings for each risk of hazard.
Control Measures
Describe the safety measures you took or recommended for each risk.
Assigned Responsibilities
Lastly, write down the names of the team members who will be in charge of monitoring and handling each aspect of the assessment.
Pro Tips: Print a printed copy for quick reference during the event.
5. Regular Checks During The Event
Let us make a clear point: risk assessment is a continuous process. Once the event is underway, follow these steps to ensure the ongoing safety and smooth working:
Inspect Regularly
Walk through the stand area periodically, ensuring all cables are secure and no new risks exist.
Fix Any Issues Immediately
If a control measure fails, e.g., tape comes off a table or a pin is off the hook, fix it right away. It will help you prevent and control any future hazards.
Monitor Visitor Flow
Lastly, ensure that the area doesn’t become crowded. If it is, you may need to direct visitors to move or even wait to enter.
Reminder: It is always best to assign a team member to monitor all the safety measures and keep things in check.
6. Emergency Plan
No matter how well-prepared you are, emergencies can still happen. Thus, it is best to craft an emergency plan, and here is what to include:
Evacuation Routes
The first and most vital step is to know the layout of the venue and the nearest exits. Ensure these paths are always clear for everyone.
First Aid Kit & Support
Always keep a basic first aid kit on hand, and make sure your team knows about this as well.
Emergency Contacts
Keep the venue security contact and all local emergency services on speed dial. Moreover, get a list of all key contacts for quick help if needed.
7. Reviewing Your Risk Assessment
Take some time to review your risk assessment document. This helps you learn from it and handle any unexpected inconvenience that may arise. Every event has its own rules, and no events are the same, so it’s quite good to get some hands-on experience.
Also, even after the event, take some time to review the risk assessment. This helps you to improve your assessments and also ensures safer future events. Consider these questions:
- What Went Well?
Identify which control measure worked effectively.
- Were There Any Incidents?
If so, what caused them, and how could they be avoided? Do write this down.
- Any Areas Of Improvement?
Document any new ideas or steps to improve safety for the future.
Endnotes
We know that running an exhibition stand can be a big challenge. Thus, we are here to help you eliminate all the paperwork and ensure smooth events. Let EMS Exhibitions take all the stress off your shoulders. From handling your risk assessment to managing your entire event, we have got you.
Need advice? Reach out to us. We are always happy to make things easier for you.