It often comes as a surprise to many businesses that exhibition stands are classed as temporary workplaces, and so, fall under health & safety law. Because of this, show organisers require exhibitors to submit a Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) documentation for the build, breakdown, and open periods.
If risk assessments and method statements for exhibition stands are causing you a headache, don’t worry. In this guide, we explain everything you need to know about trade show RAMS.
Contractor vs Exhibitor Responsibilities
Since the changes to the CDM regulations in 2015, responsibilities in the exhibition hall largely shifted, placing more onus on the exhibitor than the contractor.
If you are self-building your own stand, then you, the exhibitor, are responsible for the RAMS statement for the build, dismantle and show days. However, if you are using an exhibition stand contractor, they are responsible for the RAMS statement for the build and dismantle, and you are responsible for open day safety.
Simple shell schemes may require only very short risk assessments, whereas complex builds require a more detailed risk assessment. If you are in any doubt about what you need to submit, refer to your Exhibitor Manual and contact the organiser.
The Trade Show Risk Assessment Process
While your company will almost certainly have a Health & Safety Policy to cover your usual workplace, it may not accommodate all of the hazards present in temporary workplaces, such as exhibitions.
Your trade show risk assessment should cover all activities taking place during the installation and dismantling of the stand, as well as activities taking place during the open period of the show. The most widely accepted approach in the events industry is the five-step approach as follows:
Identify the Risks
Since exhibitions involve heavy machinery, temporary structures, heavy lifting and tools, they can introduce a range of hazards and risks. We recommend taking into account the following, as they can help you outline potential risks.
- The Build Process – Do you work at heights with machinery or with power tools? These are all factors that could present risk factors.
- The Stand Type – Consider the type of stand you’re using, whether it needs structural calculations or base weights for stability. Are you providing these?
- Vehicle movement – Are deliveries standard, or will you need access to the building?
- Electrical hazards – Who is handling the electrical work, and are they approved by the organiser?
- Fire risks – Do all materials comply with fire regulations?
- Trip hazards – Raised floors, cables, or uneven surfaces.
All of these risks should be identified, ready to assess their likelihood and impact.
Assess the Risks - The Risk Matrix
A significant part of risk analysis is assessing the likelihood of a risk happening and the severity of its impact if it does. A common way of assessing risks is through a risk matrix, which helps in visualising both the severity and probability of each risk.
You can use this to identify the risk level on your risk assessment form. If a risk is both likely and severe, then you must make it a priority to fix.
Here is an example of the risk matrix:
Develop Control Measures to Mitigate Risks
Once you have evaluated the risks, you should develop strategies to mitigate them.
For very high risks, you may need to redesign the stand and implement safety measures; for low risks, your mitigation might be as simple as carefully following protocols.
Example 1 –
Working at height can introduce the risk of falls, which could affect installers and others in the hall. However, the risk of this happening is unlikely and low risk, since the installers are experienced in the system and are ladder trained. To mitigate this risk further, we would ensure that the stand is only installed by our in-house installers and would require all staff to follow stringent safety procedures and industry-standard installation methods.
Example 2 –
A stand is built using very heavy materials that have not been checked by a structural engineer. This could introduce a structural stability risk which would affect installers, staff working on the stand and visitors to the stand. To mitigate this risk, you would have to either redesign the stand or invest in a structural engineer.
Implement the Controls
Once you have developed strategies to mitigate risks, you must implement and manage them. Successful mitigation strategies often integrate preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of the risk occurring, along with contingency planning to guarantee that teams are well-prepared if problems do occur.
This means ensuring that the appropriate changes are made to ensure safety, relevant teams are briefed and maintaining these strategies throughout the build, breakdown and show, and that they are prepared to handle any issues if they do arise.
Monitor and Review the Risks
A significant part of risk mitigation at trade shows is continuously monitoring and reviewing the landscape to ensure continued safety. You may prepare for your own risks, but event landscapes can change quickly, and you may need to adjust your strategy throughout the build, breakdown and show open days to ensure continued safe handling.
Trade Show Risk Assessment Example
In your trade show risk assessment, you are not required to write long paragraphs outlining the risks. Usually they are presented in a table like this sample section:
The Trade Show Method Statement Process
A trade show method statement accompanies the provided trade show risk assessment. It’s a simple description of what you are going to do and how you are going to do it. The statement should be simple and clear enough that someone with no prior knowledge of your activity will understand what you set out to do.
The method statement should enable the reader to understand which hazards might be involved in your stand build, and ensure that you’ve taken adequate measures to reduce any risks. In your method statement, you can either explain how you are going to reduce the risks as part of the narrative or combine the statement with your risk assessment documents. It is up to you whether you use bullets, number or simple paragraphs in your method statement.
Liaise with your Contractor and Organisers
If you are handling the risk assessments and method statement yourself, make the most of the expertise you have around you. Organisers and contractors are usually happy to offer their expertise to support you in bringing your project to life.
To speak with a member of our team about your exhibition stand design, contact us at 01202 723 500 or email design@quadrant2design.com.
