Special report: conferences & exhibitions
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Setting up an exhibition has been described as an exercise akin to having several dozen building sites working under one root But while a building may rake weeks or months to construct–and the deadline is often missed anyway–exhibition organisers usually have little more than three days to put up their stands and turn a vast, empty hall into a lively, crowded space. And Falling ladders, failing electricity generators and the strange case of the three-legged house are just a few of the hazards involved with setting up an exhibition. Constructing stands–sometimes with two floors–can involve dozens of contractors and subcontractors. The movement of heavy building materials and platforms presents significant hazards. Getting stands set up and supplied with electricity, technology, lighting, water, carpet and furniture–plus graphics and branding–is a complex process. In one case, a show house that was supposed to be supported by four legs had lost one of the supports in transit. The contractors decided to put it up anyway, but safety officials at the exhibition centre declared it unsafe and the contractor was forced to sit down and think hard about how to rebuild it safely. Had it collapsed, the exhibitor would have been liable. Red-tape district Every activity involved in exhibiting is covered by contracts, service level agreements and schedules. Nothing is left to chance, and venue owners, exhibition organisers, contractors and the exhibitors themselves are buried in a thicket of bureaucracy. Part of the problem is the sheer number of tasks that need to be completed to get an exhibition up and running. Things can go badly wrong–in one instance, the generators failed and a whole exhibition was plunged into darkness, as there was no substitute generator–and when they do, it is essential that there is a clear chain of responsibility. Construction accidents are, also common, so all parties must have established health and satiety procedures. In the eyes of the law, the exhibitor is usually considered to be the employer if an electrician, builder or carpenter is involved in an accident–even it he or she works for a contractor. So exhibitors need to undertake a risk assessment and prepare a “method statement”, setting out the work they will be undertaking. This is primarily designed to avoid accidents, but also covets the exhibitor in the event of any damaging legal action if an accident should occur. One exhibition organiser found itself in the spotlight after a worker was injured by a falling ladder. But, as it had undertaken a full risk assessment before work began, the Health & Safety Executive considered that the company had paid due care and attention to minimising the risks. There is a bright side, however: “Organising contractors doesn’t have to be a minefield,” says Reed Exhibitions exhibition organisation manager Heidi Innes. “There is plenty exhibitors can do to pre-empt the problems.” While organisers such as Reed recommend that exhibitors use their approved contractors, which do everything from building platforms and erecting stands to providing services and furnishings, some exhibitors insist on using their own people. This can amplify the air of confusion which often arises when an exhibition is being put together, since it increases the number of different contractors involved. But it also loads extra work onto the exhibitors, which must cover themselves legally. Be prepared Innes advises exhibitors which use their own contractors to make sure that all contracts, agreements and safety standards are prepared well in advance. But she says that a recommended contractor can provide a good level of service and save the exhibitor work. “We make sure that our contractors have a service desk in the exhibition hall. That way, if the exhibitor orders something and it doesn’t arrive, there is an easily available point of contact,” she says. Reed also makes use of what it calls call “spocs”–single point of contact advisers–who are attached to exhibitors’ teams and can help them to ensure everything is going to plan and all the items stipulated in their agreements are provided. More : accessmylibrary.com |