Commissioning a custom exhibition stand

A trade show is a few busy days, and the stand is where a business meets its visitors.

Some exhibitors book a ready-built stand and dress it. Others book bare floor and have a stand designed and built for them. These notes cover the second route at UK venues.

Shell scheme or space only

A shell scheme stand arrives ready built. At one engineering show at the NEC in Birmingham, the package includes the walls, a name board, carpet, spotlights and a power point.

A space only stand is a marked area of the hall floor. At the same show it comes with no electrics, carpet or walling. The exhibitor orders those and commissions their own structure.

The exhibitor's duties under CDM

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, known as CDM, apply to all construction projects. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) includes building and taking down temporary structures for live events. Exhibitions and trade fairs are one of the four parts of the entertainment industry its guidance covers.

HSE says an exhibitor who rents a space only plot and buys in their own structure can be a client in their own right. The client takes reasonable steps to check that the designer and builder have the skills, knowledge and experience for the work. HSE suggests asking them for evidence of past work and of their team's training.

On a stand with more than one contractor, the client appoints a principal designer and a principal contractor. A client who appoints nobody takes on those duties itself.

What the organiser asks for

The organiser's exhibitor manual sets the rules and deadlines for each show. For space only stands, the engineering show above asks for a set of documents by its plan deadline.

Building can only start once the exhibitor has written permission. Any change to the design after that needs approval again.

Height, platforms and complex stands

The same show sets a height limit of 4 metres, and taller stands need a written request. It treats a stand as complex if any part is over 4 metres, if it has a platform over 599mm above the floor, or if it has steps. A complex stand needs structural calculations showing that it is strong and stable, and complex stands carry a fee.

The manual also asks for fireproofed materials throughout. No more than half of any open side may be walled in. A raised floor needs a ramp. The exhibitor pays for any damage to the hall, such as paint, tape or screw holes.

Build-up and breakdown

The UK events associations publish shared guidance for events in UK venues, called the eGuide. It says organisers are responsible for everything that happens in the halls during build-up and breakdown. Children under 16 are not allowed on site during those phases.

The eGuide says contractors and exhibitors must always wear hi-vis when they load or unload vehicles in the logistics areas and loading bays just outside the halls. The industry's associations also run CDM 4 Events, a free website for writing method statements, risk assessments and construction phase plans.

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