HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR WORKING EVENTS

This document is intended to give practical guidance on promoting health and safety at working events. The guidance is intended to highlight some of the items, which organisers should consider when planning an event to reduce the risks to themselves, contractors, exhibitors and visitors.

These guidelines can be supplemented with guidance notes from HSE, on specific areas of Health & Safety legislation. Organisers should also consider local conditions, type of event, number of visitors, age and experience of visitors and weather conditions when considering health and safety issues. It is important that health and safety is discussed at all planning stages of the event.

It is a legal requirement that all persons whether employed or self-employed, do everything that is reasonable and practical to ensure the health and safety of others and do not put themselves or others at risk.

The hazards mentioned are not an exhaustive list as some hazards are relevant to specific events and situations.

SAFETY OFFICER

• The event organisers should appoint a Safety Officer, with relevant experience, to over see the health and safety issues of the event and liaise with all exhibitors and others, including outside bodies regarding health and safety issues.
• A Safety Policy should be written by the organisers covering health and safety issues, highlighting particular hazards that may be around, above and below the site. This Safety Policy should be circulated to exhibitors and site contractors and any others who may benefit from the information contained therein. The Safety Policy should also include the procedure for reporting accidents and dangerous occurrences and ideally be signed by the organisers.
• The organisers should inform exhibitors of the correct entry and exit routes, any on site hazards, ponds, ditches overhead power lines etc, in addition to any restricted or out of bounds areas.
• Organisers should carry out a pre-event briefing, which will ideally be attended by all exhibitor safety representatives, to highlight health and safety issues at the event and also pass on the latest safety and other relevant information to exhibitors. SAFETY

REPRESENTATIVE

• Exhibitors should appoint a Safety Representative who should be on site throughout the company's build up, event demonstration and take down. The safety representatives should liaise with the organiser's safety officer as required and have responsibility for health and safety on behalf of the exhibitor and its personnel at the event. The safety officer should be familiar with the company risk assessment and know the designated machine operators and demonstration staff. ASSESSING RISKS
• Exhibitors should produce a risk assessment of their own activities at the event. This should include all elements of the event, build up, demonstrating and take down and should include contractors employed by the company at the event. The organisers may request a copy of this risk assessment. A further copy should be available on site.
• Exhibitors should ensure that all people employed by them at the event are competent to carry out the task with which they are charged.
• Following the event a safety review should be carried out by the organisers, which may include representatives of exhibitors and contractors.

WORKING AT HEIGHT

• During the build up of the event some of the preparation work may involve working at heights or with structures. People carrying out these undertakings should be competent in the task and should be aware of any height restrictions, overhead power lines and underground obstructions, water pipes, electric supplies, other services etc. Where possible working at height should be carried out from a scaffold, or mobile access platform or similar device designed for that purpose. The use of a ladder for short periods may be acceptable provided the ladder is secured. In extreme cases event organisers may require a written 'safe system of work' procedure from contractors.

LIFTING OPERATIONS

• All lifting and unloading operations should be carried out in an area identified for that purpose, which should be away from all overhead power lines and similar height restrictions. All lifting operations should be carried out using equipment designed for the purpose and operated by a competent persons. No lifting operations should be carried out over people and only those involved with the unloading and lifting operations should be within the designated unloading area.

TRAFFIC MOVEMENT

• All entry and exit routes should be discussed with the local police, farmer/landowner and others as required. Where possible a one way system should operate. Visitor parking and exhibitor deliveries should be to different areas of the site where possible and should be clearly signed and stewarded as required.
• Site traffic should be kept to a minimum and restricted to only essential site vehicles on the day/days of the event. Vehicle access routes should be clearly identified and those using them should be aware of traffic flow arrangements around the site. All vehicle drivers and demonstrators should be competent and should wear appropriate head protection where necessary. No underage drivers should be allowed
• Speed restrictions should be applied around the site be strictly enforced by the organisers.
• Any traffic arrangements should be discussed with the host farmer/landowner and their participation is encouraged.

PEDESTRIAN VISITORS

• Pedestrian visitor walkways should be clearly marked and where they cross a busy traffic lane this, should be manned by a steward or stewards.
• The number, experience and age of visitors will determine the level of restrictions placed on visitors near working machinery. This may be total exclusion from a given area, access via a viewing platform, restricted access from behind a movable barrier or stewards, timed demonstrations, or unrestricted access. Be aware of possible language barriers with foreign visitors, also consideration should be made for disabled visitors and those with restricted movement WORKING MACHINERY •  All working machinery shall be CE marked and all necessary guarding must be fitted. Exhibitors should inspect machinery delivered direct from ports etc. to ensure all necessary guarding is fitted.
• When parking, all PTO driven equipment should be disengaged and the machine lowered to the ground before the operator leaves the seat and the ignition key removed to prevent unauthorised staring up of the tractor/machine.
• All working machinery should be operated by competent persons only that have been trained in the use of the equipment and briefed on the operation of machinery in areas of public access.
• Passengers may be carried only where there is seating designed for that purpose, the number of passengers is restricted to the number of seats available. Passengers must not be carried on cab steps, link arms, drawbars etc. Passengers are permitted to be carried on working platforms of trailed equipment or specifically provided viewing platforms to observe the machine in use. Any viewing platform provided must offer protection from moving parts of the machine. STATIC MACHINERY •  All static machinery should be secure and no part of a raised machine should rely solely on hydraulic pressure to keep it in the raised position. All sharp points and extended parts, particularly those at head height for all visitors, should be masked to protect the visitor from injury. Any moving exhibit should have a barrier restricting access to visitors. The removal of static exhibits to take part in another part of an event should be discouraged. Signs and promotional material should be secure to prevent falling onto visitors, particularly important at outdoor events.

FIRST AID

• Suitably qualified first aid personnel should be on duty as required, particularly during the public times of the events. The numbers of first aid personnel should reflect the expected number of visitors. A list of local emergency services and telephone numbers should be available from the organisers.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

• All electrical equipment brought on site should be low voltage and protected by RCD devices. Cable routing should be discussed and agreed with the organisers. Any portable generators should be correctly earthed, water proofed and silenced. GAS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
• All gas appliances should be properly secured and regularly inspected by a competent person. The organiser should be informed of any hazardous materials brought onto the site. FIRE PRECAUTIONS
• Organisers should consult with local fire prevention officers if fire is considered a risk. Fire exit points should be considered, particularly in large marquees and temporary structures. CATERING FACILITIES
• Catering facilities are subject to legislation relevant to hygiene, this is enforced by the local Environmental Health Department, who should be consulted if advice is required.

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