LOLER and work at height duties for exhibition stand builds

Exhibit companies quoting builds at more than one of these venues work under two layers of rules. The safety law is the same in every hall: LOLER for rigging and the Work at Height Regulations 2005 for the build. The venue layer, meaning hall loads, contractor schemes and slots, sits in each venue's own technical manual and changes by hall and by show; the sections below show where the three venues differ and which documents each one asks for.

What to take away

Rigging limits are published per hall

The figure you need is point load, not a venue average. Each hall sheet gives a maximum load per rigging point and a maximum distributed load across the roof, in kilograms or tonnes per point and per square metre.

The NEC allows rigging from designated points only. You cannot sling from any convenient beam, and in several halls the overhead work must be done by the venue's rigging team.

ExCeL treats rigging as part of contractor accreditation, so the plan travels with the method statement. Suspended items include lighting trusses, screens, banner frames and signage.

The SEC Centre applies roof capacity limits and designated points, and clear heights differ between its halls. A truss designed for one hall may need redesigning for the next.

Rigging is a lifting operation, so LOLER applies and the venue asks for evidence that equipment has been examined. HSE explains the duty on its LOLER page: unless an examination scheme sets other intervals, lifting accessories need a thorough examination every 6 months and other lifting equipment every 12 months. The examination is carried out by a competent person, who must then complete a written report, so ask your rigger for the latest report on every hoist, sling and shackle before it goes in the van.

Contractor accreditation is not portable between venues

You need all three schemes. ExCeL runs a contractor accreditation scheme with an application route and renewal cycle. The NEC runs a contractor approval process covering insurance, safety records and induction. The SEC Centre sets its own requirements in its technical manual.

Then build the master file: public liability insurance, employer's liability, method statements, risk assessments, training records and LOLER certificates. Forms sit in each venue's exhibitor portal, with deadlines in the organiser's manual.

Ask any builder for the accreditation number and renewal date, because a lapsed certificate stops the build. A list of questions to ask an exhibition stand contractor helps you check documents rather than accept a verbal assurance.

Build windows, get-in and get-out

Durations are fixed per hall in the venue build schedule and the exhibitor manual. Slots are booked and marshalled, and a late vehicle can lose its slot.

Venues charge overtime for overruns, so plan the dismantle as carefully as the build.

Overtime, extra rigging and accreditation fees rarely appear in a stand quote. A trade show marketing budget template gives those venue costs a line before you compare suppliers on price.

Method statements, risk assessments and shared duty

Duties are shared: the exhibitor must ensure the stand is safe, and the contractor must build it safely. HSE's Running an event safely guidance explains the split.

Work at height dominates build and rigging. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require the work to be planned, supervised and carried out by competent people, as HSE's work at height law summary sets out.

The regulations themselves are short and practical. Under regulation 6 of the Work at Height Regulations, every employer must ensure that work is not carried out at height where it is reasonably practicable to do it safely otherwise than at height. On a stand, that means assembling truss, header panels and lighting on the floor and lifting them into place, rather than building them at height from a ladder. Where work at height cannot be avoided, the employer must take suitable and sufficient measures to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any person falling a distance liable to cause personal injury.

A technical manual is part of the build contract. A drawing that departs from it stops the build.

Naming one owner per document separates a build that starts on time from a morning lost to chasing paperwork. The trade show marketing operating workflow makes document ownership a fixed step before design sign-off.

Common questions

Do I need separate contractor accreditation at each venue?

Yes. ExCeL accreditation, NEC contractor approval and SEC Centre contractor requirements are separate schemes, and approval at one site does not transfer.

Where do I find the rigging limits for a specific hall?

In that venue's technical manual, on the page for the hall you have been allocated. Look for maximum load per rigging point and maximum distributed roof load.

Can I use my own rigging contractor?

Often, if the contractor meets the venue's approval terms. Some halls require the venue's own rigging team, so ask early.

What happens if I overrun the get-out window?

Venues charge overtime and the organiser can clear a stand left in the hall. Get-out is usually as tight as get-in, so book the same crew for both.