Stand Build Regulations

Below you will find stand build regulations which must be applied to your space only stand design. We have highlighted various general regulations which you may find helpful when designing your stand however please note that this is not a definitive list of regulations. It is the responsibility of the exhibitor and their contractor to ensure their stand design complies with all applicable stand build regulations detailed in the venue technical regulations.

Failure to comply with the regulations laid out below may lead to your permission to build being revoked and changes to the stand build being undertaken onsite or complete removal of the stand.

The eGuide can be downloaded here. 

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See Fire and Safety Regulation section here.

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Good ventilation is important and therefore, we still recommend that you consider not having any solid ceilings on your stand.

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A complex structure is any form of construction, either ground-based or suspended, that, through risk assessment has been found to present a significant risk. 

• Any structure, regardless of its height, which requires structural calculations
• Any part of a stand or exhibit which exceeds four metres in height. See Build Height Limits for restrictions
• Custom-built/bespoke suspended structures
• Platforms and stages 600mm high and above
  
• Anything deemed by the organiser to be a complex structure

All complex structures, must submit technical drawings, structural calculations, Risk Assessment, Method Statement and Construction Phase and Dismantle Plan to [email protected] along with all other stand plan submission documents.

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As part of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 all space only stands, or shell scheme stands with construction, are deemed their own construction sites and the Construction & Dismantle Phase Plan (CDPP) is a compulsory document which needs to be submitted along with you stand plans, risk assessments and method statement. All Health & Safety documentation must also demonstrate all additional COVID-19 measures that have been implemented for the build, open and breakdown.

• CDPP Guidance
• CDPP Template

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As an Exhibitor it is your responsibility to have COVID-19 H&S Documentation in place. Every stand exhibitor and their contractors must ensure that they have identified any risks with working onsite and what control measures they will put in place to protect both their workers and others from coronavirus e.g. cleaning & hygiene, ventilation, staff procedures etc. These measures should be clearly displayed in your COVID-19 H&S Documentation. Every exhibitor is responsible for making sensible adjustments to their space and onsite activities to ensure we maintain a safe environment across the show for everyone who is onsite during build, show open and breakdown.

COVID-19 H&S Documentation should demonstrate that the following have been considered, and appropriate safety measures have been implemented and communicated;

• Cleaning & hygiene
• Staff procedures and welfare

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All stand construction and displays must be made from fireproofed materials and installed to local authority satisfaction. Any goods attached to your stand will constitute part of your stand and will be subject to these regulations.

Timber Used in Stand Construction & Displays

All timber under 1 inch thick must be impregnated (pressure process) to BS476 PART 7 CLASS 1 Standard. Boards, plywood, chipboard etc. must be treated in the same way if they are under 18mm thick. Timber over 1 inch thick need not be treated & MDF is acceptable in most cases.

Treated boards will have BS 476 – PART 7 – CLASS 1 marked on them.

Plastics/Stand Dressing

All plastics must conform to BS 476 – PART 7 – CLASS 1 Fire Regulations. Lexan and Macralon are acceptable. PERSPEX MUST NOT BE USED.

Artificial plants and flowers which are combustible and give off toxic fumes must not be used for stand dressing. Silk type flowers are acceptable providing they have been fireproofed to BS 476 PART 7 and are marked as such. Plastic security night-sheets must also conform to the above standard.

Fabrics Used in Displays

Textile fabrics used for interior display purposes on the stand must be FLAME PROOFED or purchased already treated by use of approved chemicals, in accordance with BS 5438 & BS 5852. Certain fabrics need not be proofed, i.e., wool, twill or felt. Textile fabrics used for interior decorative purposes within stands must be fixed taut and or in tight pleats (Not Draped) to a solid backing and secured 3 inches above floor level and not touching any light fittings. Cellulose paints are flammable and must not be used for stand dressing. Only water based paints must be used.

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Where doors are present on your stand they must follow the below guidance;

• The required minimum effective clear width of a door is 800mm.
• Doors must have a vision panel with a zone of visibility spanning from 500mm to 1500mm above the floor. The exception to this is doors to small storerooms, where a small panel may suffice.
• Emergency exit doors must open outwards in the direction of escape.
• Doors must be recessed where they open on to public circulation areas, e.g. they must not open directly on to a gangway.
• Sliding doors are not acceptable as emergency exit doors.

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There is zero tolerance on dust-creating activities in the halls to avoid additional hazards from coughing and reducing cleaning requirements. All dust must be extracted at source by mechanical means. MDF and chipboard must not be machined on site, as the dust produced is hazardous to health. 

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Exhibitors and contractors must comply with The Electricity at Work Regulations, the IEE Wiring Regulations, the EVA Electrical Regulations and the venue’s electrical regulations.

All work must be carried out by competent and qualified electricians and all temporary installations must be protected by an RCD and inspected before power is supplied to the stand. All electrical installations should be carried out by the official contractor.

During build-up initial connections are made as early as possible, but in some cases, this could mean on the opening morning if the stand (or block of stands) is not complete. The power to all stands will be switched off 30 minutes after the close of the show each day. Please also remember to order a 24-hour supply for the open period if required.

You or your contractors are advised to contact the official electrical contractor to arrange a temporary power supply for actual construction of your stand if required. Power must not be taken from cleaners’ sockets or other hall sockets. Any non-UK plugs must use an adaptor & these can be purchased from the Organisers Office onsite at the exhibition.

When you order you will need to specify using a grid the correct positioning for lights and sockets - should the grid not be submitted, the items will be positioned at the discretion of the contractor and charges maybe be levied for on-site changes.

Basic loading guidelines for socket outlets:

• 500 watt socket PC Computers, TV's, videos, spotlights to 500w & refrigerators
• 1000 watt socket Domestic filter coffee machines & lighting up to 1000w
• 2000 watt socket Kettles* & machinery up to 2000w
• 3000 watt socket Hired coffee machines, machinery 2000w - 3000w

* These appliances are of varying power requirements dependent upon type and manufacturer. It is therefore essential that the reference tag or plate is fitted to each appliance and under law be read, the loading in watts or kW (kilo Watts = Watts x 1000) will be stated, and the appropriate size socket ordered.

As the exhibitor, it is your responsibility to order adequate power supply for your stand. Failure to do this will result in delays on site and could be a fire risk. On site checks will be carried out by the appointed Health & Safety Officer, as well as the official contractor. In all cases the decision of the Organiser and its appointed representative is final.

There should be sufficient correctly installed and rated power sockets to preclude the use of extension leads and long trailing flexes. If essential, extension leads must be correctly fused and limited to one per socket. Multi-sockets must not be used.

Electrical wiring and fittings to be covered and not hanging down/protruding between adjoining stands.

Electrical Testing

Every electrical circuit in a temporary installation (such as at an exhibition) now requires additional safety testing when it is installed. This is a change that affects the whole UK and is not specific to the exhibition industry, our show or venue.

This is a significant change and the UK exhibition associations have worked together to create a new process for this testing that minimises the impact and cost on our exhibitors. The costs are solely to cover the labour involved in the testing. These changes are described below:

• Shell Scheme Exhibitors

Shell scheme installations are relatively simple, are installed by the official electrical contractor but there are a lot of them. Therefore, we have been able to minimise the costs of testing any one installation. When shell scheme exhibitors order any additional electrical item from the order form, they will automatically be charged a one-off flat fee of £18.50 + VAT to test their stand. This contributes towards the cost of the testing; the official electrical contractor will do the test and there is nothing else the exhibitor needs to do.

• Space Only Exhibitors who use the official electrical contractor to install their electrics

Most exhibitors building their own stand use the official electrical contractor to do the electrical installation for them. When the official electrical contractor quotes for the installation they will also automatically include the cost of the additional testing. This cost will vary depending on the complexity of the installation, but it will be no more than £150+vat.

• Space Only Exhibitors who buy the mains only and use their own electricians to install their circuits

A few large exhibitors buy only the mains supply from the official electrical contractor and their own stand builder’s electricians do the installation. When they order this ‘mains only’ supply the official electrical contractor already do some checks and approve them as being competent to do their own installation. This process will now be more rigorous, and the stand builder’s electrician will now need to be approved as competent to install and test their own installation. If the stand builder’s electrician cannot or does not want to do their own testing, then the official electrical contractor can quote for that work.

PLEASE NOTE: Some electrics on stands are designed as ‘plug and play’ this means that often the stand builder’s electrician who comes onsite is not a qualified electrician as they are only plugging items together. However, these electrics now need to be tested once they are all plugged together. If you have qualified electricians on your stand, they will be able to do this testing themselves and there will be no additional cost to you. However, if your "electricians" are not qualified then you will need to ask your stand builder to bring someone who is qualified or get a quote for the testing from the official electrical contractor.

Further information can be found in the eGuide – click here to download.

The Electrical Contractor is GES, Contact:

T: +44 (0) 2476 380 180

E: [email protected] or [email protected]

GES Website

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You should avoid enclosing areas of your stand as this restricts air flow. If enclosing larger areas of your stand you must have a COVID-19 management plan in place and approval subject to Organisers. 

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All stand construction and displays must be made from fireproofed materials and installed to local authority satisfaction. Any goods attached to your stand will constitute part of your stand and will be subject to these regulations.

Timber Used in Stand Construction & Displays

All timber under 1 inch thick must be impregnated (pressure process) to BS476 PART 7 CLASS 1 Standard. Boards, plywood, chipboard etc. must be treated in the same way if they are under 18mm thick. Timber over 1 inch thick need not be treated & MDF is acceptable in most cases.

Treated boards will have BS 476 – PART 7 – CLASS 1 marked on them.

Plastics/Stand Dressing

All plastics must conform to BS 476 – PART 7 – CLASS 1 Fire Regulations. Lexan and Macralon are acceptable. PERSPEX MUST NOT BE USED.

Artificial plants and flowers which are combustible and give off toxic fumes must not be used for stand dressing. Silk type flowers are acceptable providing they have been fireproofed to BS 476 PART 7 and are marked as such. Plastic security night-sheets must also conform to the above standard.

Fabrics Used in Displays

Textile fabrics used for interior display purposes on the stand must be FLAME PROOFED or purchased already treated by use of approved chemicals, in accordance with BS 5438 & BS 5852. Certain fabrics need not be proofed, i.e., wool, twill or felt. Textile fabrics used for interior decorative purposes within stands must be fixed taut and or in tight pleats (Not Draped) to a solid backing and secured 3 inches above floor level and not touching any light fittings. Cellulose paints are flammable and must not be used for stand dressing. Only water based paints must be used.

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Open space sites are not carpeted - exhibitors must provide their own floor covering.

Exhibitors with adjoining blocks of stands will not be permitted to place their own carpet in the gangways unless prior permission is given in writing by the organisers.

Nothing may be structurally attached to the floor of the Exhibition premises. 

Carpet may only be fixed to the venue floor with approved carpet tape. All carpet tape must be removed and any charges for the removal of carpet tape left on the floor at the end of breakdown will be passed direct to exhibitors.

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A hot work permit must be obtained from the organisers office prior to any work being carried out. The issue of the permit is subject to the advance submission of a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and method statement for the activity, with evidence of competency for the use of any specialist equipment.

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Under no circumstances will maintenance work be permitted on stands during the Event open hours. If at any time during the open days you need to carry out maintenance work on your stand after the event has closed please apply to the Organisers by 14:00 hrs on the same day in order that arrangements may be made for the admission of workmen and the provision of lighting. A Late Working fee may apply.  

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In the interests of the Exhibition as a whole, it may be necessary to remove or alter anything in - or forming part of - any stand. If we feel this action must be taken this would have to be at the expense of the Exhibitor concerned.

The exhibition floorplan is subject to change at the discretion of the organisers. Please contact the organisers to obtain the latest version of the exhibition floorplan.

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Pop-up stands may not be used to form dividing walls on space only sites. If you are considering a Pop-up stand display, a Shell Scheme Stand must be purchased or dividing walls constructed. For further information, please contact the Sales Team.

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If you require rigging services, then please contact:

Excel Event Services

T: +44 (0) 207 069 4400

E: [email protected] 

Click here to order via the ExCeL Webshop.

If any rigged structures are higher than your dividing back walls, the following must be adhered to:

• Structures with no branding facing the dividing wall must be stepped in at least 0.5m from the dividing wall.
• Structure with branding facing the dividing wall must be stepped in at least 1m from the dividing wall.

Please note that banner or signage is not permitted to be rigged higher than 6m from the top of banner or signage. Truss can be rigged to a maximum of 7m to the top however any branding or signage off this needs to be at a maximum height of 6m to the top.

Rigging must not be used to support floor to ceiling structures.

Complex Rigging

Complex Rigging or Suspended Loads or Structures refer to rigged, custom-built or bespoke structures including items that have been constructed from non-modular materials, e.g. wooden structures and exhibits.

An onsite complex rigging sign-off is required for all stands with custom-built or bespoke suspended structures. Onsite all complex rigging or ‘suspended loads’ must be inspected by an Independent Structural Engineer before being hoisted or connected to any rigging points. It is the stand contractor’s responsibility to inform the onsite Health & Safety team when they are ready for the structure to be inspected.

All complex rigging must follow the following guidance:

• Bolts must be used on all joints and connections. Screws are not acceptable for joining members together.
• Rated, closed lifting eyes only are to be used; they must be integrated into the design and suitably bolted through the structure.
• Lifting points should be clearly identified and be suitable for the lifting operation.
• Materials used in construction must be of a suitable nature and quality for their intended use. See 'Fire Safety Regulations'

The points below will be checked:

• Conformity of the installation with the specifications in the manufacturer's technical notice and, in particular, compliance with the load charts and any calculation notes, light bridges installed in the proper direction, inspection of installation of rigging clips, etc.
• Use of hoisting equipment that have been duly checked (periodic inspection according to the standards in force) and that are of equal and synchronous power.
• Compliance with the technical specifications established by the event organiser.
• Compliance with the specifications indicated on the plan provided and compliance with the site's technical specifications.
• Use and implementation of hoisting accessories such as cables, slings, shackles, links in compliance with the standards in force.
• Compliance of the rigging points on the suspended structures with the standards in force in coherence with the loads to be supported.
• Installation of safety slings in a taut position, particularly for electric hoists.
• Double securing of technical elements installed on the lighting truss or the suspended structure, e.g. spotlights, screens, speakers, signage elements etc.

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Signage and graphics are not permitted to overlook other stands where there is a dividing wall. Where illuminated fascia boards are used on stands, the lighting of them must be of sufficient power to light the fascia board only, and must not cause any spill of light onto neighbouring stands. No flashing lights will be permitted. We reserve the right to disconnect the electrical supply to any illuminated fascia which, in our opinion, is causing a nuisance to any other Exhibitor.

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No excess stock, literature or packing cases may be stored around or behind your stand. Where possible storage should be factored in to your stand design, or arranged with our official lifting contractor. 

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All work must be carried out in compliance with the regulations of the Venue and Local Authority.

If an exhibitor erects a stand which does not conform fully and in all respects to the requirements of the organiser, Venue and Local Authorities, the organisers reserve the right to alter, demolish or reconstruct the stand at the exhibitor’s expense and to make it conform to the regulations and requirements. Local Authority decisions are final.

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Exhibitors and contractors have duties under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations to ensure that all tools are fit for purpose and safe to use.

• All dangerous moving parts such as circular saws must be guarded with controls to prevent unauthorised use.
• The use of battery powered tools is strongly encouraged to reduce trailing cables and risk of electrical hazards. Power tools are to take power form the 110v centre tapped earths provided and not from cleaner’s sockets which are 240v.
• Those using mains powered tools must ensure that cables are not trailed across aisles.
• All portable electrical equipment must be subject to a suitable portable equipment testing regime.

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All Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPS) must comply with LOLER and have had a Thorough Inspection (TI) in the previous 6 months. All working platforms are to have a guardrail, mid rail and toe board. Mobile access towers must be correctly constructed. Mobile access towers must be fit for purpose. Outriggers are to be used correctly with the correct height to width ratio (3.5 x shortest base width indoors and 3 x shortest base width outdoors). Mobile access towers may not be moved whilst in use and wheels must be locked off. Ladders must be footed or tied off and used in accordance with Construction (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations. The use of domestic ladders and steps is strictly forbidden. All of the above are a summarised guide. For full details on any particular aspect you must seek professional advice for instance look on the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk or feel free to seek advice from the Operations Team.

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