The contents of this section act as a guide only and are not intended to be a complete statement of law or other regulations. 

SBC Events are committed to providing, maintaining and promoting the highest standards of Health, Safety & Welfare at all of our events. All exhibitors and contractors at the event are expected to ensure that they provide a safe place and system of work. Successful safety management requires the commitment, involvement and cooperation of all those on-site at an event.

Following Portuguese law everyone must follow the regulations imposed by Código do Trabalho (Portuguese Working Code). This Regulation contains the provisions by which the government regulates health and safety for workers, time regulation, contracts, labour regulations and employment conditions. 

 Please note:

All Exhibitors and Contractors working onsite during build and breakdown up is required to wear appropriate footwear and a high visibility vest. Please note that those who do not conform with these rules may be refused entry into the venue.

The use of EPT (Electric Pallet Trucks / Electric Stackers) is strictly prohibited anywhere at the venue. 

.As an exhibitor, you have a legal duty of care for the safety of anyone who may be affected by your activities. You are ultimately responsible for all aspects of safety on your stand during the buildup, open period of the show and during the breakdown. Where you contract out the building and finishing of your stand you are still vicariously responsible for the activities of your contractors.

Health & Safety Regulations

Machines and Tools Onsite 

The exhibitor shall equip the installations that must function during the event with the protective devices necessary for the work and accident prevention required by the technical regulations defined for the said installations. The work areas or parts of the machines that may generate a risk of entrapment, cutting, abrasion or projection must be marked with the appropriate warnings and danger signs and must be equipped with protective devices suitable for eliminating the risk. All machines or tools must be equipped with emergency stop devices that allow their operation to be stopped under safety conditions. It is entirely prohibited that the safety devices of the machines are stopped or disconnected to prevent the use thereof during the demonstrations.

 The Construction Design Management Regulation

There are many risks associated with the construction and deconstruction of events, there are now enforced controls to ensure that all employees, contractors and visitors are provided with a healthy and safe working environment while onsite.

• Everyone on site is responsible for preventing personal injury and damage to property, and to protect everyone from foreseeable work hazards at all locations.
• Co-operation and participation of all employees, exhibitors, contractors and subcontractors is essential to obtain high standards of safety practices.

ALL Exhibitors and Contractors must be wearing appropriate clothing. Everyone working onsite during build up is required to wear appropriate footwear and a high visibility vest. Anyone not adhering to these guidelines will be asked to leave the exhibition. Please note that those who do not conform with these rules may be refused entry into the venue. 

The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974

This is the legislative foundation for all workplace Health & Safety Regulations. There are a number of areas of the Act which are of particular importance to the management of contract work:

• Provision and maintenance of safe plant and safe systems of work

• Safe handling, storage, maintenance and transport of work articles and substances

• Provision of information, instruction, training and supervision

• Provision of a safe place of work with safe access and egress

• A safe working environment with adequate welfare facilities

These must be maintained for exhibitors, contractors and employees of ANY company working within any premises hired by SBC Events.

The Act places a general duty on employers to ensure the health and safety of people who may be affected by work activities but who are not employees; this includes contractors, temporary workers and visitors on site. General duties of persons concerned with premises to persons other than their employees.

The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999

These require additional action to be taken in order to ensure compliance. Namely:

• Requires suitable and sufficient risk assessments to be completed, all significant risks must be identified with suitable and sufficient control measures put in place.

• Appointment of competent persons in health and safety

• Establish and implement emergency procedures

• Co-operation and coordination in shared workplaces

• Provision and sharing of information

Working at Height

A person is considered to be working ‘at height’ if there is a possibility of being injured from falling, even if they are working at or below ground level.

The Working at Height Regulations refers to 'duty holders': employers, self-employed and employees. This includes all contractors and exhibitors (for example, when accessing areas above floor level to dress stands). 

Duty holders’ responsibilities are to ensure that:

• No work is done at height if it is safe and reasonably practicable to do it other than at height

• Ensure that the work is properly planned and organised, appropriately supervised and carried out in as safe a way as is reasonably practicable

• Plans are in place for emergencies and rescue

• A suitable and sufficient risk assessment is carried out and the significant findings recorded and acted upon

• They do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling

• All work at height takes account of conditions that could endanger health and safety

• Those involved in work at height are trained and competent

• The place where work at height is done is safe

• Equipment for work at height is appropriately inspected

• The risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled

• The risks from falling objects are properly controlled

Suitable pieces of equipment must be used for work at height. Hard hats must be worn at all times. A ladder of industrial quality must be used (domestic quality ladders are not permitted).