Rules & Regulations

PDF Download

This section, Health & Safety Regulations, relates to exhibitors complying with safe work practices. There are very specific Health & Safety Regulations in Australia that all exhibitors must comply with. 

All Exhibitors, contractors, subcontractors and other persons working within the confines of the Exhibition, including the loading dock, must abide by the provisions of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, QLD

Important: The law states that all persons have a responsibility to ensure that personnel contracted by them are aware that they have a responsibility, so far as reasonable practicable, for the health, safety and welfare of all employees and that any plant or systems of work which may be used are safe and without risks to health.

Accident prevention is strongly emphasised.  Please report any hazardous conditions, accident or injury directly to Exhibition Organisers (Exhibitions and Trade Fairs).

The principal Health & Safety Regulations are as follows:

CHILDREN

Policy for children on site outside of show open hours:

• The entire site is designated a Construction Site during move-in and move-out and only bonafide workers normally covered by appropriate Employers Insurance will be permitted on-site.  Visitors, family and friends are also excluded during this period.
• Any person under the age of 15 years is prohibited from accessing the Loading Docks and Exhibition Areas during the move in and move out periods.
• No person under the age of 15 years is permitted to remain in a vehicle whilst it is loading, unloading or parked within the venue.
• Persons under the age of 15 years are prohibited from entering exhibition areas until the event has officially opened.

Failure to comply will result in immediate removal of the unauthorised person by security or organising personnel.

• Dangerous goods and hazardous substances may only be brought on site with approval from the venue.
• All dangerous goods and hazardous substances must be accompanied by a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and be transported, stored and handled in accordance with the requirements of the SDS.

All moving machines must be fitted with safety devices when the machines are in operation. These safety devices may be removed only when the machines are disconnected from the source of power.

Exhibitors should establish a minimum setback of 1m and/or install hazard barriers as necessary to prevent accidental injury to spectators.

Use of safety guards is compulsory. Any machinery or apparatus displayed in the venue shall only be demonstrated within the stand, operated by qualified persons and shall not be left running without the proper supervision of such persons. Motors, engines, or power driven machinery may not be used without adequate protection taken out by the exhibitor against risk of fire. The operation of compressors, sprayers, auto trucks and similar plants powered by internal combustion engines is prohibited.

All electrical items used at GRX25 must be tested and tagged. This includes mobile phone chargers, kettles, audio visual equipment and lights.  In particular, all power extension leads must hold current tagging.

The use of double-adaptors is strictly prohibited in the Exhibition at all times.  (Double Adaptor)

Please ensure you use a 4 way power board instead. (4 Way Power Board)

All Halogen Floodlights must be fitted with appropriate safety glass.

DO NOT remove any danger tag from any electrical equipment in order to use the equipment.  Removal of tags is a breach of the Workplace Health and Safety Legislation.

When using electrical equipment, all persons must

• Follow safe work practices at all times
• Whenever possible keep all electrical leads off the floor
• Not allow any motorised equipment to drive over leads
• Wear the appropriate personal protection equipment

Any person who suffers an electrical shock from any piece of electrical equipment MUST report the incident IMMEDIATELY to a security officer or the organiser’s office. Only unmodified appliances, which have been approved by the authority, may be plugged into electrical general-purpose outlets.

EMPLOYER

Employers are required to ensure the health and safety of everyone at the workplace. This means:

• Making the workplace safe for their staff so far as reasonably practicable;
• Ensuring the safe use, handling, storage and or transport of equipment and substances;
• Providing sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision;
• Ensuring healthy and safe systems of work are in place;
• Ensuring operators of complex or potentially dangerous equipment or processes are appropriately trained and, where necessary, properly certificated; and
• Ensuring non-employees - visitors and members of the public - are not exposed to health and safety risks of workplace activities or processes.
   

FORKLIFTS

• Only BCEC accredited forklift operators may operate forklifts at the Centre. The accredited forklift operators are from GEL and their agents and the Organiser’s appointed general contractor.

• Persons in control of workplaces used by non-employees or members of the public must ensure a healthy and safe environment exists.
• Manufacturers, designers, importers and suppliers of plant or substances must provide such items to a reasonable and acceptable standard.  Any product-specific health and safety information must also be made available.
• Visitors to the workplace must obey safety directions and comply with the standards applied in that workplace.

Use of ladders will be strictly policed and standing on the top rung of the stepladders, or use of chairs to gain access to heights, are unacceptable work practices.

If no other access system is reasonably practicable, a portable ladder may be used only if the ladder complies with AS 1892, is used in a safe manner and is only used to carry out lightweight work of short duration.

When using portable ladders, the following is recommended to minimise the risk of falls:

• only use industrial ladders – domestic ladders should not be used
• ladders should be firmly secured, tied off or held firmly by another person
• a ladder should not be ‘walked’ by the person standing on the ladder
• only one (1) person on a ladder at a time
• do not climb higher than the third rung from the top of the ladder
• only work on a job within easy arm’s reach from the ladder
• climb and descend facing the ladder maintaining three (3) points of contact
• do not carry anything when climbing or descending
• do not place ladders in vehicle or pedestrian traffic areas
• stepladders should only be used in the fully open position
• Slip-resistant footwear should be worn when using ladders.
• An inability to comply with any of the above requirements indicates that a ladder is inappropriate for the work required, and should be replaced with a more suitable temporary work platform (e.g. scissor lift).

Any exhibitor wanting to use gas cylinders or appliances must have approval from the BCEC. 

All personnel accessing the loading dock during move in and move out are required to wear a High Visibility Safety Vest.

If you require access to the loading dock please ensure you bring a Safety Vest with you for the move in and move out periods. Safety Vests are available at the organisers office if required.

SLIP HAZARDS

Common slip hazards are:

• A slippery floor surface.
• Fluid on a floor, such as rain walked inside the exhibition building.
• Spills and contaminants.
• Sudden changes in floor surfaces, say from carpet to polished timber floor boards.
• A downward slope in the floor, such as a ramp.
• The wrong type of footwear.
• All exhibitors and contractors must be aware of slip hazards around them. If you have spilled liquid, this is to be cleaned up straight away and ensure someone stays with the spillage to avoid others falling.

If you are concerned with any slip hazards around you, please report these to the organisers or security for immediate action.

Smoke Detector Isolation is prohibited without a written request to the BCEC prior to the commencement of the move in period. During all smoke detector isolations, a Fire Warden approved by the QLD Fire Brigade must be in attendance within the isolated area. Costs of the Fire Warden will be borne by the Exhibitor.

Smoke and/or Fog Machines of any variety may be demonstrated at the discretion of ETF ONLY. Exhibitors are advised that emissions must be, as far as practical, contained within your stand and not aimed into aisles, public areas or into neighboring stands.

The BCEC has a “No Smoking” policy within all areas of the venue. Exhibitors, contractors, and their staff are therefore requested not to smoke within the exhibition area or loading docks.

A stepladder or other suitable work platform is required to conduct work at height.

• When using a stepladder it is advised not to stand on the top rung.
• A chair is not designed to be a safe work platform and use of chairs is prohibited.
• Work at 2m and above must be by use of a cage on a forklift, EWP (Scissor Lift) or mobile scaffold with fall protection/arrest (edge protection/safety harness).
• Extension ladders must be tied off where possible.

ALL PERSONNEL MUST OBEY THE DIRECTIVES OF THE BCEC AND EXHIBITION MANAGEMENT.

The information in this section is to assist you in ensuring your stand design and display meets the event stand Display Design Regulations. It outlines information that exhibitors must provide when submitting their stand design. 

These regulations are set down to allow Exhibitors the opportunity to promote their company and products whilst ensuring they do not unfairly impact on the other participants in the Exhibition. All Exhibitors shall arrange their displays so that they utilise only the booth area contracted for, and in such manner as to recognise the rights of other Exhibitors and Visitors.

All Exhibitors who have a Space Only stand including display fixtures / dividers, lighting frames or banners on their stands must forward a copy of their plans to Exhibitions and Trade Fairs for approval on or before April 27, 2025.

Exhibitors who build structures that have not been approved may be required to make on-site adjustments or remove them before the commencement of the Exhibition.

• ETF will manage approval of designs based on the event guidelines
• The venue will review the designs based on the criteria outlined under ‘Venue Stand Certification’
• Engineers may be required to certify heavy machinery and complicated stands

*Exhibitors must be confident that their stand builders have enough time to complete the build. There is limited move-in time, with no options to extend access.

Exhibitors who have booked a ‘Shell Scheme’ package for their stand, do not need to submit a stand design for approval.

All rigging in the venue is conducted by Brisbane Convention Exhibition Centre. Rigging design must abide by the following rules:

• The top of a banner or rigged structure must be no more than 8m from the ground
• The bottom of a banner or rigged structure must be a minimum of 4m from the ground
• Banners and rigged structures must only be hung over an exhibitors contracted stand space. Do not extend into the aisle ways.

‘Space Only’ stands include the raw floor space. Exhibitors who have purchased Space Only must organise all aspects of their stand design including their own walling, flooring, signage, lighting, and power. All space only stands must have flooring laid, whether it be carpet or raised flooring. No stand design will be approved if the venue floor is exposed.

Exhibitors are entitled to use a stand contractor to design and construct their stand provided that the contractor has completed all insurance and induction requirements. They will be required to submit their workers cover, Public Liability, as safe work method statement, and is some case an engineer’s certificate and signoff where required.

All stand designs must conform to the Rules & Regulations below, which cover the requirements of the Adelaide Convention Centre and the Building Code of Australia.  Exhibitors are responsible for the observance of all statutory regulations and are liable for any monetary penalty should such be incurred for non-compliance of any description.

Space Only stands will be marked out on the Exhibition floor prior to your arrival.

The following Display Regulations are designed to ensure adequate ‘line of sight’ to all exhibitors’ stands within the exhibition.

Line of Sight- A minimum of 50% ‘Line of Sight’ must be achieved, for each of the Front and Side views of your Elevation Drawings. In other words, no more than 50% of the line of sight can be blocked by walling, signage, or display materials.

Note: ETF reserves the right to approve the ‘Line of Sight’ criteria on a case-by-case basis. Stands located against a back wall is one example. 

On any common (shared) boundary with another exhibitor’s stand, or where you have a boundary that is at the perimeter of the exhibition, a wall must be built along the entire shared boundary or perimeter.

• A common boundary wall or perimeter wall must be a minimum of 2.5m high and a maximum of 4m high
• Common boundary walls and walls within 1.5 of a common boundary (that is walls that overlook/face another exhibitor’s stand) must be finished in white and has no corporate branding or information.

• The general maximum height for construction is 4m but designs up to 6m may be allowed, subject to approval. Machinery does not have the same limits, see below.

While the BCEC does not formally approve the design, construction or build of exhibition stands it reserves the right to request modifications to or removal of a stand should it be deemed to represent a significant and unmanaged risk.

All custom stand designs for your event are to be submitted to ETF, who will forward them to the BCEC a minimum of fourteen (14) days prior to the start of your event.

Any motor vehicle, equipment or machinery to be displayed at the BCEC must be approved by the BCEC no later than fourteen (14) working days prior to the move in. For any vehicle to be part of an event, you are required to notify ETF of its planned delivery, together with details of dimensions and weight through completion of a Vehicle Access Form. ETF will forward these details to the venue for review.

Please note the following:

• All LPG fuel tanks must be isolated from the vehicle’s engine by closing the ‘service tap’ on the fitted fuel tank
• Drip trays must be provided for all vehicles regardless of age. Charges will apply for any damages
• The exhibitor or contractor is responsible for driving the vehicle from the loading dock to the area of display and vice versa and is to provide a competent spotter to guide and escort the movement of the vehicle. All keys for the vehicle must be provided to BCEC Security once positioned
• As there are no car washing facilities at the BCEC, all vehicles must be washed prior to arrival

Any damage, to the BCEC as a result of a vehicle/ equipment or associated plant will remain the responsibility of the vehicle owner/ venue hirer.

Should you wish to display any piece of equipment, motor vehicle, machinery, or shipping container inside the venue (including transport vehicle), prior approval must be sought from BCEC Management through completion of an application form. Please contact ETF for further information. The BCEC may request a written engineers report for all heavy vehicles or equipment. All associated costs remain the responsibility of the client.

Flooring that is between 0mm to 32mm requires edging with a grading of 1:1.3, and flooring above 33mm to 115mm high requires a bevelled edge, which does not exceed an angle of 30 degrees or a grading of 1:1.8. The bevelled edge is to be incorporated into the stand space and not encroach into the aisle.

All flooring that exceeds 115mm in height is deemed to be a step. If the stand is to be occupied by the general public or exhibition attendees, a ramp must be provided within the allocated stand space.

* Australian Standard 1428.1 should be referred to for Design for Access and Mobility

Under no circumstances can any exhibition display be allowed to encroach into the aisles. Please remember to always keep your entire exhibit inside your stand.

During move in and move out, there will be nominated aisles which MUST be always kept clear. This is for both safety and access.

Your stand design submission must include the following:

• Exhibitor/Stand Name
• Stand Number
• Custom Stand Contractor details
• Stand Design (dimensions in metres)
• Isometric View
• Plan View (including orientation to the entry)
• Elevation Views (Front & Side)
• Rigging Plan (if your design includes rigging)

*All stand builders working for you must complete scheduling for dock access and complete the venue induction.

*Space Only does not include power. This will need to be ordered.

Submitted plans will first be reviewed by ETF to ensure they are complete and comply with the Display Regulations. ETF will then provide them to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre for review.

Generally, there will be a two (2) week turn around on the approval process. You will be advised if any alterations need to be amended within this period. Note: Fees may apply for submitting/re-submitting your custom stand design as well as for any professional advice provided.

To report a fire or a life threating situation, please call 000 for urgent assistance.

For your safety make sure you know the location of the nearest emergency exits, firefighting equipment and emergency warning systems within the Centre.

In the case of an emergency in the Centre, please stay calm. Please follow the instructions given by BCEC staff who are fully trained for an emergency. Security and Building Services staff are qualified First Aiders.

The Centre has a 2-alarm system, which is as follows:

1st alarm sound... BEEP BEEP

This is a stand-by alarm. Do not evacuate the room but be prepared if evacuation becomes necessary.

2nd alarm sound... WHOOP WHOOP

This is the evacuation alarm, which is followed by a PA message. This message will tell you what level of evacuation is occurring, for example: a room, floor or the whole building. Please use the nearest exit and do not use the lifts in the event of a fire.

If we do need to evacuate, all exits are clearly marked with exit written in green. Centre staff will direct you to a Safe Assembly area.

The BCEC assembly point is located on the grass area at the corner of Merivale and Glenelg Streets, South Brisbane. (South Bank TAFE site) See evacuation diagram below. Do note re-enter the building until given the ‘all clear’ by BCEC Security or fire warden staff or Emergency Services.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

For life threatening emergencies first call Triple Zero (000), then dial 3308 3068 for direct contact with BCEC Security or Dial 8 from a BCEC house phone.

Please ensure you are familiar with all emergency exits and assembly areas.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please contact Philip Eggeling at peggeling@etf.com.au