Safety is crucial. How do you keep attendees, speakers, planners, vendors, and venue staff safe? One simple action you can start today is to implement a safety checklist during on-site setup.
We developed the list below for our staff to use on show site. We inform the meeting planner/venue if we find an issue and then correct it or bring it to the attention of someone who can. Ask your vendors to go through a safety checklist and report back to you.
Use, modify, and adapt this list!
Event Setup Safety Checklist
Learn about the Venue
- Introduce yourself to venue’s security and get contact information
- Review venue’s emergency and evacuation plans
- Familiarize yourself with venue’s electrical wiring and circuit loads
- Confirm that number of attendees does not exceed room maximum
- Confirm that banquet set does not interfere with evacuation path/exits
Communicate and Implement Safety Items
- Communicate job safety expectations to crew
- Check that lift drivers have current certification to operate lifts
- Locate fire alarms
- Locate fire extinguishers
- Locate first aid kit (venue may have it locked up)
- Unlock exit doors and make sure they are clearly marked
- Attach exit signs to drapes covering doors/exits
- Sandbag all drape uprights higher than 13’
- Sandbag ground-supported truss with correct amount of counterweight
- Use ladders when using lighting trees
- Remove boxes/cases that are blocking exits, hallways, or stairwells
- Tape and mark cabling that crosses doors/walkways with caution tape
- Ensure cabling backstage is neat and there are clear walkways
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