OHS in Event and Exhibition Set-Ups

Why is event set-up safety planned separately?

Behind the few hours the audience sees, a concert, congress, product launch or trade fair involves days of set-up and dismantling. Stage structures are erected, lighting and sound systems are hung from the ceiling, exhibition stands are built in a few days and kilometres of cable are laid. Event set-up safety is therefore different from an ordinary construction site or workshop:

Time is short: The time allowed for set-up may be measured in hours; delays lead to safety steps being skipped.
Many employers share the area: The staging company, sound and lighting crew, stand builder, catering, cleaning and security all work in the same hall at the same time.
Work runs into the night: If the venue is busy with another event during the day, set-up is done at night.
The structures are temporary: Truss systems, stage platforms and stands are erected for a few days and then dismantled.

Art. 23 of Law No. 6331 requires employers sharing the same work area to cooperate, carry out risk prevention work in coordination and inform one another. The same article requires management to ensure coordination in places with more than one workplace, such as business centres, office blocks and complexes; at exhibition and congress centres, coordination also needs to be set up together with the venue management. For the general framework, see our article on more than one employer in the same work area.

Set-up plan: who, when, where?

The first document of a safe set-up is a written plan showing how companies share time and space. The organiser or venue management should answer these questions:

Which company will work at what time, in which part of the hall?
During rigging and hoisting, which areas are off-limits for working underneath, and how will they be closed off?
How will vehicle and forklift traffic be managed at the loading door?
From whom will permits to work be obtained for work such as work at height, hot work and electrical connections?
In an emergency, what are the alarm, escape route and assembly point?

The main risks and measures for each stage of the set-up can be summarised as follows:

Stage	Main risk	Measure
Unloading materials	Forklift and pedestrian conflict, toppling flight cases	Pedestrian segregation in the loading area, staff directing traffic
Rigging and truss	Falling loads, working under suspended loads	Closed-off rigging area, secondary safety connection, lifting equipment check
Stage and stand building	Work at height, hand tools, glass and heavy panels	Platforms, guardrails, panel handling arrangement
Temporary electrics	Electric shock, fire, tripping	Competent person, residual current protection, cable ramps
Rehearsal and event	Crowds, blocked escape routes	Clear escape routes, emergency announcements, first aid
Dismantling	Fatigue, rushed lowering	Same rules as set-up, planned dismantling sequence

Dismantling is as risky as set-up: the event is over, everyone is tired and the hall must be cleared by a certain time. The dismantling plan should be written in as much detail as the set-up plan.

Stage set-up and truss safety

Truss refers to the aluminium or steel lattice beams from which lighting, sound and video systems are hung. During stage set-up, the following rules form the basis of truss safety:

Load table: The load each truss type can carry is given in the manufacturer’s load table according to the span and load distribution. The total weight of the equipment to be hung is calculated before set-up and compared with the table.
Connectors: Pins, bolts and connecting parts must be of the type specified by the manufacturer and complete. Truss with dents, cracks or weld damage is not used.
Rigging point capacity: The load capacity of the rigging points in the venue’s ceiling is obtained in writing from the venue management. No load is hung from a point whose capacity is unknown.
Chain hoists: Electric chain hoists and lifting gear that raise the truss are subject to periodic inspection at least once a year under Table 2 of Annex III of the Regulation on Work Equipment, unless the standard sets a shorter period. Lifting accessories such as slings and shackles are also covered by inspection. For hired equipment, a current inspection report should be requested on delivery.
Secondary safety: Every light and loudspeaker hung on the truss is also attached with a separate safety rope or chain in addition to its main connection.
The area is cleared during lifting: Nobody is under the truss while it is being raised or lowered; the area is closed off with tape.

At outdoor events, tower systems and stage roofs erected on the ground are affected by wind. The manufacturer’s wind limits and what to do when they are exceeded must be in writing before set-up; for work in strong winds, see our article on cranes and work at height in strong winds.

Work at height: on truss and on platforms

In event set-ups, the two typical sources of fall risk are stepladders and climbing on truss. The order of priority should be:

Assemble on the ground and then lift: Lighting and cable connections are made as far as possible while the truss is on the ground, and then the truss is raised.
Use a platform: Mobile elevating work platforms are subject to annual periodic inspection under Annex III, and the operator must be trained. For rules of use, see our article on scissor lifts and boom lifts.
If working on the truss is unavoidable: A full-body harness, a twin-lanyard connection and a suitable anchor point are used; a rescue plan for suspension is prepared in advance. This work is carried out under a work at height permit form.

Stepladders should be used only for short, light tasks. For lifts carried out with a mobile crane, remember that under communiqué No. 2026/1 of the Vocational Qualifications Authority (MYK), the certificate requirement for Mobile Crane Operator (Level 3) will apply from 23 March 2027; check the certificate of the operator who comes with a hired crane.

Temporary electrics: generators, distribution and cables

In event set-ups, electricity is taken either from the venue’s switchboards or from hired generators. Points to watch in temporary electrical installations are:

Connections are made by a competent person. Connection to the switchboard, setting up distribution boxes and earthing are done by electricians with professional competence. On this subject, see our article on who can do electrical work.
Residual current protection: Socket and distribution outlets must be protected by a residual current device intended to protect human life.
Generators: Under Annex III, generators are subject to annual periodic inspection; they are earthed, positioned so that exhaust does not discharge into enclosed spaces, and kept away from ignition sources during refuelling. For details, see our article on generator safety.
Cable routing: Cables crossing walkways are protected with cable ramps; cables are not run through escape routes or door thresholds.
Weather conditions: Outdoors, connection points are protected from rain; no open connections are left on wet ground.

Our article on temporary electrical installations on construction sites also gives guidance on the general rules for temporary installations.

Night work and fatigue

Set-up crews may stay on into the night after a whole day of carrying. When fatigue combines with work at height and heavy lifting, the risk of accidents increases.

Under Art. 69 of Labour Law No. 4857, the night period begins at 20.00 at the latest and lasts until 06.00 at the earliest, and employees’ night work cannot exceed seven and a half hours. Plan the set-up around this limit:

Plan a separate crew for night set-up; do not extend a crew that has worked during the day into the night.
Put the riskiest tasks, namely rigging and work at height, at the start of the shift.
Keep lighting adequate in the area where work is done at night; do not work by stage lighting alone while the hall lights are off.
Plan the crew’s safe journey home at the end of the shift.

For the health aspects of night work, see our article on working night shifts.

Exhibition stand build and crowd management

An exhibition stand build is construction work compressed into a short time: carrying panels and glass, assembly with hand tools, use of paints and adhesives, work at height. Stand companies are responsible for the training and PPE of their own employees; the organiser and venue management coordinate common area rules, vehicle traffic and emergency arrangements. The use of solvent-based paints and adhesives in an enclosed hall should also be assessed for ventilation and fire.

Once the event starts, the focus turns to crowd safety. The set-up crew’s final task is to check that escape routes and emergency exits are clear of cables, flight cases and stand materials. For escape route rules, see our article on escape route and emergency exit rules. The emergency announcement arrangement, first aid point and list of staff on duty during the event should be part of the emergency plan work.

In Bursa and the surrounding provinces, we provide an OHS specialist service to event, exhibition and organisation companies on set-up plans, permit-to-work arrangements and coordination between companies; through our periodic inspection service, we plan and track the inspections carried out by competent persons on equipment such as chain hoists, platforms and generators. You can track equipment inspection dates with the OHS calendar. For other topics specific to the service sector, see our office and retail page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is responsible for OHS coordination in an event set-up?

Each company is responsible for the safety of its own employees. Employers sharing the same area work in cooperation and coordination under Art. 23 of Law No. 6331; in places with more than one workplace, such as a business centre, management ensures coordination. In practice, the organiser and venue management should put the common rules in writing.

Is truss subject to periodic inspection?

The chain hoists and lifting gear that raise the truss, and lifting accessories such as slings and shackles, are subject to periodic inspection at least once a year unless the standard sets a shorter period. The truss elements themselves are visually checked at every set-up according to the manufacturer’s instructions; damaged elements are not used.

How many hours can set-up crews work at night?

Under Art. 69 of Labour Law No. 4857, employees’ night work cannot exceed seven and a half hours. A separate crew should be planned for night set-up, and a crew that has worked during the day should not be extended into the night.

What should be checked on hired stage equipment?

For equipment such as chain hoists, platforms and generators, a current periodic inspection report should be requested on delivery; for truss, the manufacturer’s load table; and for equipment requiring an operator, the operator’s certificate.