Background
In a trade show environment there are so many things you have to consider – especially health and safety. Thousands of people will walk through the halls and the organisers as well as the hall owners have a certain degree of responsibility. But when it comes to your stand you should make sure (together with the stand builder) that it is safe. This can be trip hazards, electrical cables, the products you show and so on.
Challenge
I organised an exhibition stand in Germany, where the company showcased different versions of caulking guns and sealant applicators – you know the tools that you load a silicone cartridge into and extrude a bead of it around your bath tub or kitchen sink. There are so many different varieties (I had no idea!) and amongst them were some that were powered by compressed air for higher viscous glues and epoxies. I suggested – to get the most out of these products – they needed to be demonstrated live at the event.
So I organised a counter and an airline; the line had to be suspended from the ceiling for safety reasons and the organisers had to inspect and approve it. All of this needed to be booked and handled months before the show. The health and safety procedures got me thinking…it’s all fair and well to have live demos at the stand and that visitors can try out the tools themselves. BUT what if something goes wrong and some chemical, sticky, reacting component ends up on someone’s suit or dress (not the new Armani!)?
Approach
After getting in touch with the stand builder and discussing the problem we arranged for a Perspex screen to be fitted to the counter. It was a simple but very effective solution. Some of the materials come with a whole folder of safety measures by themselves and getting it on your clothes would more than just stain them! The screen was a great way of keeping everyone safe while the visitors could still watch the live demonstrations.
For the ones that wanted to try it out themselves, we had protective coats, safety googles and gloves at the ready.
Outcome
The customer was so happy with my initiative, they have used the screen and the other safety measures ever since for all 4 shows they exhibit at each year.
