Do Exhibitors Need Method Statements at Events?
A venue has approved your stand space, graphics are ready for print and the event is approaching. Then the organiser asks for a risk assessment and method statement. Do exhibitors need method statements in every case? No – but where a stand involves installation work, electrical connections, working at height, heavier structures or contractor access, they are often a condition of exhibiting.
For exhibitors, the practical question is not whether paperwork exists for its own sake. It is whether the venue, organiser and build team can see that the stand will be installed safely, by competent people, without disrupting other contractors or creating avoidable risks on the exhibition floor.
When exhibitors need method statements
There is no single rule requiring every UK exhibitor to submit a method statement. Requirements are set by the event organiser, venue and, in some cases, the principal contractor or stand contractor. Each event has its own exhibitor manual, deadlines and approval process.
A simple pop-up display or tension-fabric backdrop assembled by your own team may only require a basic risk assessment, or no advance documentation at all. A larger modular stand with flooring, overhead elements, integrated electrics, hired furniture and an installation crew is much more likely to require RAMS – risk assessments and method statements.
Method statements are particularly common where the build includes non-standard activity or equipment. This can include vehicle unloading in controlled areas, lifting and positioning large graphics, use of ladders or access equipment, power tools, electrical installation, raised platforms, suspended items, tall structures and work outside normal exhibitor build hours.
The document also becomes more important if another party is building the stand for you. A venue needs clarity on who is responsible for the work, how they will control the area and what happens if conditions change during the build.
What a method statement does – and does not do
A method statement is a clear, task-based description of how work will be carried out safely. It should explain the order of work, the people involved, equipment used and controls in place. It is not a generic health and safety policy copied from a previous job.
A risk assessment identifies hazards and evaluates how they will be managed. The method statement then sets out the safe system of work. The two documents are usually submitted together because one supports the other.
For example, a risk assessment may identify manual handling risks when moving modular frame sections and large-format printed panels from the loading bay to the stand. The method statement should then describe how the team will use trolleys, divide loads, keep access routes clear, wear suitable footwear and stop work if the route becomes congested.
Good documentation protects more than compliance. It helps prevent last-minute disagreements about who can build, when deliveries can arrive, whether electrics are ready, or whether a stand element is permitted. That is valuable when a short build window is shared with hundreds of other exhibitors.
What should an exhibition method statement include?
The required format varies between venues, so always start with the organiser’s template or submission guidance. If no format is supplied, a useful exhibition method statement normally covers the following points:
- Project and stand details, including the event name, venue, stand number, build dates and contractor contact details.
- The scope of work, from unloading and stand assembly through to fitting graphics, arranging furniture and dismantling.
- A step-by-step sequence of work, identifying who carries out each activity and when.
- Plant, tools and access equipment, such as trolleys, ladders, battery-powered tools or mobile elevated work platforms where permitted.
- Control measures for the relevant risks, including manual handling, slips and trips, work at height, electrical safety, fire safety and public protection.
- The competence of the installation team, including relevant training, supervision and any required licences or certificates.
- Emergency arrangements, welfare provisions, personal protective equipment and procedures for reporting incidents.
The level of detail should match the job. A concise method statement for a reusable T3 modular stand may cover controlled unloading, tool-free frame assembly, graphics fitting and final stability checks. A more complex bespoke build needs a fuller plan, particularly where several trades are working in the same area.
Common areas exhibitors overlook
Exhibitors often focus on the visual design of a stand and leave operational details until the final week. That is when avoidable gaps appear.
Delivery and unloading arrangements are a frequent issue. The method statement should reflect the venue’s traffic management rules, booking system and loading bay restrictions. If the stand is delivered by lorry, clarify who is receiving it, how cases will be moved to the hall and whether empty packaging must be removed immediately.
Electrical work also needs clear ownership. Exhibitors can order power from the venue, but venue services and stand installation are separate activities. Your documentation should state who will install any stand-side distribution, connect display equipment and test that cables are protected from damage and trip hazards. Do not assume an extension lead is an adequate plan for a busy exhibition space.
Flooring, internet and furniture can introduce further coordination points. Raised floors may create edge risks, cable routes must remain accessible where required, and internet hardware needs a planned location rather than being added after the stand is complete. Small decisions made early avoid a compromised finish on site.
Who is responsible for providing the paperwork?
Usually, the organisation carrying out the build supplies the method statement. If you are installing the stand yourself, that responsibility may sit with your business. If you have appointed a stand contractor, installer or exhibition partner, they should prepare task-specific RAMS for their work and provide supporting information requested by the venue.
Responsibility can be shared where different suppliers are involved. A printer may supply graphics, an exhibition contractor may construct the stand and the venue may provide electrics. Each party should be clear about its own work, but somebody still needs to coordinate the overall plan. Fragmented responsibility is one of the main reasons exhibitors end up chasing paperwork days before the event.
Trade Show Solutions can manage stand planning, installation, venue service coordination and the supporting documentation as part of an integrated exhibition delivery service. That gives clients one accountable point of contact rather than separate suppliers making assumptions about each other’s responsibilities.
How early should method statements be submitted?
Check the exhibitor manual as soon as your space is confirmed. Many organisers require RAMS several weeks before build-up, and late submissions may delay contractor passes, vehicle access or approval to begin work.
Do not submit a document before the stand design and installation plan are settled. The method statement must match what will genuinely happen on site. If the design changes from a portable fabric display to a tall modular structure with a raised floor, the paperwork needs updating too.
It is sensible to allow time for questions from the venue. They may request public liability insurance, electrical test certificates, structural information, fire-retardancy evidence, lift plans or details of any unusual activity. These are separate documents, but they often sit alongside the method statement within the event approval process.
A practical way to keep event paperwork under control
Start with the event manual, then build a delivery plan around the actual stand. Confirm the stand footprint, height, materials, build team, delivery schedule, venue services and dismantling arrangements before drafting RAMS. This produces documentation that is useful on site, not just acceptable in an inbox.
Brief the installation team before they arrive. They should understand the agreed sequence, venue rules and who is supervising the work. Keep the approved documents available during build-up, especially if venue staff ask to see them.
For repeat exhibitors, reusable display hardware can make the process easier, but it does not remove the need to review each event. The same modular system may be low risk in one venue and require more planning in another because of access restrictions, stand height or the surrounding build activity.
A method statement should give everyone confidence that your stand can be built safely and efficiently. When it reflects the real installation plan, it protects your people, supports venue approval and helps ensure the first thing visitors notice is your brand – not a delayed build.