Risk assessment for exhibition

[tomd]

We are attending a trade show, and the organisers have asked us to complete a risk assessment on our stand.

It is a standard shell scheme, 2m by 3m, provided by the organisers. The stand will have two small popup banners, a 50'' monitor on a stand, a chair, a small table with a laptop, and the requisite cabling.

I don't know what the risk assessment should include. The organisers have advised us to include anything we can think of, such as somebody falling off the chair, to "cover ourselves", but I can't see how that helps us. There is no special risk of anything untoward happening, but if we do put down some extremely unlikely risk and it actually happens it could surely be used against us?

What is the best approach? We don't have any vats of boiling acid or robots with chain saws on our stand. Is it best to say there are no risks, or just a main risk with mitigation (someone might trip over the cables so we will tape them down) or list everything in sight?

 

[Curious]

I'd look at anything that could be a hazard (a situation with the chance of causing harm I think is the definition), then list the risk associated (the chance of the hazard causing injury), who's at risk and what your controls are.

ie (just an example I don't know what the stand is)
Hazard - Monitor
Hazard identified - could fall off stand if knocked
Risk - falling on someone
Level of risk - low
Who's at risk - you, others on stand
Control - ensure monitor is suitably placed on a solid surface, away from edge of surface and securely fixed to stand.

Just do the same for the cables and anything else that stands out as a risk, job done you've mitigated the risk by taking precautions. If it's only gong to take a few minutes just do the lot you're taking and assess it all if it'll keep em happy.

Wouldn't bother with the chair, what are your controls going to be? Teaching every who's going to sit on it how to sit down and get up, or strap them in!?!

Good luck at the show!

Edit: This is just my take on the situation from creating RA's for our business in the construction industry. If you're still not sure ask the organisers for an example RA from a previous exhibitor.