HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
FOR ALL EXHIBITORS
Show Management would like to ensure the move-in and move-out of the show runs as smoothly as possible for everyone involved. The health and safety of everyone on the show floor is of utmost importance. These health and safety requirements are not only best practices but are also requirements of the Occupational Health & Safety Law. Everyone on the show floor must work together and needs to be responsible for ensuring a healthy and safe working environment.
All Exhibitors are required to ensure health and safety of everyone, including their onsite employees and suppliers/contractors retained to provide services on their behalf on the show floor.
In order to ensure that everyone understands the importance of these requirements all Exhibitors are required to sign and return the “Exhibitor Health and Safety Compliance Declaration” (attached to this document) prior to move-in.
Show management will be monitoring the show floor to ensure a healthy and safe work environment. Should you or your employees observe any hazard or unsafe work practice on the show floor, we request that you notify Show Management immediately.
GENERAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
All Exhibitors must:
- Ensure their on-site employees and suppliers/contractors comply with all required safe work practices as required by health and safety law and outlined in this document.
- Ensure that any of their on-site employees and suppliers/contractors appointed as supervisors have been adequately trained in local health and safety legislation and have a good understanding of the industry hazards & controls as they relates to their responsibilities.
- Ensure that their on-site employees and suppliers/contractors have been properly trained/certified to carry out all their job tasks safely as required.
- Ensure that any of their on-site employees and suppliers/contractors operating any equipment on the show floor have been properly trained and certified to operate the equipment as required.
- Ensure that all on-site employees and suppliers/contractors whose activities require the use of Personal Protective Equipment are properly equipped.
- Monitor and enforce the required health and safety practices for their on-site employees and suppliers/contractors during move-in and move-out.
- Ensure that all Exhibitor owned/rented equipment, tools and machinery are/have been maintained in safe operating condition in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Ensure during any overhead work that safe work practices are being complied with.
- Must provide copies of any accident or incident reports to Show Management as applicable.
- Must comply with all safety rules while working in or accessing any common areas.
- Must work together with the Facility, Show Management, and Contractors to ensure dock/traffic safety requirements are maintained.
- Must implement the required hazard controls as assigned by Show Management.
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
- All accidents that take place on-site need to be reported to Show Management immediately. The show office will be located in room 717B on Level 700. The telephone number will be made available via a hand-out during show move-in.
- First Aid services are on-site during move-in, move-out and show days to respond to medical emergencies and can be located on level 800 in room 810 outside of Hall D. The first aid attendant can also be reached via any show security guard located at every show entrance and the loading docks or by calling 416-585-8160.
- If the accident results in a serious or critical injury*, the Ministry of Labour must be contacted at 1-877-202-0008 as soon as the situation is under control. In addition to a phone call, a report must be filed to the Ministry of Labour within 48 hours.
*The Occupational Health & Safety Act defines a critical injury to be one or more of the following: life is in jeopardy, unconsciousness, substantial loss of blood, fractured leg or arm, amputation of leg, arm or hand, burns to majority of body, loss of sight.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is equipped with sophisticated fire protection equipment, including: automatic sprinkler, smoke and heat detection, fire alarm and voice communication systems. Upon your arrival, you should familiarize yourself with the building particularly as to the location of the nearest exit, manual pull station and fire extinguisher. If you see a fire, activate the nearest fire alarm manual pull station and leave the fire area closing all doors behind you. Do not attempt to fight a fire unless it is small enough to extinguish with one of the portable extinguishers located throughout the building. There are no fire hoses provided for use by occupants.
Metro Toronto Convention Centre emergency number is 8160 from an in-house phone, or (416) 585-8160 from an outside line such as a mobile phone.
FIRE ALARM PROCEDURES
- The fire alarm system in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) is a two-stage alarm. At the sound of 1st alarm (slow beeping) admittance to the show will be halted. Exhibitors should prepare to evacuate.
- Overhead announcements will inform the public that building security is aware of the alarm and they are investigating the problem.
- Once the Toronto Fire Department (TFD) is satisfied that no danger exists, the Fire Chief will instruct building security to silence the alarm.
- If the TFD determines the facility must be evacuated, the alarm tone will change/quicken. Overhead announcements will be made to exit the facility in an orderly fashion via the nearest exit. Everyone should walk across Bremner Blvd to the park.
- Once the TFD advises it is safe to re-enter the facility, the following re-entry procedure will occur:
- MTCC Security and Security will return to their posts
- Show Management and IDS staff and volunteers will return to their duties
- Exhibitors will return to their booths
- Attendees will be permitted to re-enter the facility (if it is a show day)
EMERGENCY EVACUATION ASSEMBLY AREA
The Emergency Evacuation Assembly Area for the South Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre is located in the park across the street from the main entrance to the south building (near SteamWhistle off of Bremner). If you are a person that requires assistance in evacuating the building you are to report to an area of refuge which are indicated on the accessibility floor plans posted on this page of the MTCC website.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
- In accordance with the Ministry of Labour policy where work activity requires the use of elevating work platforms, scaffolding, cranes or other hoisting or lifting devices or where the completed structure will equal or exceed 5 metres in height, or where a part of the permanent or temporary work is required to be designed by a professional engineer, the Construction Regulations will be applied to the work by all Exhibitors employees or suppliers/contractors.
- Where an Exhibitor’s on-site employees or suppliers/contractors may be involved in both construction and non-construction activities concurrently in the same area and they cannot be physically separated by time or barrier or distance, then the Construction Regulations will apply to all the work being done in that area.
- All work areas deemed as construction under the control of the Exhibitor’s on-site employees or suppliers/contractors will have an adequate barrier erected around the area that will ensure the safety of personnel not working within the construction area.
- The barrier must be maintained by the Exhibitors' on-site employees or suppliers/contractors at all times during the period of activity deemed as construction.
- Only authorized personnel assigned to work within the construction area will be allowed to enter the area and the Exhibitor’s on-site employees or suppliers/contractors must monitor that no other personnel enter the area unless authorized to do so for the purposes of conducting work within the area.
- All Exhibitor’s on-site employees or suppliers/contractors working within a construction area must wear a CSA approved hardhat, orange safety vest and steel toe safety shoes at all times.
- Show Management reserves the authority to declare any or all areas of the show floor as construction, and therefore all exhibitors will be required to comply with the requirements as outlined in this section.
- All the rules that apply to construction areas will be strictly enforced by Show Management.
SAFETY FOOTWEAR MANDATORY DURING MOVE-IN/MOVE-OUT
- Due to significant vehicular and equipment traffic, all move-in/move-out, Exhibitor on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors are required to wear CSA approved steel toe safety footwear when on-site during move in and move out.
- No Exhibitor on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors will be permitted on the show floor unless they are wearing CSA approved steel toe footwear.
FREIGHT FREE AISLES AND EXITS
- In order to provide unobstructed emergency egress during move-in/move-out, freight free aisles will be designated.
- Freight free aisles will be regularly monitored by show management and all items found in these aisles (such as vehicles, crates, carpet, boxes, etc.) will be required to be moved immediately.
- In addition to the freight-free aisles, it is also essential that all exits from the building be kept clear. Similar to the freight free aisles, all items found blocking the exits and passageways will be cleared immediately.
- Exhibitors’ on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors must ensure that emergency exits are not obstructed as per local fire code requirements.
- Exhibitor’s on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors will maintain “freight free aisles” as required.
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
- In order to maintain safety, freight-free aisles, and avoid congestion, vehicles allowed on the show floor will be restricted by Show Management.
- Ensure all equipment on the show floor is in safe operating condition i.e. headlights working and on, backup beepers working.
- Vehicles such as, but not restricted to forklifts, lifts, booms where the operator does not have full view of the intended path of travel should have a trained spotter guide them to ensure pedestrian safety and protection of the Facility and materials on the show floor.
- All vehicle operators must be trained and certified as required.
- Show Management will be monitoring vehicle traffic conditions during move-in and move-out.
- Exhibitors must reinforce with on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors that the safe operation of all vehicles especially forklifts is critical.
WORKING AT HEIGHTS
There are many situations where working at heights is necessary. In order to avoid injury, we require the following procedures to be followed:
- Proper extension devices (i.e. ladders) must be used. We strongly discourage the use of ladders 12’ or higher. Items such as tables, chairs, boxes, etc. shall not be used to lift a person.
- All ladders should be maintained in safe working order with suitable heights, weight loads, non-slip footings, rung spacing and tethers capable for what they are subject to.
- When in use, ladders also need to be placed on a firm non-slip ground surface.
- Ensure on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors working at heights comply with all the local fall arrest and fall protection legislated requirements.
- Proper fall protection equipment (i.e. lanyard and safety harness) must be worn when working at heights over 3 meters.
- Ensure a safe and engineered approved anchor is used as the fixed support system for fall protection equipment and that the anchor system meets weight and height requirements for the task.
- Ladders are not to be used as working platforms. If working at a height is required for an extended period of time, proper platforms must be used.
- All Exhibitor’s on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors working at heights must be trained and understand the proper use of fall protection equipment and extension devices.
- Work at heights should be carried out with the use of the proper lifting equipment and personnel must be tied off with the required fall arrest equipment.
- All Exhibitors will reinforce with on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors strict compliance requirements to fall arrest and fall protection standards and procedures.
OVERHEAD WORK
In order to minimize the risk of head injuries, the following standard must be followed:
- Minimize the number of staff required in an area where overhead work is taking place.
- Ensure all staff working in an area where overhead work exists are properly equipped with CSA-approved hardhats (& safety glasses when necessary).
- Exhibitors’ on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors carrying out overhead work will set up and maintain a work area protection zone using a barrier that will alert and prevent any personnel from walking or working within any potentially unsafe area under the overhead work.
- Exhibitors shall ensure any rigging work is conducted by competent riggers in accordance with rigging standards.
- Exhibitors shall work with Show Management to schedule, as much as possible, overhead work during periods where there is no other floor work being conducted.
- Exhibitors must ensure all your staff respect all work area protection zones.
- Exhibitors must ensure that all on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors performing overhead work are trained and work in a safe manner and are aware of potential risks with people working below.
SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS
- During move-in, there may be a considerable amount of debris, water, and snow on the floors that can cause potential injury. We ask that the Exhibitor’s on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors be continuously aware of their surroundings and alert to potential hazards. In addition, everyone must comply with the following procedures:
- All work areas/booth spaces are to be kept in reasonable order and materials not in use (i.e. tools, wood, etc.) be appropriately stored.
- Reinforce with employees the positioning of materials at booths to minimize congestion as much as possible.
- Reinforce with employees placing waste in appropriate waste containers.
- All vehicles entering the buildings must have competent drivers and ensure that precautions are taken to avoid excess snow, rain, oil, etc. on the show floor.
- All vehicles and trailers must be in proper working condition with no fluid leaks.
- Utilize the minimum amount of packaging required and return packaging when possible (i.e. wood, reusable packaging, etc.)
- Notify show management of any unsafe practices or conditions noticed that could pose a potential hazard.
OPERATION OF TOOLS
Although power-operated hand tools are utilized daily at your business, please review the following policies while on the show floor:
- Ensure all on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors operating tools are trained, competent, and knowledgeable on the proper and safe operation of tools.
- Ensure all on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors are properly equipped with the appropriate tools for completing tasks.
- All power tools must be in safe working condition with the appropriate safety mechanisms and guards.
- All on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors operating tools are required to wear appropriate personal safety equipment. Safety gloves and glasses are essential when the risk of hand and eye injuries are high.
CHEMICAL USE AND EXPOSURE
- Chemicals that may have strong odors may also be dangerous, as a result, all work with hazardous materials should be restricted, all precautions must be taken to minimize exposure to the chemical.
- Exhibitors must inform Show Management of any chemicals to be used or introduced to the show floor during move-in and during move-out (including such items that may create dust or fumes from mobile equipment exhaust). Show Management reserves the right to restrict or not allow the use of specific chemicals.
- Exhibitors must provide copies of Material Safety Data Sheets to Show Management for any chemical to be used on the show floor.
- Only small quantities of paints, cleaners, etc, should be used within the facility. Once the task(s) has been completed, these materials need to be removed as soon as possible.
- Use required controls such as adequate ventilation and personal protective equipment (PPE) when using chemicals on the show floor.
ELECTRICAL WORK
- Electrical energy is capable of causing severe personal injury, death, or fire. Electrical equipment and installations must be installed in accordance with the applicable Provincial Electrical Safety Code
- Ensure that only CSA-approved electrical equipment or equipment approved by the designated Provincial Authority is used. UL-approved equipment is not legal in Canada. It must be ULC.
- Ensure that electrical equipment is in good working order.
- In the event of an emergency ensure that the main power source is easily and quickly accessible.
- Use warnings and barricades to alert unqualified employees of temporary electrical hazards that may endanger them.
- Use personal protective equipment (PPE) when working in areas where the danger of contact with exposed electrical sources is present and likely.
- Any Exhibitor’s on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors working on electrical equipment that will expose them to the risk of electrocution should carry out a lockout/tagout procedure in accordance with safety regulations.
- Exhibitor, where required, will only allow certified electricians to perform electrical work.
FREIGHT STORAGE AND STACKING
- The stacking of freight during move-in and during the show can expose everyone having access to the storage areas to injury resulting from the collapse of crates or any stored and stacked items.
- Improper storage of freight can lead to fire hazards (flammables and combustibles) well as the blocking of fire exits (including exit routes) and the obstruction of fire suppression equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire hose cabinets, and sprinklers.
- Exhibitors shall ensure on-site employees and/or suppliers/contractors assigned to the stacking of freight have been trained on safe stacking practices and are competent.
- Exhibitors must enforce the safe storage and stacking requirements with your staff.
- Exhibitors must comply with all Facility restrictions related to the storage and staking of freight.
SMOKING
- It is the Facilities and Show Management's intent to conform to the laws and standards of the community and their policies surrounding smoking in public places. Therefore, all public areas and rental space, including corridors, registration area, meeting rooms, and the exhibit halls are designated non-smoking for the Facilities guests.
SHOW FLOOR HEALTH AND SAFETY RULES
Everyone on the show floor is responsible for ensuring a healthy and safe working environment. This is for your safety and it is the law.
If you have any questions related to these rules please contact show management.
- All incident/accidents that occur on-site must be reported to security and show management immediately.
- For fire and medical emergencies, you must follow the facility's emergency response procedure.
- No persons under 16 years of age are allowed on the show floor during move-in/move-out.
- All personnel on the show floor during move-in/move-out are required to wear CSA-approved steel toe safety footwear. This is a legal requirement for which you are personally responsible and liable for.
- Freight-free aisles and emergency exits must be kept clean and clear of any materials at all times.
- Only authorized vehicles are allowed on the show floor. Vehicles require a spotter to escort the vehicle and for all reversing vehicles. Maximum speed is walking speed. Keep vehicle idling to a minimum.
- Do not stand on tables, chairs, boxes, etc.
- Proper fall protection equipment (i.e. CSA-approved tether and safety harness) must be worn when working at heights over 3 meters (10 feet).
- Ladders are not to be used as working platforms for work over 3 meters high (10 feet).
- When working in an area deemed construction or where overhead work exists, the use of CSA-approved hardhats and orange safety vests are required (& safety glasses when necessary)
- Overhead work areas must be cordoned off. (minimum requirement is cones and yellow caution tape)
- All work areas/booth spaces are to be kept clean and in reasonable order. Please put your garbage in the appropriate waste containers.
- Use personal protective equipment as required by law (i.e. safety glass, gloves, orange vests)
- No smoking
Notify show management immediately of any unsafe practices or conditions that could pose a potential health and safety hazard.