ESSA brings together stakeholders in HSE/CDM discussions
The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) has this week met with senior operations professionals from across the industry following its participation in talks with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) just before Christmas. Discussions centred on the potential application of a revised Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulation to the events industry from 2014.
Current CDM legislation is not currently enforced at events, because it was was specifically structured to apply to construction sites rather than exhibition floors or conferences. However the law is being simplified over the next twelve months, and the HSE is reviewing whether the new version should also apply to the events industry.
The discussions, which started just before Christmas, follow the HSE's increased interest in the industry after the Olympic Games and its new role as the enforcing authority for Temporary Demountable Structures. ESSA secured a seat at these discussions from the outset, following the HSE's decision to extend its mantle to cover this area, one traditionally administered by the environmental health departments of local authorities.
ESSA will be regularly updating its members on the progress of this regulatory discussion with the HSE, and current reports indicate that whilst nothing has been decided upon yet, the events industry is already compliant with the existing regulations in many areas, even if the terminology and structure differ slightly.
In response to feedback from ESSA’s Stand Builders Forum and the ongoing discussions with the HSE, ESSA is developing a new scheme which will allow members to demonstrate competencies in line with existing CDM legislation, reinforcing their compliance with existing and future regulations.