Celebrate Science Indiana Safety Guidelines and Exhibit Information.
This document provides guidelines for exhibitors, and helps to insure compliance with established local and federal law, as well as Celebrate Science Indiana and its policies. In general, these guidelines reflect the Indianapolis Building Code, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Indiana State Fair Grounds and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards for public and workplace safety, as well as the considerations of exhibition safety.
Ideally, all areas and activities should be accessible to the disabled. Such accessibility is required by law, and includes such elements as lighting, configuration of the space, and legibility in labeling.
Exhibitors’ activities must conform to established safety standards. Activities must not endanger the health and safety of the public, staff, other exhibitors or occupants in the venue.
These guidelines are not all-inclusive and specific problems will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Important to this evaluation process is the Celebrate Science Indiana Planning Committee receiving details of each exhibit in a timely manner. Issues concerning safety should be expressed in Exhibitions Meetings and resolved by the Celebrate Science Indiana Planning Committee.
Specific guidelines are below the questionnaire. Please read carefully before completing the Exhibit Safety Questionnaire.
EXHIBIT SAFETY GUIDELINES
<strong>Fire Protection</strong>
It is the policy of the CSI Planning Committee to safeguard the lives of all visitors and staff from the danger of fire through the implementation of requirements set in this guideline: Materials used for construction of exhibits should have a fire resistance rating.
<strong>Construction Materials</strong>
All exhibit construction materials shall be specified to indicate they are noncombustible or inherently fire retardant.
Steel: All structural steel shall be protected to afford a minimum fire resistance of two hours.
Wood: All lumber used for structural or other purposes shall be designated as fire retardant and pressure impregnated. This requirement does not apply to wood used in constructing cabinets, casework, pedestals, or trim. Draperies, bunting, decorative textiles: All materials intended for decorative or art purposes, such as draperies or bunting, should be certified flame resistant in accordance with the criteria in NFPA’s Standard for Methods of Fire Test for Flame-Resistant Textiles and Films NFPA 701 (match test). Consideration of location, quantity, and other installation variables will determine the acceptability of the textiles.
<strong>Electrical Fire Safety</strong>
It is the Celebrate Science Indiana Planning Committee’s policy that electrical fire hazards be minimized by ensuring that electrical equipment and electrical exhibitions are properly installed, used, and maintained in accordance with the National Electrical Code and the guidelines set forth in this document. Many fires are caused by faulty wiring, overloading of electrical equipment, or the ignition of combustibles near heat-producing electrical equipment. All electrical wiring and devices must be Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed
<em>Electrical wiring:</em> All wiring shall be installed in rigid conduit (EMT) or flexible conduit. Flexible or extension cords shall not be used as a substitute for fixed wiring. Electrical cords shall be grounding type. Extension cords with multiple outlets shall be protected by an internal circuit breaker. Wiring systems shall have a grounded conductor which is identified continuously throughout the system. Electrical equipment: All equipment shall be UL listed, or equivalent. Where UL-equivalent items are specified, salient features must be listed as part of the technical specifications and identified in the contract with the exhibitors.
All electrical appliances shall be equipped with a total power cut-off switch located in an accessible place adjacent to the exhibition. The Celebrate Science Indiana Planning Committee must approve the location of UL electrical appliances to ensure compatibility within the limits of the existing electrical system. This includes prior approval by the Celebrate Science Indiana Planning Committee for use of the lighting track for any use other than operating the approved lighting fixtures.
<strong>Egress Requirements</strong>
Access and egress shall conform to the established requirements for location, paths of access/egress, door swing, widths of passageway and doors, and door hardware. The exhibition hall has a minimum of two exits, remote from one another. The paths to exits must be a minimum of five (5) feet wide, must not be blocked by any exhibition materials.Exits will be marked so they are obvious to visitors. No artwork, object, or illumination (other than exit signs) shall be placed in the line of vision to distract attention from the exit signs.
Exit marking: All required exits will be clearly marked in accordance with established limits for illumination, color, location, and size.
Emergency lighting: All emergency lighting shall be provided in accordance with established limits for illumination, location, and emergency power sources.
Fire extinguisher equipment: The exhibition space will have an adequate number and type of fire extinguishers that will be clearly marked as required by established regulations. Extinguishers will be readily accessible and not hidden from view.
<strong>Exhibitors’ Installations</strong>
All exhibitors installations shall conform to the above guidelines to the best of the exhibitors abilities. In addition, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are required when any exhibition uses any substance that may contain a potentially hazardous material that is accessible to the public through inhalation, skin contact, or ingestion. Knowledge of the properties of the substance in question and its known health effects is essential to providing a safe exhibition and workplace. Operating or use instructions for the installation and its components are required to ensure safe operation of the exhibition. When questions are raised concerning the safety of an exhibition or installation, the Celebrate Science Indiana Planning Committee reserves the right to make suggestions to modify an exhibition or installation. If these suggestions are not implemented, the Celebrate Science Indiana Planning Committee has the right to shut down the activity. The final decision regarding health or safety risks that an exhibition or installation may pose rests with the Celebrate Science Indiana Planning Committee.
