Fire regulations and material classes on stands

1–10 days

build time, with the fire inspection falling on the last day

Stand types

8 stand types

certificates are collected separately for every type

Stand types

What the organiser actually asks for

The manual usually asks for two things: the burning behaviour class of the material and the document that proves it. The common European approach is to ban easily flammable material on decorative surfaces and require a flame-retardant class instead. German manuals often give that class its own name; whatever it is called, the requirement is the same.

The certificate is issued by the producer, normally with a batch reference. The stand builder collects and files those documents, and they must be on site when the inspector asks. Emailing them afterwards is not accepted at most venues.

How to read a technical manual is covered on our exhibition stand services page; the fire clause usually sits between the materials and electrical headings.

Read the manual again for every fair. Two organisers using the same hall can apply different rules, and trusting last year’s file is the excuse heard most often at inspection.

Materials that cause trouble

Fabric is the item that snags most often. Curtains, upholstery, hanging banners and decorative netting are usually bought at the last minute and arrive without paperwork. Carpet is second: carpet hired from the organiser comes certified, carpet bought outside may not.

The third group is foam and lightweight infill. Polystyrene-type materials that make decoration easy are banned outright at many venues. Natural decoration such as plants and dried branches is also commonly restricted.

On timber the rule is softer but not absent. Thin boards below a certain thickness, thin veneers and charred surfaces are assessed separately. For anything you are unsure about there is one route: open the manual and read that clause before ordering.

Retardant treatments applied afterwards look like an answer. Some venues accept them and some do not, and even where they are accepted, who applied the treatment and on what date has to be documented.

What happens at inspection

The inspector walks the stand, checks that escape routes are clear and that nothing blocks firefighting equipment. Then they ask for the certificate covering any surface they doubt. Without it there are two outcomes: that material comes off, or the stand does not open. Neither is something you want in the first hour of a show.

Preparation is simple. Ask for the certificate when the material is ordered, send the file to site with the crew, and hand it over during the inspection. A one-page cover list helps: which material was used where, and on which page its document sits.

Double-deckers, rigged structures and tall walls need structural approval on top of this. The fire inspection may ask about them too, because evacuation calculations depend on the upper floor area.

The second thing inspectors look at is storage. Packaging, empty pallets and spare material cannot be piled up inside the stand, and a store full of cardboard for the run of the show is the notice most often written.

Who provides the certificate, the builder or us?

The material producer issues it, the stand builder collects it and keeps it on site. Decoration and furniture the exhibitor brings in from outside remain the exhibitor’s responsibility.

Can furniture we bring ourselves be a problem?

It can. Upholstered seating and fabric-covered screens are the most questioned items. Furniture brought from the office rarely has paperwork, so hiring from the venue is safer.