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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

All exhibitors and contractors present in the exhibition halls during build-up and dismantling must wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). 

Safety helmets (hard hats) and high-visibility vests (high-vis vests) are required to gain entry to the venue during build-up and dismantling, except on the Sunday before the Event opens. 

Safety helmets and high-visibility vests must always be worn by all personnel where required. 

Exhibitors are responsible for ensuring that appropriate PPE is worn at all times by personnel working for, or on behalf of, the exhibitor. Exhibitors must also ensure that all personnel working for, or on behalf of, the exhibitor cooperate with the Organisers and the Organisers’ appointed Health and Safety representatives. 

Mandatory PPE 

Safety helmets 

  • Must comply with UNE-EN 397. 

  • A chin strap is required when working at height. 

High-visibility vests 

  • Must comply with UNE 471. 

  • Must be high-visibility “day glow” garments. 

  • Dark-coloured garments are not permitted. 

  • Colours must use a non-dark background colour. 

  • The colour must cover 50% of the surface area. 

  • There must be a minimum of 0.1 sqm of reflective strips, either as a band or a group of bands. 

  • Reflective strips must be at least 5 cm wide. 

The vests shown below are not approved. 

Additional PPE 

  • Handling loads - Safety boots, preferably steel toe cap boots. 

  • Handling loads - Gloves. 

  • Cutting activities or activities involving projection hazards - Safety goggles. 

  • Tasks carried out at a height greater than 2 metres where there is a risk of falling - Safety harness. 

  • Any activity identified in a risk assessment - Any additional PPE specified within the risk assessment. 

This list is not exhaustive. Exhibitors are responsible for assessing the suitability of PPE for each work activity undertaken during build-up, show open days and dismantling. 

Pumps, heels of any kind (including trainer heels), wedges and open toed shoes such as sandals and flip-flops – are NOT permitted during build up and dismantling.

Religious Exemptions 

Spain does not provide a religious exemption to the UNE-EN 397 safety helmet regulation. An individual may choose to wear a patka under a standard safety helmet. 

The Organisers will permit turban/dastaar-wearing Sikhs to enter the venue during build-up and dismantling without a standard safety helmet only if all of the following conditions are met: 

  • The organisation requesting the individual’s entry provides the individual’s identification information so that on-site personnel may identify them. 

  • The individual’s employer notifies the Organisers in writing at least seven (7) days prior to build-up that a religious accommodation has been approved for that employee, including information on how the proposed accommodation meets the requirements of UNE-EN 397. 

  • The employee brings an alternative head covering that meets the requirements of UNE-EN 397 and has been approved in advance by the Organisers. 

Only the individual’s employer may permit the accommodation or request it from the Organisers.