NOTE: Drupa is still a number of months away and these guidelines are constantly reviewed and updated in line with the most up to date guidelines.
Many have been in anticipation of updated procedures regarding upcoming trade shows, most notably: Drupa 2021. We have highlighted some of the key ‘Hygiene Concept’ factors below. We encourage you to find these documents and make yourself familiar with them, for they could form the foundation of exhibition ‘best practice’ for years to come.
Most recently published on the Drupa website is ‘Ready for Re-Start: Messe Düsseldorf draws up Hygiene and Infection Protection Concept’ – the press release includes the reasonable measures one might expect:
‘As a matter of principle, the official distancing and hygiene rules shall be applicable at
events held at the Düsseldorf exhibition centre, compliance is also up to each individual
– as is the case in the public sphere and in retail. These rules include maintaining a
minimum distance of 1.5 m, seeing to one’s own hand hygiene, wearing a face mask,
following the sneeze etiquette and foregoing such welcoming rituals as shaking hands. If
needed face masks will be handed out by service staff at the entrances and at the
premises’
The document goes on the state:
‘Wherever queues form, floor markings will draw attention to the minimum distancing
requirements. Here and on all public spaces Messe Düsseldorf staff and security
personnel will ensure these distances are observed. This is performed on site and by
means of existing video systems. At the exhibitors’ stands this is done by their
employees. To avoid bumping into people all aisles are to be used as in road traffic i.e.
by keeping to the “right-hand lane”. All doors – with the exception of fire protection doors – will be wide open for contactless use.’
‘Sanitizers will be made available across the entire premises; at stands exhibitors
themselves will be in charge of this. All payment transactions will be cashless – to the
extent possible. For this reason all ticket counters will remain closed. Service desks,
counters, etc. will be equipped with transparent partitions as hygiene guards. At least
twice a day – also more frequently depending on the footfall – turnstiles and ticket
scanners, service desk and counter tops as well as contact surfaces such as door
handles etc. will be cleaned.’
Further bullet points have been provided in the ‘Factsheet Hygiene and Infection Protection Concept’:
- The official distance and hygiene rules shall be applicable, compliance is up to each individual:
–5 m distance
– Face masks
– Sneeze etiquette
– No welcoming rituals
- Each event at the Düsseldorf exhibition centre is subject to a maximum number of persons.
- There will only be a limited number of day-specific tickets offered for visitors and they will be exclusively available online.
- Messe Düsseldorf staff and security personnel will ensure that these measures are observed.
- Surfaces such as service desks as well as contact areas such as door handles etc. will be cleaned at regular intervals.
- There will be sufficient opportunities for hand sanitising.
- Transparent partition walls as hygiene guards for service desks, counters, etc.
- For tracing purposes visitors’ contact data and their period of stay at the premises will be processed pursuant to the GDPR.
- Exhibitors’ employees, service providers and stand construction staff as well as the service providers’ staff of Messe Düsseldorf will have to be accredited beforehand.
- All payment transactions will be cashless to the extent possible.
- If needed face masks will be handed out by service staff.
- Toilet facilities will be permanently staffed for cleaning and monitoring the number of users.
- In the toilet facilities one out of two urinals and wash basins will be blocked off; toilet cubicles will all be accessible.
- Distance markings and wayfinding systems will be available in all relevant areas.
- Information boards will draw attention to the infection control behaviours as specified by the authorities.
- All paths shall be used in the direction of movement on the right-hand side.
- All doors (excluding fire protection doors) will be open for contactless use.
- As before, Messe Düsseldorf will spread visitors from the parking lots to the entrances by bus: the buses will be operated pursuant to the hygiene provisions in local public transport.
- Inside the halls regular air exchange is ensured by air-handling systems: here the quality of fresh air supply corresponds to the quality of the outdoor air.
Further information can be found at: https://www.drupa.com/en/Hygiene_Concept where you can also enjoy a video demonstrating these changes.
