Reed Exhibitions, the organizers of ISC West, sent out an email today about the health and safety policies for the upcoming event, which is currently scheduled to take place Oct. 5-8 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas.
“Whether we are able to continue the physical/face-to-face event, convert to a hybrid approach, or transform to a fully digital/virtual format for this year, the health and safety at industry events, office facilities, transportation facilities/systems, and entertainment & hospitality venues remains top of mind for ISC and Reed Exhibitions,” the email, signed by Event Director Mary Beth Shaughnessy, read. “As an update to our planning, Reed Exhibitions is committed to organizing events in line with up-to-date guidance from public health officials including the CDC and WHO, state and local governments and the protocols put in place by our network of venue partners.”
As a part of this commitment, Reed Exhibitions has created a Health & Safety Task Force to develop and implement policies and best practices around COVID-19 response and prevention. At this time, they say they are focused on five operational pillars related to health and safety:
- Show layout and logistics (including expo floorplans, entrance/exits and recommended booth guidelines
- Physical distancing (including capacity and flow of people)
- Health screening and medical response
- Cleaning, sanitization and personal protective equipment
- Conference rooms, special events and talent handling
With these pillars of framework, Reed Exhibitions is considering the following to supplement the guidelines and procedures that the venues have or will be rolling out in the coming weeks:
- Clear messaging displayed throughout the venue and provided in advance to all customers and staff
- Health questionnaires, non-invasive entry screening and monitoring, including additional medical facilities and response teams
- Hand sanitizer dispensers deployed throughout exhibit hall and other areas
- Use of disinfectant products that have been pre-approved and certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against emerging viruses, bacteria and other airborne and blood-borne pathogens
- Sanitization of key touchpoints (such as door handles) during peak periods and regularly throughout the event
- Modifying the exhibit floor to accommodate physical distancing, capacity limits and traffic flow
- Modifying all common areas, entrances and exit areas with appropriate physical distancing
- Transparent barriers where appropriate to provide physical distancing at customer-contact areas and service elements
- Clear guidelines around booth design and cleaning requirements for all exhibitors and on-site inspections to ensure compliance with those requirements
- Limiting of conference session capacity and revised layout for appropriate physical distancing with additional time between conference sessions to allow for thorough room cleaning and sanitization
- No handshakes policy
- Requiring the use of face coverings when individuals may not be able to maintain at least 6 feet of distance between themselves and others
The Venetian Resort and Sands Expo in Las Vegas has also developed extensive protocols for cleaning, health and safety. The Venetian Clean Commitment was developed with information provided by the Southern Nevada Health District, CDC and WHO, as well as additional guidelines and procedures for sanitation and cleaning, with an emphasis on the prevention of virus transmission. Their document represents a summary of more than 800 separate initiatives rolled out in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which you can find here.
The email concluded by urging those with questions to contact the Reed Exhibitions customer service team at (203) 840-5602 or (800) 840-5602.
