Fire & Safety Regulations
Booth Staging
In addition to equipment and furniture placed within a booth space, Exhibitors can stage the following items:
- Boxed or loose product, materials, or literature
- Fiber cases used to ship pop‐up displays.
- Personal items such as luggage, purses, briefcases, or coats
The following restrictions must be observed when staging these additional items:
- The amount of product, materials or literature that may be staged within a booth space must not exceed a one‐day supply.
- Items may be placed either in a display case, on a counter, on a shelving unit, in a closet, on a table, under a table or stacked neatly within the booth space.
- Items that are placed under a table must not protrude outside the dimensions of the table.
- Items that are stacked must not create a tripping hazard or hamper easy movement within the booth space.
- Items may not be placed on or within six inches of floor ports, electrical wiring, or cabling.
- Items may not be placed behind drape within the booth.
- Pallets, empty crates, cartons, and boxes may not be stored in the booth space.
- Staging will not be allowed behind the back wall of the booth and behind the drape within the booth.
Fire Safety personnel will patrol the exhibit area. If an Exhibitor is in violation, a written notice will be given. Exhibitor.
Emergency Equipment and Exits
- Each of must always be visible and accessible. Adjustments to space and equipment may be required.
- Fire Hose Cabinets
- Pull Stations
- Aisles and Exits
- Chairs, tables, and other display equipment must be clear of all aisles, corridors, stairways, and other exit areas.
Fire Retardancy
Booth construction and decoration materials must be fire retardant. It is suggested that a certificate of retardancy be available at the show to prevent the need for possible on‐ site testing of the material. Fabrics must pass the NFPA‐701 Code, and all other construction and decoration materials must pass the NFPA‐703 Code as well as the UL‐ 1975 test.
General guidelines for material fire retardancy include:
- Backdrops, tents, canopies, dust, and table covers, drapes and similar fabrics: these fabrics can often be made fire retardant by a dry cleaner that can issue a certificate of fire retardancy.
- Suppliers and/or display manufacturers can also provide a certificate included with the materials.
- Corrugated cardboard/display boxes: these materials can best be made fire retardant at a factory.
- Wood and wood by‐products: if wood materials are not sufficiently fire retardant, a certified fire-retardant specialist using pressure impregnation or similar impregnation method must treat them.
- Polyurethane foam, plastic and similar products need to be treated as well.
Open Flame Devices
Used for illumination or decorations, such as candles, gelled alcohol fuel fire bowls, firepots or fireplaces must comply with the following:
- Prior notification and review by McCormick Place Fire Safety Manager, the Fire Prevention Bureau, Fire Marshal, and Event Organizer.
- Must be contained inside a non-combustible enclosure that totally encapsulates the flame providing a measure of safety to the public.
- Must be positioned on a non-combustible surface with 24-inch clearance for the flame device from any combustibles and booth back wall.
- Must have a mechanism available to extinguish the flame quickly and safely.
- Must have at least one multipurpose fire extinguisher rated minimum 2–A: 10–BC strategically located within the booth.
- Booth personnel should be familiar with the operation of the fire extinguisher.
- Booth personnel must be in attendance whenever the device is in use.
- A maximum of one day supply of the replacement fuel is allowed in the booth.
- Device must be allowed to cool before refueling.
- Flame must be extinguished ½ hour prior to show closing.
Hazardous Materials
Neither McCormick Place Housekeeping Department nor your general service contractor manages hazardous material removal. It is your responsibility to hire a vendor to handle these hazardous materials.
Prohibited Materials
The following items are fire‐hazardous and prohibited in McCormick Place:
- All flammable compressed gases, such as propane and butane
- Explosives and live ammunition
- Untreated Christmas trees, cut evergreens or similar trees.
- Fireplace logs and similar materials
- Charcoal
- Untreated mulch, Hay Straw, Bamboo and Spanish moss
Personal Property
Exhibitors should not leave valuables or personal items (laptops, cell phones, purses, cameras, briefcases, etc.) on tabletops, behind booth drape, or in any unsecured areas of the exhibit. Please remove all such items from the building at the close of show each day. During move-out, please do not leave your booth unattended until all of your display materials have been packed and crated.