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this found make a good stall at the craft fair

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this found make a good stall at the craft fair

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found this picture what you guys think ?

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found this picture what you guys think ?

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I thought this could be a good picture for jamies corner of the craft fair. Any advice would be great. thankyou. dan moar

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I have found a risk assessment created by a crafter specifically for craft fairs

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Be honest, you hadn't even thought about risk assessment, had you? It really isn't a big job once you know how. You probably need just two documents that you can then reuse for every fair.

What is risk assessment anyways?

It is a document that proves you have thought about the potential hazards and risks associated with an activity (in this case, the craft fair you are attending) and have done what you can to reduce those risks. You may need two documents, one for outside fairs where you provide your own gazebo and the other for indoor fairs. My understanding is that if you are attending a fair where the organisers provide the gazebo, the indoor fair document is valid as responsibility for the gazebo in those cases lies with the organisers.

So what does it look like?

Well there are lots of risk assessment templates available online. There are even examples to be found online. The government offer some templates and examples, but I found most to be not very useful for craft fairs. If you go looking for examples, it is best to try to find UK ones specific for craft fairs. In creating my own I did a lot of research, looking at schools and youth groups, outdoor activities and retail risk assessment documents as well as ones for crafting and craft fairs.

Didi Lou Crafts Risk Assessment

I did the risk assessment for Didi Lou Crafts to attend crafts fairs back in May last year and am happy to share a mock up of both documents here as another example:

OUTSIDE

Organisation/company: Your Business Name

Description of activities: Craft Stall with gazebo at Fair/Market

HAZARD

OUTCOME

PERSONS AT RISK

MEASURES

FURTHER ACTION

LEVEL OF RISK

PERSON RESPONSIBLE

Fire

Burns, smoke inhalation

Stallholder, general public

No smoking allowed within the gazebo.
No flammable materials or electricity will be used in the stall area.
Organisers to provide general fire fighting equipment and marshals in the event of a fire on site.

Put up a no smoking sign in gazebo.
Stallholder to familiarise themselves with the organisers' fire safety procedures.

Low

Weather: high winds, heavy rain, thunderstorms

Displays blowing over and hitting people

Stallholder, general public

Ensure gazebo is properly tied or weighted down and that any pegs and ropes are clearly visible.

In extreme weather, displays should be packed away to prevent damage.
In high wind, double check ropes and weights.

Medium

Slips, trips and falls

Slips, trips and falls

Stallholder, general public

Avoid wires and cables that could be tripped over.
Keep areas tidy and store boxes under tables.

Take extra care in muddy situations.
Stallholder to ensure public cannot access rear of display tables.

Low

Working in extreme weather

Stallholder

Stay under the gazebo.
Have sunblock and sunglasses.
Bring sufficient suitable clothing.
Bring sufficient suitable drinks.

None required.

Low

INSIDE

Organisation/company: Your Business Name

Description of activities: Craft Stall in Hall

HAZARD

OUTCOME

PERSONS AT RISK

MEASURES

FURTHER ACTION

LEVEL OF RISK

PERSON RESPONSIBLE

Fire

Burns, smoke inhalation

Stallholder, general public

No flammable materials or electricity will be used in the stall area.
Building owners to provide general fire fighting equipment. Event organisers to provide marshals in the event of a fire on site.

Stallholder to familiarise themselves with the organisers' fire safety procedures.
Stallholder to be aware of closest emergency exits.

Low

Working in extreme weather

Stallholder

Stay under the gazebo.
Have sunblock and sunglasses.
Bring sufficient suitable clothing.
Bring sufficient suitable drinks.

None required.

Low

They are actually not so different, the weather issues and gazebo not included on the indoor one and the fire precautions now assigned to slightly different people.

Now make your own risk assessment documents

Well you've read about them and seen the ones I use for Didi Lou Crafts, so now it is time for you to create your own. Hopefully you can now see they are not as scary as maybe you thought. It really is all about thinking of the possible dangers to you and to the public and doing what you can to reduce those dangers.

As I said above, I am very happy to share this so you can use this content for your own business, in other words you are free to copy and paste any and even all of these details in creating your own risk assessment documents for your small business. However, if you are using the details online, for example on your blog, I would prefer you to acknowledge Didi Lou Crafts as the source with a link to this post.

What do I do once I have a risk assessment document?

Keep the document safe. Check it from time to time to ensure it is still up to date. For example, if you start doing demonstrations at fairs you may need to add more sections. When I got new christmas lights, I added the small bit about them being battery operated. Print a copy of each version and add them to the portfolio you take to each craft fair, so if Trading Standards ever turn up you will have a copy to give them. Be sure to implement everything you have said in the risk assessment every time, so boxes stored away, breakable items displayed away from the front of the table, no smoking sign up in your gazebo, carrying boxes in manageable loads, checking fire exits, etc. You really should be asking the organisers about their fire and safety procedures each time too, something I admit I am lax about.

What if I organise craft fairs?

That is a whole different ball game, which I have not covered here. You are likely to need written fire and safety procedures, appointed fire and safety staff and, in some cases, parking attendants. Contact your local Trading Standards for advice.

Good luck with your craft fairs.

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Be honest, you hadn't even thought about risk assessment, had you? It really isn't a big job once you know how. You probably need just two documents that you can then reuse for every fair.

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I have contacted a local artist who I believe would bring a large crowd could you please provide feedback the artist charges £250 for 3 hours https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3K9MP2SHk4

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I have contacted a local artist who I believe would bring a large crowd could you please provide feedback the artist charges £250 for 3 hours https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3K9MP2SHk4

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does this look okay for the different types of crafts available?

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does this look okay for the different types of crafts available?

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Good afternoon, Welcome to Morfabay Craft fair, My Name is Daniel Moar. I have attached a link to a blog that discusses current crafts that are selling well for other artists and also their value in £ sterling.

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What sells, what to you buy? - UK Craft Events - Folksy Forums

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I’ve been doing craft fairs (in Devon) since last August and although I don’t have huge expectations on the amount I sell some have been poorer than I would expect. I sell fused glass items and have a range of pieces prices from £50 right through to £3. I guess I am asking an impossible question, but what sort of things sell well (not just glass) and what sort of price. I appreciate that there are a lot of variables such as foot fall, what else is at the event etc. I have done small village hal…

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Hello I have attached a copy of the risk assessment that I will be using at the craft fair. If anyone can see any faults please contact me.

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Hello I have attached a copy of the risk assessment that I will be using at the craft fair. If anyone can see any faults please contact me.

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Regards Mike
http://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=fN6SU4zP&id=DC04E69E4EAEFEFEC955D2EDF3866FCE35E28C8A&thid=OIP.fN6SU4zPMwOpfPOy8aHoPAEsC1&q=risk+assessment&simid=607997762976285588&selectedIndex=0&adlt=strict%2cstrict&ajaxhist=0