2.14 Adverse Weather Conditions – A Client’s Guide

PRIOR TO INSTALLATION

Please be aware that all marquees have a wind-speed rating.

If the 5 day weather forecast is going to exceed 90% of the wind-speed rating that the relevant marquee(s) have, then the marquee(s) cannot be installed.

Please check with your contractors as normally the full hire charge is still payable by you.

Event insurance cover can be obtained to cover the costs of an event and indeed the loss of revenue produced from the event at cost to the event organiser.

CONTINGENCY WHEN EQUIPMENT IS INSTALLED

It is to be agreed at the contract stage as to who is responsible for the day to day surveillance and maintenance of the structure with regard to re-tensioning etc. as well as monitoring the weather forecast.

Once the equipment is installed and the weather and/or forecast is to exceed 75% of the rating of the marquee, the marshals must be put on alert and briefed on evacuation procedures and if the weather changes to exceed 90% of the rating of the marquee the marquee must be evacuated.

Then the marquees contractor must be called to visit the site and fit additional fixings to up-rate the wind rating to an adequate level, according to the manufacturer?s specification.

Should the weather forecast exceed 90% of this up-rated wind rating or the marquee is in danger of lifting the marquee must be evacuated again and the marquees contractor must be called to visit the site again. Then the only option left is to remove the roof sheets of the marquee(s) according to the manufacturers? instructions. If there are no manufacturers? instructions in place to cover this task, then remove the roof sheets in a systematic fashion as follows for aluminium keder marquees:

i. Starting with the roof sheet furthest from the direction that the prevailing wind is coming from ? Remove roof sheets.

ii. The linings (if fitted) are, then, to be dropped to the floor.

iii. Any damage caused would generally be for the marquee user to cover the cost of. However this can be covered under event insurance.

iv. Be aware that this task is extremely dangerous. It must be completed by experience staff. When you remove any PVC from a structure when in high winds you are going to make the structure more at risk of lifting. So the task needs to be well planed, everyone is to know what they are expected to do and must be executed swiftly.

v. The costs of the day to day maintenance of the marquee and equipment and the costs of adverse weather contingency plan are to be set out in the contract as well as in the Client Checklist & Satisfaction Note.