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Labor Guidelines

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Freeman is the Official Services Contractor for NAB Show®. As the Official Services Contractor, Freeman has the responsibility for material handling, electrical, all suspended rigging and booth cleaning services.

Freeman requests that Exhibitors do not tip its employees by giving money, merchandise or other special consideration for services rendered. Exhibitors should not give coffee breaks other than mid-morning and mid-afternoon when employees have a fifteen minute paid break. Any attempts to solicit a gratuity by an employee for any service should be reported immediately to a supervisor of Freeman. Freeman employees are paid an excellent wage and tipping is not an accepted company policy.

Freeman craftsmen at all levels are instructed to refrain from expressing any disputes or directly challenging the practices of any exhibitor. All questions arising with regard to the jurisdiction or practices must be directed to a Freeman management representative.

Material Handling

Exhibitors May

  • As an Exhibitor you may "hand carry" material. Hand carry is defined as small items such as cartons and packages that an exhibitor is able to carry.
  • Any mechanical assistance is limited to a small dolly.
  • The assistance of any motorized device or pallet jack is not permitted.
  • When Exhibitors choose to "hand carry" they may not access designated material handling areas.
  • Must use specified Exhibitor hand carry areas or main entrance of the facility.
  • In all other circumstances items should be considered material handling.
  • In no circumstance is any Exhibitor authorized to use Freeman material handling equipment for any purpose.

Freeman Responsibilities

  • Freeman has been contracted to be the exclusive provider for material handling contract services as ordered by the exhibitor.
  • Freeman has the responsibility to manage all freight docks and to schedule all vehicles into and out of all designated material handling areas for the show. This will assure the smooth, orderly and efficient move in and move out of the tradeshow.
  • Freeman has the sole responsibility for loading and unloading all trucks, trailers, common and contract carriers at its facilities or designated material handling areas.
  • Freeman is not responsible for any material it does not handle.
  • For the convenience of all exhibitors on the show, order forms for material handling services are included in this service manual and are available on Freeman's website at http://www.freemanco.com/store/show/showInformation.jsp?showID=255989&nav=02.

Electrical

Exhibitors May

  • The following work may be performed by the exhibitor's full-time company employees with positive identification such as a medical card or payroll stub but may not be performed by your Exhibitor Appointed Contractor (EAC).
  • Plug in equipment into any 20A/120VAC receptacle.
  • May hang up to four small clip-on lights per booth.
  • May connect modems, printers, computers and key-boards, test and tune their own equipment, and run their own communications cable between machines in the same booth above the booth carpet.
  • Mounting of monitors (to include plasma screens, LCD & CRT) and the installation of hanging brackets.
  • Certain circumstances allow exhibitors to provide their own electrical equipment. Please refer to the specific guidelines on Page 3.

Freeman Responsibilities

  • All electrical distribution.
  • All under-carpet electrical distribution.
  • Any additional electrical requirement needs or changes to preorders.
  • Distribution and connection of all power in excess of 20A/120V.
  • Distribution and connection of all 208V and 480V power.
  • Distribution of all electrical equipment necessary to provide electrical service.

Non-Hanging Electrical Sign

Exhibitors May

  • Install and dismantle a non-electric sign attached to a booth by the exhibitor's full-time employee or approved EAC.

Freeman Responsibilities

  • Assembly and disassembly of hanging signs.
  • Hanging of non-electrical signs and decorative materials from the ceiling.
  • Installing chain hoist and attaching signs (over 250 lbs).

Rigging/Electrical Hanging Signs and Truss

Exhibitors May

  • Exhibitors MAY NOT install or assemble electrical hanging signs and truss.

Freeman Responsibilities

  • Assembly and disassembly of electrical hanging signs, including rotating and header signs
  • Lighting without dimmers
  • Programmable theatrical lighting, production, related rigging and audio-visual
  • Suspended trusses with or without legs that contain dimmable or programmable lighting, studio or motion picture lighting, sound system projectors and/or video wall
  • Hoist ground-supported stand-alone truss whose sole purpose is overhead distribution of electrical
  • Suspended truss with motorized hoist and non-dimmable and non-programmable lights
  • Installing chain hoist
  • Special effects equipment
  • Laser lighting
  • Video monitors and plasma screens including units fed by a live camera or are part of a multi-screen coordinated image

Ground Supported Truss and Lighting

Exhibitors May

  • Ground-supported truss that is considered to be "booth structure" or mixed-use truss may be assembled by you, your full-time employee or by an approved EAC.
  • Truss which is not assembled by Freeman is subject to all electrical rules and jurisdictions in regard to any electrical work in the truss.

Freeman Responsibilities

  • Installation and dismantle of self-climbing and/or mechanized truss systems.
  • Installation and dismantle of any programmable dimmable lighting fixtures that are attached to any ground-supported truss.
  • Meeting room ground supported truss for the purpose of audio, visual, theatrical lighting.

Booth Cleaning and Porter Service

Exhibitors May

  • Clean and wipe down products and display merchandise and other parts of the exhibit
  • Exhibitor Appointed Contractors (EAC's) are not permitted to vacuum or utilize floor cleaning equipment on the show floor.

Freeman Responsibilities

  • All booth vacuuming and porter service

Booth Installation and Dismantle

Exhibitors May

  • As an Exhibitor you may choose to utilize your own personnel to set up and dismantle your exhibit.
  • If full-time company personnel are utilized to set an exhibit, they should carry positive company identification, such as a medical identification card or payroll stub.
  • You may hire an Exhibitor Appointed Contractor (EAC) to perform this work.
  • All EAC's must have the appropriate credentials submitted to Show Management and the facility.

Freeman Responsibilities

  • You may hire Freeman to provide your installation and dismantle labor.
  • To secure Freeman labor, please utilize the labor forms linked here. Skilled Freeman Labor is available to act as your EAC.

Photography Audio and Video Systems

Exhibitors May

  • Install and operate their own manufactured or product systems* when 20 amps or less or not suspended from the ceiling.
    • *System is defined as any group of interacting devices, or pieces of equipment, sold as a whole by the exhibitor.
  • Plug in small sound devices.
  • Install exhibitor's own manufactured cameras by exhibitor's full time employees.
  • Exhibitors may elect to staff certain positions:
    • Technical Director
    • Lighting Designer
    • Video Engineer or Audio Engineer
    • Slow Motion Machine Operator
    • Advance Projectionist
    • Audio Board Operator
    • Video Board Operator
    • Live Camera Operator
    • Lighting Board Operator

Freeman Responsibilities

  • Freeman will be responsible for the following staffing when an integrated system draws more than 20 amps or is suspended from the ceiling:
    • Crane Operator
    • Audio Technician
    • TV Sound Boom Operator
    • Character Generator
    • Advanced Audio Visual Technician
    • Tape Operator
    • Audio Visual Technician
    • Video Wall Technician
    • Video Utility Person
    • Assistant TV Audio Tech
    • Projectionist
    • High Rigger
    • Ground Rigger
    • Lighting Tech
  • The official in-house or show management audio visual equipment suppliers may install and operate equipment rented to exhibitors.