National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 17879:2023.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee MCE/3/4, Fairground and amusement park machinery and structures - Safety.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its committee manager.

BSI, as a member of CEN, is obliged to publish EN 17879:2023 as a British Standard. However, attention is drawn to the fact that during the development of this European Standard, the UK committee voted against its approval.

To avoid potential confusion between this standard and others, it is recommended that users also refer to other existing standards that could provide useful additional information.

BS 6180:2011Barriers in and about buildings — Code of practice should be referred to in addition to guidance in this standard on horizontal imposed loads on guardrails and handrails in Table 2 Subclause 5.3.4.4.

The guidance given in NA to BS EN 1991‑1‑4:2005+A1:2010UK National Annex to Eurocode 1 — Actions on structures — Part 1-4: General actions — Wind actions could prove useful in deriving suitable design wind speeds, in conjunction with an appropriate wind management policy.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication has been prepared in good faith, however no representation, warranty, assurance or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by BSI in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this publication. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed to the full extent permitted by the law.

This publication is provided as is, and is to be used at the recipient’s own risk.

The recipient is advised to consider seeking professional guidance with respect to its use of this publication.

This publication is not intended to constitute a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 31 October 2025.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 27 November 2023.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and United Kingdom.

European foreword

This document (EN 17879:2023) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 152 “Fairground and amusement park machinery and structures – Safety”, the secretariat of which is held by UNI.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by June 2024, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by June 2024.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.

According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

Introduction

The object of this document is to provide safety requirements for event structures. Examples of event structures covered by this standard are, but not limited to, stage roofs, stage walls, stage platforms, support structures for entertainment technology equipment, technical accommodations, raised platforms for public and bespoke structures. These safety requirements are aimed to safe-guard persons and objects against damage caused by design, manufacturing and operation of these structures.

These safety requirements have been drawn up according to past experience and risk analysis. Existing national rules concerning health and safety of workers remain untouched.

Attentions is drawn to the fact that in certain countries additional/different requirements may be applicable due to existing national regulations or equivalent.

1 Scope

This document specifies the minimum requirements necessary to ensure the safe design, calculation, manufacture, assembly, operation, disassembly, inspection and maintenance of the following, but not limited to:

structures e.g. stage roofs, stage floors, follow spot towers, PA towers,
LED support structures,
one-off event structures,
hospitality structures,
temporary spectator facilities.

The above hereafter called event structures are structures intended to be installed and dismantled specifically for an event.

This document does not cover:

Spectator facilities – EN 13200‑series,
Temporary structure – Tents – safety by EN 13782,
Fairground and amusement park machinery and structures as per EN 13814 series,
Temporary works equipment covered by CEN/TC 53,
Inflatable play equipment-safety requirements and test methods as per EN 14960,
Entertainment Technology as described by CEN TC 433.

NOTE This document is not applicable to event structures which are designed, manufactured, placed on the market or put in service before the date of publication of this document by CEN.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 General requirements for design, analysis, documentation and verification

4.1 General

4.2 Design

4.3 Principles of analysis

4.4 Documentation

4.5 Verification

5 Design actions

5.1 General

5.2 Permanent actions

5.3 Variable load

5.4 Snow loads

5.5 Seismic forces

5.6 Load combinations

6 Verification of strength and stability

6.1 General

6.2 Verification of strength of materials and components

6.3 Verification of stability

7 Structural requirements

7.1 Ballast and permanent loads to be used for stabilizing the structures

7.2 Membrane cladding

7.3 Prefabricated scaffolding components

7.4 Ground anchorages

7.5 Fasteners and couplers

7.6 Partially opened tents used as event structures

7.7 Ancillary entertainment equipment

7.8 Temporary spectator facility

7.9 Equipotential bonding

7.10 Structural interface of assemblies

8 Manufacture and supply

8.1 General

8.2 Certificates

8.3 Observation of the design specification

8.4 Description of installation and operation procedures

9 Operation, ground conditions and site conditions

9.1 General

9.2 Operation of an event structure

9.3 Ground and site conditions

10 Inspection and maintenance

10.1 General

10.2 Inspection

10.3 Maintenance

Bibliography

BS EN 17879:2023

Event structures. Safety requirements

Current

Published:

31 Oct 2025