- Whats New |
- The FLA |
- Licensing |
- Safety Certification |
- Spectator Safety |
- FAQs |
- Publications |
Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds
The Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds is published by TSO priced at £30.
Copies can be purchased by the following methods:
An electronic version of the guide is available from the DCMS website
The following briefly summarises or highlights some of the key areas in which this fifth edition of the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds differs from the previous edition.
The list is not comprehensive and in all cases reference should be made to the full text of the Guide.
General issues
1: How to use the Guide
New chapter: emphasises how to use and apply the Guide (replaces the Introduction from the previous edition).
2: Calculating the safe capacity of a sports ground
(P)1 and (S)2 factors: risk assessments must be undertaken by management and taken into account when assessing the
(P) and (S) factors. These should be reassessed annually or where there is a significant change to the structure, event or personnel.
New guidance: determining the expected occupation levels of all areas including open land to which the public have access, for instance at horse racing and golf events.
3: Management – responsibility and planning for safety
Risk assessments: required for all events including ancillary activities.
New guidance: on safety officer appointment, training and deputising, on steward numbers, on counter-terrorism and on pre-event activities.
1 (P) = physical condition of a ground's viewing area.
2 (S) = quality of the safety management in an area of a ground.
4: Management – stewarding
Standards and training: new guidance is provided on the training and qualifications of stewards.
Security personnel and contract or agency stewards: new sections have been included.
5: Management – structures, installations and components
Structural appraisal: new guidance on methods to be used.
6: Circulation – general
Spectators with disabilities: acknowledgement of the dispersal of disabled spectators throughout a sports ground including upper levels.
7: Circulation – ingress
Admission policies: new guidance on the impact of electronic entry card systems.
8: Circulation – stairways and ramps
Stair risers, height and number: for new construction, a maximum number of risers of 12 and a maximum riser height of 170mm to accord with Building Regulations.
Passenger lifts and escalators: new guidance
9: Circulation – concourses and vomitories
Concourses: new guidance on capacities and the prevention of overcrowding.
10: Circulation – egress and emergency evacuation
Rate of passage: new recommendations to accord with the British Standard BS EN13200-1:2003.
Management of evacuation of spectators with disabilities: new guidance to reflect the inclusive nature of new sports grounds.
11: Barriers
Barrier loadings: a new recommendation for escalators.
Barrier heights: clarification that reduced barrier heights in front of fixed seating are for seated spectators only.
Temporary barriers: temporary barriers should be of the same height and strength as any permanent barrier in a similar position.
Barrier test regime: the risk assessment should determine the period at which all barriers are tested.
12: Spectator accommodation – seating
Provision of seated accommodation: now includes accessible viewing areas for spectators with all kinds of disabilities.
Seating row depth: for new construction, recommended new minimum of 800mm.
Standing in seated areas: advice on how to respond to safety issues.
13: Spectator accommodation – standing
Crush barriers: confirmation that, to achieve the highest permitted capacity levels for a standing area, a continuous crush barrier must be provided.
Level standing accommodation: advice on level standing areas and differing sightline requirements, for example at horse racing or concerts.
Standing accommodation and disabled spectators: advice that standing areas should be accessible to all spectators.
14: Spectator accommodation – temporary demountable structures
References: to newly published guidance and standards on demountable and telescopic stands.
15: Fire safety
Fire risk assessment: mandatory requirement under new fire legislation.
Places of safety: definition of places of safety and places of reasonable safety aligned with new legislation.
New guidance: on emergency evacuation of spectators with disabilities and staff awareness and training.
16: Communications
Control points: guidance on a secondary control point.
17: Electrical and mechanical services
Planned preventative maintenance schedule: may be relevant when assessing the (S) factor.
18: Medical and first aid provision for spectators
New guidance: on risk assessment and medical plan, equipment and storage, provision of competent medical services personnel, ambulance provision, numbers of first aiders.
19: Media provision
Risk assessments: must be supplied by media companies to management and management should ensure that all media provision is included within a site specific risk assessment.
20: Alternative events at sports grounds
New emphasis: as part of the planning process for an alternative event, the capacity of the sports ground will need to be reassessed taking account of all of the chapters within the Guide.
Copyright © The Football Licensing Authority 2008
