Health & Safety in sports stadiums - Introduction
Activity 1
Produce a fact file of the Liberty Stadium in Swansea to include key information using the link below.
www.liberty-stadium.com/index.php
The development of football stadiums and major tragedies
As indicated already, there was a series of major tragedies at football grounds in the past and hooliganism was much more widespread that it is today.
The major events included:
- Ibrox Park, Glasgow 1971 – 66 fans trampled and crushed to death
- Bradford City 1985 – 55 people burned to death
- Heysel Stadium, Brussels 1986 – over 20 people killed in fighting between Liverpool and Juventus fans
- Hillsborough, Sheffield 1989 – 96 Liverpool fans crushed to death
Activity 2
Research each of these events, and produce
a synopsis of what happened in each case.
- Ibrox Park
- Bradford City
- Heysel Stadium
- Hillsborough
New stadiums
Activity 3
One of the many impacts of the tragedies of the 1980s was that major clubs either re-developed their grounds, as in the case of Old Trafford for example, or moved to new all-seater stadiums.
For the clubs listed below, identify or research the names of the new and old stadiums.
- Swansea City
- Derby County
- Leicester City
- Sunderland
- Reading
- Cardiff City
- Bolton Wanderers
- Wigan Athletic
- Middlesborough
- Hull City
- Southampton
- Manchester City
Reports and legislation
The Bradford City fire disaster led to the Popplewell Report in 1986 and the Hillsborough disaster led to the Taylor Report of 1990.
The measures recommended in these reports are now commonplace in modern stadiums, but they were introduced following significant loss of life. The key measures of the reports included:
- All-seater stadiums in Premiership/Division One from 1995 – Up to that time, many famous stadiums contained standing terraces, such as the Kop at Anfield (Liverpool) and the Shed at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea).
- Reduced capacity in all stadiums with terracing – This severely reduced the threat of over-crowding
- Increased safety elements - These included safety barriers, entrances/exits, fire procedures, and clear notices/signage.
- Removal of perimeter fencing - This had been erected at many grounds to stop pitch invasions. However, perimeter fencing was a major contributor to the Hillsborough disaster.
- Removal of flammable (wooden) stands/seats. - Wooden stands/seats had been a significant factor in the Bradford City fire.
- Adequate stewarding and training of stewards.
- Segregation of supporters. - Before the 1990s crowd segregation was less organised that it is today.
- Closed circuit TV and full monitoring in control box - CCTV can now used to investigate disturbances and monitor crowd behaviour.
- Better steward/control box communications.
Glossary of Terms
Many people visit modern stadiums to watch football or rugby matches or to enjoy other events such as concerts. Most of these people are only vaguely aware of the technicalities of the design of modern stadiums and the health, safety and security measures which are in place to provide a secure environment.
There are many terms and definitions associated with modern stadiums and the health, safety and security measures within them. The table below contains a selection of them.
Activity 4
Select the correct terms from the box below to match each of the definitions provided.
| Paramedic | Operations manual | Terrace |
| Concourse | Stadium | Contingency plan |
| Pitch perimeter barrier | Vomitory | Place of reasonable safety |
| Exit | Barrier | First aider |
| Circulation | Handrail | Spectator gallery |
| Viewing standard | Rate of passage | Control point |
| Emergency plan | Sightline | Spectator accommodation |
| Sports ground | Pitch perimeter fence |
Term |
Definition |
Barrier |
Any element of a sports ground, permanent or temporary, intended to prevent people from falling, and to retain, stop or guide people. |
Circulation |
Free movement of spectators within a sports ground. |
Spectator gallery |
A gallery usually attached to a hospitality area, from which spectators can view the event. |
Rate of passage |
The number of persons per metre width per minute passing through an element of an exit system. |
Sports ground |
Any place where sports or other competitive activities take place in the open air and where accommodation has been provided for spectators, consisting of artificial structures or of natural structures artificially modified for the purpose. |
Terrace |
An area of steps providing standing accommodation for spectators. |
Handrail |
A rail normally grasped by hand for guidance or support. |
Emergency plan |
A plan which is prepared by the emergency services for dealing with a major incident at the venue or in the vicinity. |
First aider |
A person who holds the standard certificate of first aid issued to people working as first aiders under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. |
Pitch perimeter barrier |
A barrier which separates spectators from the pitch or area of activity. |
Concourse |
A circulation area providing direct access to and from spectator accommodation, via stairways, ramps, vomitories, or level passageways, and serving as a milling area for spectators for the purposes of refreshment and entertainment. It may also provide direct access to toilet facilities. |
Spectator accommodation |
The area of a ground or structure in the ground provided for the use of spectators, including all circulation areas, concourses and the viewing accommodation. |
Stadium |
A sports ground where a spectator will normally watch the event from a single point, for example at football and rugby matches, in contrast to those where spectators are likely to be ambulatory, such as at horse racing and golf. |
Exit |
A stairway, gangway, passageway, ramp, gateway, door and all other means of passage used to leave the sports ground and its accommodation. |
Contingency plan |
This is prepared by the ground management setting out the action to be taken in response to incidents occurring at the venue which might prejudice public safety or disrupt normal operations. |
Paramedic |
A person who holds a current state registration by the Health Professional Council (HPC). |
Control point |
A designated room or area within the sports ground from which the safety management structure is controlled and operated. Also known as an ‘event control’, ‘match control’ or ‘stadium control’ room. |
Sightline |
The ability of a spectator to see a predetermined point of focus (such as the nearest touchline or outside lane of a running track) over the heads of the spectators sitting immediately in front. |
Viewing standard |
The quality of view available to spectators, consisting of three elements: the sightlines, the presence of any restrictions to viewing and the distance between the spectator and the pitch or area of activity. |
Vomitory |
An access route built into the gradient of a stand which directly links spectator accommodation to concourses and/or routes for ingress, egress or emergency evacuation. |
Pitch perimeter fence |
A barrier higher than 1.1m which separates spectators from the playing area or area of activity.
|
Operations manual |
A manual which sets out the way a sports ground operates on a daily basis. It should include but not be limited to the stewarding plan, medical plan, planned preventative maintenance schedule, fire risk assessment, event day procedures, contingency plans, capacity calculations, site plans and details of safety equipment. |
Place of reasonable safety |
A place within a building or structure where, for a limited period of time, people will have some protection from the effects of fire and smoke. This place, usually a corridor or stairway, will normally have a minimum of 30 minutes fire resistance and allow people to continue their escape to a place of safety. |
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