Safety at sports grounds
Apply for a safety certificate for a
regulated stand
Following various major accidents at Sports Grounds, the need
to control the fabric and management of sports grounds became
apparent and the provisions of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act
1975 placed this control with Local Authorities. The Fire
Safety and Safety of Places of Sports Act 1987 made it a duty of
Local Authorities to enforce the Acts.
Following the fire at Bradford FC, covered stands which would
accommodate over 500 spectators came under a similar control to
that afforded to major football grounds and large stadia designated
by the Secretary of State.
Lord Taylor, in his report on the Hillsborough disaster,
recognised the need for Building Control to take a major role in
the safety of Sports Grounds and went on to lay down procedure to
ensure the participation of all emergency services and other
interested parties.
Legislation
- Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975
- Safety of Sports Grounds Regulations 1987.
- Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sports Act 1987
- Safety of Places of Sport Regulations 1988.
- The Football Spectators Act 1989
- The Environmental and Safety Information Act 1988.
- Statutory Guidance to Local Authorities on inspections to be
carried out under Section 10B of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act
1975 Home office Circular 72/1987.
- Statutory Guidance under the Fire Safety and Safety of Places
of Sport Act Home Office Circular 97/1988.
- The Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Home Office), commonly
known as "The Green Guide".
Procedures
Designated Grounds - Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975
The Secretary of State has designated and may further
designate sports grounds as requiring a General Safety Certificate
or Special Safety Certificate.
The responsible person for the ground is required to apply to
the appropriate Authority for a General Safety Certificate or
Special Safety Certificate.
On receipt of an application, the Local Authority must
determine whether the applicant is the qualified/responsible person
and if so must issue a General Safety Certificate.
The General Safety Certificate may contain such conditions as
the Authority considers necessary or expedient to secure reasonable
safety, e.g. management requirements, First Aid provisions,
strength of structural elements etc.
In general these conditions will follow the guidance given in
the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds.
Attention is also drawn to the Football Licensing Authority's
Guidance on Safety Certificates and the London District Surveyors
Association Specimen General Safety Certificate and Guide for
Sports Grounds.
To prepare a Safety Certificate it is necessary to:
(a) Request suitable drawings from the applicant.
(b) Survey the ground in detail.
(c) Hold Safety Team Meetings with the Emergency Services to
determine overall requirements.
(d) Consult with other expert/other interested bodies
etc.
(e) Seek structural, electrical, mechanical and any other
pertinent certification.
(f) Consult with ground management.
(g) Determine works conditions and numbers of spectators to be
permitted into the ground.
On the issue of the General Safety Certificate it is necessary
to notify interested persons and advertise in accordance with the
appropriate regulations.
After the issue of the General Safety Certificate, During
Performance inspections should be made from time to time, on match
days or during other sporting occasions, to ensure that the terms
and conditions of the Certificate are suitable and appropriate for
the use and to monitor the club's observance of the terms and
conditions.
An annual inspection (and subsequent follow-up inspections) of
the ground is also required by statute (Section 10B).
Special Safety Certificates are issued for activities which
are not included in the General Safety Certificate and the process
is similar to that for General Safety Certificates.
Advisory Groups/Safety Teams, comprising emergency services,
the relevant clubs and their supports organisations and the
appropriate local authority officers, should be set up to deal with
all safety issues which might affect the spectators. This
group should meet regularly (e.g. monthly) under the Chairmanship
of the local authority.
Regulated Stands - Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sports
Act - (Part III)
A Local Authority must, in the first instance, investigate all
sports grounds in its area to determine if any have covered stands
which will accommodate 500 or more spectators (see Home Office
Guidance HOC97/1988).
The Local Authority must then issue a Preliminary
Determination to the owner of any such stand.
After two months from the issue of the Preliminary
Determination, the Determination will become final.
It is then illegal for the stand to be used unless an
application for a General Safety Certificate or Special Safety
Certificate has been made.
Where a covered stand which will accommodate 500 or more
spectators is erected, it is necessary for a General Safety
Certificate to be applied for before it can be used.
The process for the issue and the monitoring of the
effectiveness of a Certificate for a Regulated Stand is similar to
that for a Designated Ground, but related to the stand and the
escape routes from the stand only.
Enforcement
A person is on summary conviction liable to a fine if:
(i) A designated sports ground is used for an activity
requiring a Safety Certificate where either no application has been
made for such a Certificate or where the application has been, or
is deemed to have been withdrawn.
(ii) A General Safety Certificate is in force for a stadium
which is used for an activity for which the General Safety
Certificate or a Special Safety Certificate is in operation in
respect of it.
(iii) Any terms or conditions of a General Safety Certificate
or Special Safety Certificate are contravened.
(iv) Spectators are admitted to a ground in contravention of a
notice prohibiting or restricting the use of the ground.
(Section 12 Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 as
amended).
In relation to regulated stands. The holder of a Safety
Certificate is guilty of an office if:
(i) Spectators are admitted to a regulated stand where no
Safety Certificate which covers the use of the stand is in
operation.
(ii) Any of the terms or conditions of a Safety Certificate
for a regulated stand is contravened.
(Section 36 Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act
1987)
Generally
Where an Authority considers the condition to be such that the
public will be at serious risk, a notice prohibiting or restricting
the use of all or part of the ground may be issued.
(Section 10 Safety of Sports Ground Act 1975 as
amended).
Appeals
Appeals are to a Magistrates Court.
Cost Recovery
The Local Authority may charge an applicant the cost of work
reasonably and actually involved in the processing of an
application for the issue, amendment, replacement, transfer of
cancellation of a certificate.
Level of Service
The size and complexity of a sports ground or regulated stand,
will affect the time involved in the various actions needed to
prepare, issue and monitor a General Safety Certificate. The
ground management's attitude to safety and its ability or
willingness to put into place the safety requirements, can also
greatly affect the level of input needed by the Local
Authority.
Each Designated Sports Ground and Regulated Stand will be
inspected annually and the contents of the Safety Certificate
reviewed.
Last Updated on 5/20/2010