Safety at Sports Stadia

Abstract

Following the human tragedies in football stadia in Great Britain, several safety legislative requirements have been passed to ensure spectator safety. Among such requirements is the requirement for seated accommodation for all spectators. Since the introduction of this requirement, there is however growing concern over the prolonged standing of spectators in seated areas as seated accommodation are not designated for standing and could thus poses risk to the safety of spectators. This study therefore investigated how spectator standing in seated accommodation affects the safety of spectators, and why spectators stand in seated accommodation by the use of semi-structured interviews. The interview participants included football club safety managers, a safety officer responsible for issuing safety licences at designated grounds and a spectator. The study indicates that the safety risk posed by spectator standing in seated areas include a spectator falling over a seat or guard rail and the obstruction of access for emergency services. The study further indicates that spectator standing is influenced by factors such as the fixture of the game, moments of excitement, spectator comfort, and the atmosphere of the crowd. The findings of the study provide valuable insight to stimulate proactive thinking towards implementing measures in relation to football stadia design and management to ensure safety.