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ASG/89/12

THE INSTITUTION OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS

APPRAISAL OF SPORTS GROUNDS

5th draft

This draft has been prepared as a result of the discussion on the 4th draft (ASG/89/3) at the meeting on 9 May 1989 and written comments sent in by members thereafter.

This draft will be discussed at a meeting of the Committee on Thursday, 14 September 1989 when it is expected that the interim report by Lord Justice Taylor will be available

JULY 1989

AD HOC COMMITTEE ON APPRAISAL OF SPORTS GROUNDS

coN ST m m oN

M G T Dickson BA MS CEng MIStructE (Chairman) (Buro Happold)

B K Bardhan-Roy BE CEng FIStructE FICE (Jan Bobrowski 3c Partners)

Professor D V Canter PhD FBPsS FBIM (University of Surrey)

J F Dickie BSc PhD CEng MIStructE (University of Manchester)

M G Green BEng CEng MIStructE MICE (Buro Happold)

*A J M Heselden FIFireE (Fire Research Station)

D Kaye CEng FIStructE (Ove Arup 3c Partners)

J R Partington CEng MIStructE (Lancashire County Council)

y B B Pigott BA BAI(Dublin) CEng MICE (Fire Research Station)

A F K Shaw BSc(Hons) CEng MIStructE MICE (Leeds City Council)

R J C Stanton CEng MICE MIHT (G Maunsell 3c Partners)

B Stickley CEng FIStructE (Home Office)

S Thorbum FEng FIStructE FICE FASCE FIHT FGS (Thorbum Associates)

O L Turner OBE ARIBA (Department of the Environment)

R J W Milne BSc (Secretary)(The Institution of Structural Engineers)

Special contributions have also been provided by:Professor A Bolton MScTech PhD FEng FIStructE FICE

(previously with Heriot-Watt University)

N J Cook DSc(Eng) PhD CEng MIStructE (Building Research Station)

T V Lawson PhD BSc DIC CEng FRAeS (University of Bristol)

Jake Pauls(Life Safety Specialist, Hughes Associates Inc., USA)

* Until retirement in mid-1988 y From May 1989

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD

1 SCOPE

2 PLANNING MATTERS2 WHAT MANAGEMENT SHOULD KNOW2.1 Regulations and safety2.2 Management considerations

2.2.1 Planning life safety requirements2.2.2 Preparation of drawings of sports grounds2.2.3 Access for emergency vehicles2.2.4 Considerations affecting capacity2.2.5 Division of ground2.2.6 Signposting2.2.7 Exit gates

2.3 Refurbishment and reconstruction without disruption to dub activities2.3.1 General2.3.2 Preplanning2.3.3 Control of unruly behaviour2.3.4 Spectator comfort

3 DESIGN MATTERS3.1 Ground aspects of design and safety3.2 Other aspects3.3 Usage

3.3.1 Place in the community3.3.2 Managing grounds safely3.3.3 Additional facilities beneath stands3.3.4 Comfort3.3.5 Viewing and sightlines3.3.6 Circulatory space

3.4 Safety of spectators3.4.1 Home Office guide3.4.2 Deviations3.4.3 Information transmission

3.5 Structural safety3.5.1 Appraisal and Codes

3.6 Loading3.6.1 Permanent loads and load combination3.6.2 Vertical imposed floor loads3.6.3 Imposed roof loads3.6.4 Wind loads3.6.5 Imposed horizontal surge loads3.6.6 Dynamic loads3.6.7 Handrail loads3.6.8 Crush-barrier loadings

3.7 Structural safety in fire3.7.1 Fire resistance3.7.2 Smoke venting

4 FIRE AND FIRE SAFETY

4.1 Fire safety appraisal strategy4.1.1 Allocation of stands to two categories4.1.2 Category 1: stands4.1.3 Category 2: stands4.1.4 Circulation areas

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4.2 Guidance for assessing minimum standard of construction and planning4.2.1 General4.2.2 Compartmentation/protection of tiers4.2.3 Influence of fire and smoke on escape routes4.2.4 Measures to prevent or retard early fire growth4.2.5 Fire resistance of structure and supplementary stands4.2.6 Fire resistance appraisal

4.3 Guidance far assessming minimum standard for management activities and related action fire precautions4.3.1 Quality assurance for larger facilities4.3.2 Emergency procedures and staff training4.3.3 Public-address system4.3.4 Fire detection (fire alarm systems)4.3.5 Fire loading4.3.6 Contents4.3.7 Litter4.3.8 Provision of fire-fighting equipment4.3.9 Measures to restrict the extent of fire spread in later stages

4.4 Fire and smoke assessment4.4.1 Smoke assessment4.4.2 Smoke control measures4.4.3 Restriction of flame travel under roofs

4.5 Provision of additional fire precautions to extend means of escape time

4.6 Covered grounds4.7 New stands and covered grounds

CROWD SAFETY AND COMFORT5.1 General5.2 Passageway (dockages5.3 Flow rates5.4 Sequence of calculation5.5 Control of crowd flow in emergency

5.5.1 Entry control5.5.2 Exit control

5.6 Crush barriers

STRUCTURAL APPRAISAL6.1 General approach6.2 Existing survey drawings6.3 Survey of condition and record of findings6.4 Potentially dangerous, degraded or substandard fabric

6.4.1 Drawings6.4.2 Inspection6.4.3 Recording of results of condition

6.5 Potentially combustible materials and building fabric6.6 Testing of materials and elements6.7 Testing of crush barriers/handrails6.8 Appraisal of effects of wind

6.8.1 Wind tunnel tests6.8.2 Analysis of the effects of dynamic loading6.8.3 Resonant wind loading6.8.4 Spectator loading6.8.5 Regular inspection of slender structures

6.9 Appraisal of structures against disproportionate6.10 Replacement or strengthening of doubtful elements

7 TEMPORARY STANDS, FLOODLIGHT PYLONS, ETC.7.1 Temporary stands7.2 Other structures

8 ELECTRICAL LAYOUTS

APPENDIX A1

APPENDIX A2

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C

APPENDIX D

APPENDIX E

APPENDIX F

APPENDIX G

APPENDIX H

DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT

DRAFT RULES FOR INSTRUCTION OF REWARDS ON EVENT DAYS

GROUND FLOW RATES

PERFORMANCE OF CRUSH BARRIERS

TSTTNG OF CRUSH BARRIERS

SIGHTLINES AND VIEW DISTANCES

SPECIMEN DRAWINGS REQUIRED FOR APPRAISAL

SPECIMEN LICENCE CERTIFICATE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR REPORT

FOREWORD

In July 1986, the Institution of Structural Engineers initiated an ad hoc committee to bring together all current technical knowledge relevant to the appraisal of sports grounds and their individual elements. The Committee's task was to establish a fully referenced body of knowledge within three years which would be complementary to the Guide to safety of sports grounds (HMSO 1976). This Guide, first published in 1975, had itself been reissued as a result of discussions by a technical panel chaired by Mr Martin Killoran. This panel had been set up to advise Mr Justice Popplewell in his inquiry following the tragedies at Birmingham, Bradford and Hysel.

It is hoped that this report will help engineers and other professionals undertake the difficult task of appraising the many existing sports grounds in the UK and elsewhere. The task is to provide uniform and acceptable levels of safety to the public users of these grounds under aU operating conditions. However, the location, age, size, condition and acceptable spectator capacity of individual grounds and their stands vary widely.

The establishment of satisfactory and consistent overall performance of such facilities throughout the country and for all conditions requires reliable engineering 'methods' based on accepted scientific criteria. To effect appraisal satisfactorily, there has to be a thorough understanding of how the ground will be managed and operated and how orderly entry, containment and egress of spectators will be planned for and managed, even in an emergency. This requires appraisal which addresses the interrelated parameters dealt with in the separate sections of this report as a complete system.

Knowledge of some of these parameters does not particularly fall within the professional experience of members of the Institution of Structural Engineers, whose task it often is to adjudge the condition and maximum allowable capacity of sports grounds. Membership of this committee therefore consisted of members of the Institution with a wide range of relevant professional experience, and members from other allied technical professions whose primary skills extended the range of the committee's discussions.

Inevitably in its careful deliberations the committee has encountered some areas where current knowledge in the public domain appears inadequate. It is intended that some of these areas are addressed in the appendices to this report. Regrettably too, there has been the further tragedy at Hillsborough. So further consideration of aspects of this report may be necessary following the publication of Mr Justice Taylor's Inquiry expected later this year.

Nevertheless, it has been our aim to provide a properly referenced document which is as complete as possible in technical matters. This report will then be able to form a base for broadening the discussion to the sports authorities, ground managers, police and other professional bodies concerned with the operation, appraisal and design of sports grounds. There is an urgent need both to eliminate risk of further failure and to increase the chance of success and appeal of such facilities.

M G T DICKSON Chairman

ad hoc CommitteeJuly 1989 Appraisal of Sports Grounds

' 1 SCOPE

Broadly, the recommendations of this report can be applied to all grounds and structures of assembly use that provide permanent (or temporary) seating or standing facilities for the public. Generically, in this report, such places are referred to as sports grounds. The range of sporting and leisure events, including occasional events is wide, but includes soccer, rugby, cricket, tennis, greyhound and horseracing, certain athletics, swimming and other spectacular events.

It is intended that the report be complementary to the Guide to safety a t sports grounds to improve the knowledge of and communication between different categories of person concerned in the operation of sports grounds.

It is aimed primarily at advising on life safety in existing sports grounds. As such, it attempts to take account of the constraints and difficulties that are present within these grounds. It is important to distinguish between life safety and danger from unruly crowd elements. Although it is not a design brief for new construction work or total reconstruction a t sports grounds, the principles may well still be applicable. Such work should not be to a standard lower than that set out here, and the scope offered by new design work should lead to better standards than can be achieved at grounds already built with regard to reliable standards of life safety.

In particular, this publication aims at providing methods and reference material to help establish an even level of safe spectator capacity, ingress and egress in respect of the arrangement, size and condition of all elements of that ground, and of its level of management.

It is to act as a reference source to the multi-faceted problem of refurbishing, appraising, or designing sports grounds and of establishing the maximum approved capacity of each section of the ground in relation to its layout, construction materials and condition. It also aims at developing an overall engineering methodology and body of scientific knowledge to enable competent and professionally qualified personnel to carry out reliable and complete appraisal of existing sports grounds.

As such, this publication provides a companion to Appraisal of existing structures first published by the Institution of Structural Engineers in July 1980. In conjunction with the Guide to safety at sports grounds, it emphasises the need to ’secure reasonable safety at the stadium’ by seeing that obvious defects such as trip hazards, weak handrails, obstructed exit routes or impaired or inappropriate structural elements are rectified, and that exit routes are properly signed and available at all times.

One particular such risk in many existing stands is the existence of unprotected combustible construction. This report has therefore developed a method whereby the maximum permissible time for evacuation to an area of safety can be assessed against the likely fire hazards, compartmentation available, standards of egress, construction, etc. and the level of effective organization and management.

Appraisal of existing structures, Institution of Structural Engineers, July 1980

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>

Assessment on this bases for fire safety is given in Section 4.

Above all, the report is aimed at achieving structural adequacy under all the relevant loadings and conditions, both of the overall construction and its individual elements, and the elimination by methodical appraisal of potential hazards that result from the presence of dense crowds, their behaviour and their movements. Section 3, 5 and6 (and for temporary events Section 7) deal with this aspect of appraisal.

Safety of crowds cannot reasonably be achieved without carefully considered action, and organized management techniques applied both to the day-to-day running and dunng public occupation. This is therefore addressed as an important factor in Section 2 in some detail.

Since the process of appraisal for safety in such situations is an interactive process, this document is addressed to all the following persons:

directors and managers of sports clubs who must run clubs to a budget and provide a service to the customer that can be afforded and which is satisfying, safe and controllable

engineers, architects and other professional consultants engaged by the clubs' managers to appraise, design the refurbishment and organize any necessary maintenance

public officers responsible for approving measures for refurbishment and maintenance, and for licencing sports grounds for their various uses.

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2 SHOULD*KNOlfATTERS * W H A T M A N A G E M E N T

2.1 REGULATIONS AND SAFETY

The Safety at sports grounds Act 1987 imposes a licensing system on sports grounds* with a capacity of more than 10 000 and individual stands having a capacity of 500 or more. The implications of the Act for club managements are far reaching. In future managements will need to be aware not only of the regulations and associated documents but also of what measures will need to be implemented (see Appendix G for specimen licence certificate).

Building Regulations are also relevant and would apply to new stands and to certain alterations to existing stands. The main regulations ares

The Building Regulations 1985 (for England & Wales)

The Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1977 (for Scotland) ----------

The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1977 (for Northern Ireland) “

For England and Wales approved document B2/3/4 Fire spread gives guidance on the fire safety provisions of the regulations. For Scotland requirements are set out in Parts D and E of the Regulations and for Northern Ireland in Part E.

It is the responsibility of club management to appraise themselves of the necessary measures to prevent risk to their clubs and the public by employing professionally competent personnel to advise them on any repairing, refurbishment, and requirements that will be necessary before their sports ground can be used to its full potential or to an agreed capacity.

Management will be responsible for overall safety of the public. This means, inter alia:

• provide for stewarding of the right quality that is properly briefed for the particular event and present in sufficient numbers to manage the event adequately

. having available drawings of the overall facility (1 : 1000 city plan; 1 : 200 ground plan and section showing principal means of ingress and egress, compartmentation with capacity of each clearly indicated, and other facilities such as location of stewards and public-address system

* Sports grounds are widely defined in the Act to include not only soccer, rugby, cricket, tennis, etc. but also horse and greyhound racing, athletics, etc. grounds

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being able to identify and redress where necessary

potentially combustible materials and building fabric

potentially dangerous, degraded or substandard fabric

potentially dangerous areas of overcrowding, whether on ingress or egress routes and spectator viewing areas.

establishing the principles for good manageable access and egress

providing good information transmission systems both inside and outside the ground

keeping the conditions of seated stands, terraces, viewing slopes, stairways, etc. in good condition

establishing the need for appraisal, testing and refurbishment (usually without disruption to the sports programme and club facilities) to bring the ground to the required standard

establishing a planned preventative maintenance routine

. establishing a strategy for means of escape in emergencies

maintaining reasonable first-aid provisions

Management will need to estimate the necessary work and prepare a financial operating plan (probably on a quarterly basis) so that the aims can be achieved. A list of many of the day-to-day routine responsibilities is given in Appendix A.

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

2.2.1 Planning life safety requirements

Planning for large numbers of people entering, staying within and leaving sports grounds requires skills beyond those needed for planning a system for inanimate objects. People come in many different shapes and sizes with varying capabilities and handicaps. They may well have varying reasons for coming to the sports ground and so expect different things of it.

Furthermore, although in general most people behave sensibly and appropriately most of the time, relatively small problems when experienced alone can be magnified to disastrous proportions in a large crowd. Broadly there are two ways in which crowd safety can be jeopardized.

One is by an unexpected incident or disturbance or pattern of crowd movement, as when a barrier collapses or someone slips within a crowd moving down a flight of steps. Because people may not know what is happening or be confused by its unexpectedness, pressures can build up in the crowd far beyond those normally experienced.

A second route to disaster is when some individual or group in the crowd sets out to cause damage or injury. Either by eliciting reciprocal responses from others or by other forms of aggravation of their actions, a few people may in this way, have an effect far beyond their numbers.

The only way to avoid both kinds of potentially dangerous incidents and minimize their consequences, should they occur, is by careful planning, design, management, maintenance and adherence to conditions of the certificate.

An illustration of the American approach to life safety in auditorium management, also applicable to sports grounds, is given in Appendix B.

•2 Preparation of drawings of sports ground

The impact of a new sports ground on the local infrastructure requires careful consideration from the aspects of road safety, traffic congestion, environmental changes and the effect on the lives of the local residents during match days.

The convergence of large numbers of people on a locus within an urban neighbourhood can create both traffic congestion and the potential for road accidents. The construction of a major sports ground within a community can also create social and physical stress.

An open-plan sports ground, free from boundary fences and having freedom of access from most points of the compass is the ideal and affords the best solution to smooth safe crowd flow. However, in regard to the social behaviour of the spectators converging on the sports ground, where confrontation of supporters is to be avoided separate access points to the respective parts of the sports grounds will be necessary.

Such effects may be judged from a plan of the sports ground and surroundings at a scale of about 1:1000. Further larger scale (1:200) drawings of the ground and its constituent parts will be required, sufficient to show clearly all spectator viewing areas, exit and entry routes, barriers, capacities, and

demonstrate by calculation, appraisal or testing that the constructional and structural elements will provide adequate levels of life safety.

Both plan and section drawings are required at this larger scale so as to illustrate the 3-dimensional arrangement of each particular zone.

2.2.3 Access for emergency vehicles

Adequate roads for emergency vehicles such as fire appliances and ambulances should be provided and maintained, so that speedy and direct access can be obtained to all buildings within the ground. Emergency routes should be defined (in consultation with the licensing authorities) and marked on the plan.

Where necessary, roads in the vicinity of the ground should have restricted parking so that at all times there are no delays or obstructions to the access of emergency vehicles. This restriction may extend to a distance in excess of 0.5 km. When practicable, such roads should be kept entirely free of parked vehicles.

2.2.4 Considerations affecting capacity

In many instances, the need to attain the Guide to safety at sportsrequired safety standard will relate to the grounds, HMSO, Londonmaximum number of spectators who are liable 1986 (Section 16)to be admitted to the ground (or a particularpart of it). For example, a football groundwith a potential maximum spectator capacityis liable to pose significant crowd pressurerisks. To accommodate safely a maximumcrowd at such a ground might entail substantialremedial upgrading work; alternatively,consideration might be given to acceptinga much smaller number of spectators who,properly dispersed, could be accommodatedsafely without having to incur costly repairsor alterations. The first step, therefore,is to assess how many people can be safelyaccommodated in the different sections ofground given the existing condition of theground, i.e. to determine a safe spectatorcapacity. A range of increased capacitiescan then be prepared based on variousimprovements/remedial works.

Although controlling crowd numbers may serve to reduce some risks to an acceptable level, remedial work is likely to be necessary to overcome others. Obvious defects such as trip hazards (especially at the head of stairs or steps), loose or weak handrails on stairs, and obstructed sections of exit or ingress routes, should be rectified as part of the

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general care and maintenance of a ground. Structures should be sound and inspected by suitably qualified persons. Design, layout and signposting of entrances and exits and routes require particular attention so that they can safely cope with the number of spectators who will use them before and after an event or in an emergency. Similarly, the condition of terraces or viewing slopes and presence or otherwise of crush barriers, correctly sited and meeting the described strength tests are important factors.

Broken, uneven terracing causes stumbling. Barriers not only serve to break up crowd pressures but also assist in controlling movement onto and off the terraces by directing and restricting the rate of arrival to suit the capacity, and encouragingthe formation of queues so that spectators arrive in an orderly fashion.

It follows that in general in a ground where it is proposed to retain a high spectator capacity, the measures needed to be taken to accommodate safely such large crowds are potentially more extensive. In this respect the calculation of the spectator capacity of a terrace or that through a given route(s) depends on the configuration and condition of all the elements associated with calculation. It is recommended that physical means of directing crowd flows in and out are incorporated.

2.5 Division of ground

Where migration of spectators could prove hazardous, a ground should be divided into sections. Each section of a ground has its own limit of safe capacity, and a major migration can cause dangerous overcrowding. Each section of the ground (e.g. each end or side) should be self-contained with its own entrances, exits and toilet and refreshment facilities. For football grounds in particular there should be controlled access from one such major section to another. At other sporting events, such as greyhound racing, spectators may need to move freely between different parts of the ground, and this should be borne in mind when considering access to and from the sections of the ground. Automatic counting procedures may be necessary to ensure that the approved capacity of any particular zone is not exceeded.

2.6 Signposting

A comprehensive system of signposting that clearly indicates routes to the various parts of the ground, and the the exits from the ground, should be provided. Signs relating

to fire safety and other safety signs (e.g. first-aid facilities) should also be provided. Exit gates themselves should be clearly signposted, preferably using illuminated signs. Directional signs should be provided to encourage crowds in any particular section to flow in one direction when leaving the ground.

2.2.7 Exit gates

Locked exit gates should be manned by a steward a t all times when the public are in the ground, so that they can be opened immediately from inside by anyone in an emergency. The use of a common pass key for all exits should be considered, as should one-way exits to cope with normal conditions.

All gates should open outwards with the direction of the required flow. Inward opening and sliding gates are not suitable unless kept open while the public are present.

All gangways and exit routes must be unobstructed and capable of being used to their full capacity at all times when the public are in the ground. Every part of an exit route should be able to accommodate the required flow from the terrace or stand exit in accordance with the approved flow rates and exit times.

REFURBISHMENT AND RECONSTRUCTIONWITHOUT DISRUPTION TO CLUB ACTIVITIES

2.3.1 General

Changes in legislation and the need to make significant improvements in the provisions for spectators have presented football clubs with a serious challenge to their existence. Clubs of different standing and for different principal sporting uses are confronted by major expenditure on their existing grounds in order to meet future standards of comfort, safety and competition.

Functional and financial considerations often necessitate redevelopment work being carried out in phases, and management of projects of this kind requires special technical and practical skills especially in the case of large-span structures. Whether the aim is to construct a single stand within an existing ground or to create a completely new complex, the project requires technical, managerial and financial skills of a high calibre.

Safety provisions should comply with the requirements of the Guide to safety at sports grounds. Conformity with fire regulations is of paramount importance.

Ingenuity of design, construction and the creation of new provisions should influence the health and welfare of sports facilities. Good design linked to technology is sufficiently advanced to permit reliable construction of new concepts in sports grounds and help establish their commercial viability.

2.3.2 Preplanning

There are many important matters to be considered in the refurbishment or creation of sports grounds, and preplanning and project management are essential elements of reconstruction.

Preplanning commences with a definition of the overall concept of the proposal for development, by identifying and researching the potential market for the facilities and by making arrangements for financing the reconstruction work.

2.3.3 Control of unruly behaviour

2.3.3.1 Benefits of seating. Although seating all spectators can never entirely remove unruly behaviour, malicious individuals are easier to identify and control in seated facilities. It is also much easier for those who wish to perpetrate clandestine mischief to do so in terracing. Furthermore, seating is more likely to a ttrac t those who wish to watch the sport in comfort for itself compared with those few who may be attracted to the miscreant possibilities of the terraces. Disturbances in densely packed standing terraces are difficult to control unless access is maintained.

2.3.3.2 Access and surveillance. To optimize crowd control, easy access to groups of spectators is important and an adequate system of passageways as illustrated in clauses 96-100 of the Guide to safety at sports grounds facilitates crowd control. The use of both fixed and roving CCTV and video cameras can help to identify miscreants and also act as a deterrent to unruly behaviour.

Because large quantities of alcohol can encourage unruly behaviour in some people, the taking of alcohol into public areas of sports grounds in the UK has been restricted by the 1987 Act, as have all forms of hard container that could be used as projectiles.

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2.3.3.3 Open planning. The provision of a high security fence between the spectators and the playing field prevents both the exercising of control over crowd misbehaviour and the egress of spectators at a time of panic or disaster. The use of fences to restrict crowd movement in a cage environment may not be the best solution. Safety may well be better served by an open-plan concept for grounds where spectators are placed within specific areas to which access and egress are rapid and simple. Provided that sightlines are also open, the general feeling of spaciousness can enhance the overall attractiveness of the facility.

Where such fences have to be provided, emergency gates of sufficient width and proximity, adequately linking with all areas of the terrace and capable of being opened without danger towards the pitch should be provided. These must be manned a t all times the public are present.

2.3.3.4 Open approaches to stands. Thelatter-day concept of high walls and fences around grounds within which paykiosks are located is no longer tenable, and new grounds should eliminate the restrictivestrips of land between the boundary fences and the spectator stands. The positioning and number of pay kiosks, or turnstiles, should becarefully considered. Sufficientcapacity of controlled ingress points need to be provided to each spectator zone to provide for orderly controlled access to the event and prevent excessive queuing. The location of such provision should be suchas to avoid restriction to crowd flow on egress.

Reliable counting systems shouldbe provided to enable managementto have immediate knowledge of the number of spectators in each zone.

The removal of the barriers to free movement outside the stands eliminates the feeling of being within a stockade and may well promote better crowd behaviour. The occasional misdemeanours by some spectators is readily handled within an open-plan system. Incidents

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within strips of land between boundary fences and stands are difficult to handle and control, and the easeof access provided by the removal of boundary fences facilitates crowd handling by police, and operations by fire and ambulance services.

2.3.3.5 Barriers of sufficient strength forguarding stairs, ramps and other spectator areas. Stairs providing access and egress to stands should be well designed to obviate dangerous jostling by spectators and dangerous forward movements to groups of spectators. Collapse of a massof individuals can cause severe crushing of persons caught in thezones of maximum thrust, resulting in injuries and confusion. Therefore, barriers must be sited and designed to withstand crowd pressures and to prevent collapse and to control movement and divert flow (see Section 5).

2.3.3.6 Readily accessible exits. Rapid exit of spectators in emergency situations is important. Exits should be readily accessible and should be fully allowed for in appraisal of stand capacities. If necessary extra emergency routes/exits should be provided.

2.3.3.7 Fire safety. The materials used in the construction of new grounds should inhibit combustion and the spread of fire, thus providing spectators with an opportunity for escape and survival. Section 4 considers this aspect of life safety.

Where practicable materials in existing structures should be treated to improve resistance to fire.

Spectator comfort

Comfort is a relative description in the context of open-air grounds since climatic conditions largely control the amount of comfort experienced by spectators.

Seating should be clean and comfortable, and the manoeuvrable spaces between the seats should be adequate for all sizes of persons. Seating decks should be free of columns to permit a clear view of the playing surface by all spectators. Spectators should be as close as possible to the playing surface, commensurate with public safety in respect of the activity in question.

Quite apart from safety considerations,enjoyment will be enhanced by good lighting, clear audible public address systems. The use of fittings and fixtures that are either reasonably vandal proof and easily replaceable should be considered.

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3 DESIGN MATTERS

3.1 GROUND ASPECTS OF DESIGN AND SAFETY

The safety of the sports ground covers two aspects. First structural safety, which means that each individual structural component as well as the whole structure should be sound, adequate and durable, and able to resist the pressures and loadings associated with high crowd densities and all other loading conditions. Adequacy inevitably includes structural fire protection. The second aspect is safety of spectators, which concerns hazards to the crowd and elimination as far as practicable of the sources of such hazards.

3*2 OTHER ASPECTS

However, the implementation of safer sports grounds has to be made with regard to human behaviour, so that both the risk of failure is reduced and the chance of success is increased. In the light of limited budgets priority (in terms of safety) has to be given to those aspects of any facility that most improve safety. Lack of adequate funding does not justify potentially dangerous conditions. Such conditions will require restricted use or closure.

3.3 USAGE

3.3.1 Place in the community

Sports grounds need to be seen by the community as a comfortable recreational facility suitable for the family. They should be capable of diversification of use.

The football authorities hope that grounds will become a more broadly based recreation facility for the family, to compete with television and become a facility for the community. There is a need to think in wider design terms, e.g. the implications of converting standing areas to seated areas, provision of family only sections, separation of home and away fans for soccer, and other uses.

Grounds need the flexibility to cater safely and comfortably for multiple usage from pop festival, football league, international tennis to, say, secondary school sports, which may require very different crowd safety control arrangements.

3.3.2 Managing grounds safely

The great challenge in designing sports grounds to give greater safety is to do so without creating the impression that the place is a fortress or prison. Physical structures carry meanings to the public that may not be intended or even though of by designers and engineers. It is therefore necessary that

Code of practice for pop festivals, GLC

Canter D, Comber M, Uzzell D: Football in its place: anenvironmental psychology of football grounds, Methuen 1988

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they consider what the meanings and social implications are of what they design and build.

They should consider implicit messages that their structures may carry for different groups who see and use them. The symbolic implications of spatial arrangements, materials, textures and colours should all be examined closely. Freedom of movement and standard and range of secondary services all indicate to staff, spectators and the interested public the regard in which they are held.

Anxiety and distress in threatening circumstances, are magnified by a feeling of lack of control over one's own actions. The greater the freedom the spectator feels in using a sports ground, the happier that experience is likely to be. Designers should seek to enhance this feeling of being in control, taking into account the current significance of the role of police in managing most large crowds.

Designing to reduce the impact of vandalism is a special case in which an imaginative design response should be combined with effective management. Making potential targets for vandals as tough as possible (sometimes known as 'target hardening') can create an ambience in which the public may feel alienated and vandals challenged. Design and maintenance strategies that allow broken fitments to be rapidly replaced ('target softening') may create a situation that is more inviting to the public and less attractive to vandals.

Additional facilities beneath stands

The use of grounds on an intermittent basis, is a commercial limitation that necessitates additional income from other sources such as pools and sponsors. The use of space for diverse commercial businesses within sports grounds can provide financial resources for the club and can benefit the local community by employment and service to industry. Space available below inclined seating may well be suitable to provide additional facilities provided that such uses are adequately compartmented from the stands above. In providing such facilities, full account must be taken of its effect on the safety of the ground in general usage, including the need to provide adequate fire compartmentation between the different uses.

3.3.4 Comfort

Comfort of the spectator also forms a major consideration in the design of stands. Inevitably in these days of television, fewer and fewer people will be attracted to sports grounds unless comfort conditions are improved. The level of comfort can be raised by providing a warmer environment, roomy seats or accommodation, protection against elements (i.e. against rain or chilly wind), refreshment facilities of reasonable standards, as well as toilet facilities.

3.3.5 Viewing and sightlines

One of the important parameters in the design of sports grounds is ’good viewing’. It is essential that the spectator should be able to see the principal object of the sports (such as the football, tennis ball, the athlete, the horse or the car as the case may be. This is also a primary consideration in appraising an existing sports ground. When large crowds are present and densities are high, the frustration from lack of proper visibility of the principal object can cause distress and other emotional reactions with a consequent build-up of pressure within the crowd. Where viewing areas do not afford a satisfactory view of the event, they should be eliminated from capacity calculations.

Some consideration of viewing and sightlines is given in Appendix E.

3.3.6 Circulatory space

It is necessary to provide a greater area for circulation in the case of perambulatory viewing such as athletics and horseracing than for stationary viewing such as football.

SAFETY OF SPECTATORS

3.4.1 Home Office Guide

Since the Ibrox Park disaster on 2 January 1971, the safety of spectators in sports grounds has been extensively studied in the UK. The sources of problems have been identified and recommendations given in the Guide to safety a t sports grounds to minimize hazards to the crowd, with particular emphasis on football grounds. Recommendations include both ingress and egress arrangements to and from the sports ground and means of escape, standards for stairways, ramps and handrails, fire precautions as well as the standard for viewing slopes and terraces, including layout of and design criteria for crush barriers. Pressures can be set up within a departing crowd by impatient people; such incipient pressures can and must be contained and

3.4.2

controlled by careful attention to the detailed design of barriers, stairways, gangways and exits. Reference should be made to Section5 for further information on flow rates etc.

Deviations

Although the recommendations of the Guide are not mandatory, they are accepted as guidelines by the local authorities in enforcing the Safety of sports grounds Act 1975. The Guide however, was prepared primarily in the experience of football grounds; therefore some of the recommendations may need modification before being applied to grounds used for other activities such as tennis, horseracing, etc.

Deviations from individual guidelines are possible without necessarily detracting from the overall safety of the ground. The variety of type, function and layout of sports grounds and the inter-relationship of the different parts of them means that a flexible approach should be maintained to take account of the particular circumstances at individual grounds.

It is necessary to evaluate flow characteristics, which are generally based on notional ideas. The rate of ingress at which people move is variable and could easily change, e.g. parents looking for children etc. Ingress and egress rates are hard to calculate as people do not divide themselves evenly. People will go where they want in order to get on to ’target* to where they are going, rather than sorting out into an even distribution. At certain events, e.g. Olympics, people drift in and out depending on the attraction of the event. To have even flow it is essential that exits are free from obstruction, and/or loose or ill-repaired surfaces and remain free of smoke in the event of a fire in the facility. Crowds progress at different rates, which are slower for old than young people and are also reduced with increasing density. Planning for orderly ingress and evacuation of large crowds in any condition is difficult and needs serious quantitative and qualitative consideration by an appropriately qualified professional person. Section 5 and Appendix B deal with this aspect more fully.

The types of safety problem to be considered within a ground and in its immediate surroundings, all of which are linked in some way, include;

1. hazards that cause individuals to trip, slip and fall, causing individual injury and possible serious further injuries as a result

Jake Pauls: American/ Canadian Olympic Games

Life safety code handbook, FK 802, 1988

2 0

2. uncontrolled and unacceptable build up of crowd pressures during ingress and/or within any spectator zone during the performance

3. danger of crushing of people duringevacuation, particularly in emergencyconditions.

4. risk from fire (see Section 4)

5. failure of elements of construction under the effects of crowd pressures (see Sections 6 and 7).

3-4.3 Information transmission

The importance of communicating clearly and audibly to people, particularly those waiting either on exit or entry, cannot be stressed too strongly. Good public-address systems are required.

^ 3.5 STRUCTURAL SAFETY

3.5.1 Appraisal and CodesReferences

Structural safety is the primary consideration of structural appraisal and design. For a new structure, the design generally follows the recommendations of the Codes of Practice appropriate to the material to be used. If guidance in some respect is not clear cut or sufficient in the Code it is based on engineering judgment and appreciation backed up by experience and/or tests.

In the current Codes of Practice an accepted level of safety is deemed to be achieved by the use of partial safety factors on loads to allow for the possibility of a given load being exceeded accidentally and by partial safety factors on the strength of materials to cater for its probable variation in the actual construction. At the design stage, for example, many factors remain unknown and need to be covered by a safety margin in loads and materials.

Where the design involves the construction of structures of unusual configuration, long span or the use of unconventional materials it is especially important that the construction be monitored on a continuous basis by competent engineers familiar with the intentions of the design so that safety margins are not impaired by faulty or substandard construction.

In the appraisal of existing stands, however, the situation is somewhat different since most of the variables are determinate. In consequence, it is possible and often preferable

£ i

Life safety code handbook, 4th edit., 1988 Ed. James K. Lathrop

to apply engineering judgment as to the appropriate level of these safety margins such that the assessment does not become inordinately conservative. When appraising existing structures particular attention has to be paid to the effects of joints or elements from corrosion, from cracking and from potential degradation by fatigue. What is most important is the application of rigorous methodology to the matter of appraisal so that nothing is missed or misinterpreted. Accordingly, it is essential that this appraisal is carried out by a chartered structural or civil engineer with appropriate experience of such structures.

The Institution of Structural Engineers has published Appraisal of existing structures, which gives general guidance for assessing structures. It is recommended that this document should be followed in the structural assessment of existing stands and their components.

3.6 LOADING

3.6.1 Permanent loads and load combinations

All relevant loads should be considered invidually or in the approriate combination to give the most critical effects on the elements and the structure as a whole.

In addition to its self-weight and any other permanent loads, the structure should be designed to withstand loadings from crowds and their movement, wind, snow and any other forces to which it may be subjected.

3.6.2 Vertical imposed floor loads

For the most part, it is likely that the loading in BS 6399: Part 1, Table 7 is appropriate.

areas without fixed seating 5.0 kN/m2 or a concentrated load of 3.6kN

areas with fixed seating 4.0 kN/m2

corridors, passageways and stairs 5.0 kN/m2 or a concentrated load 4.5 kN.

In come circumstances, it may be appropriate to appraise a stand in the light of the static and dynamic loads it is likely to receive.

In this context a t peak crowd densities without obstacles a person will occupy an ellipse equivalent to 54 persons per 10 m. Seated areas generally operate at a density of 2.4 to 3.6 seats per m2 dependent on the type and arrangement of seats. These figures are exclusive of gangways.

Appraisal of existing structures. IStructE, London, 1980

NFPA 102 Assembly seating, tents and membrane structures. 1986, Chap 4

BS 6399: Part I: 1984 Loadings for buildingsAdditional information in South African Civil Engineer; August 1971 ’measurement of live load on a temporary stand for spectators'.

2 2

3.6.3 Imposed roof loads

3.6.4

The roof structure must be able to withstand the effects of imposed loadings given in BS 6339: Part 3. Attention should be paid to the effects of concentration or asymmetry caused by possible patterns of snow drifting in valleys in relation to the shape of the roof and to the possible effects of previous remedial works on the self-weight of the roof.

In determining the adequacy of the roof attention should be paid to its accessibility. This will apply particularly to existing roofs, where access other than for cleaning, although unintended, may be possible.

Wind loads

Both in the design of new stands and in the appraisal of existing ones, the assessment of wind loadings is crucial.

For locations in the UK, reference should be made initially to CP 3: Chapter V: Part 2* and BRE digests 119, 283 and 284.

BS 6399; Part I

BS 6399: Part 3

BRE Digest 332 (May 1988)

Supplement to the national building Code of Canada 1985, Commentary B

Wind loads, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, 1985

CP 3: Code of basic data for the design of buildings: Chapter V: Loading, Part 2: Wind loads*

BRE digests:119 The assessment of wind loads (1984)283 The assessment of wind speed over topography (1984)284 Wind loads on canopy roofs (1986)

Cook, N. J.:'Reduction of wind loads on a grandstand roof’, Journal of Wind Engineering &Industrial Aerodynamics, 10 1982

’A novel working approach to the assessment of wind loads for equivalent static design’, Cook, N. J., <5c Mayne, J. R. Journal of Industrial Aerodynamics, 1979

* This code is due for replacement by:

BS 6399: Loading for buildings. Part 2: Wind loads

The new Code is expected to include a static/dynamic classification.

For stands of unusual configuration, form or location, this assessment may require specialist knowledge where consideration of both quasi-static loadings and dynamic effects may be necessary, along with both overall and localized effects.

When wind loading data are insufficient, reference should be made to available meteorological information on wind speeds and direction, and an appropriate assessment of design wind speed made for that particular location.

For correct assessment of wind loadings on a particular group of stands, a representative wind tunnel test may be required (see Section6 of Appraisal of existing structures).

Where necessary specialist literature should be consulted or specialist help sought.

j.Cook, N. J.: 'Calibration of techniques for the prediction of peak pressures', BRE, 1982

Cook, N. J.: Simulation techniques for short test section wind tunnels: roughness, barrier and mixing device methods. BRE, 1982

N. J. Cook. The designer's guide to wirei loading of building structures: Part 1: Background, damage survey and structural classification.Butterworth, 1986 Part 2: Static structures,B utterworth (in preparation).Redfeam, D.: A test rig for proof-testing building components against wind loads, BRE, Information Paper IP19/84, 1984

Recommendations for calculating the effects of wind on construction. Report no. 52, 2nd Ed., European Convention for Constructional Steelwork, Brussels

Supplement to the national building Code of Canada 1985, Commentary B

American National Standards Institute A58.1 Minimum design loads in buildings and other structures

'A novel working approach to the assessment of wind loads for equivalent static design' Cook, N. J.<5c Mayne, J. R., Journal of Industrial Aerodynamics, 1979

2 .4

3.6.5

3.6.6

Imposed horizontal surge loads

In addition to wind forces, the structure will need to resist applied longitudinal or transverse horizontal loads resulting from coordinated motions in the crowd.

Recent research indicates that a force of up to 156 N per person parallel to rows of people, and 200 N per person perpendicular to seating rows should be allowed for. Such a force can be particularly significant to frameworks whose own self-weight is low (such as temporary stands), or those in a poor state of maintenance, and where crowd densities are high.

Dynamic loads

Traditionally design has dealt with dynamic loads as equivalent static loads, increasing the value of dynamic forces by perhaps 15% or 20% and then treating them as static. This is perfectly satisfactory both from strength and stiffness requirements as long as the dynamic forces cannot excite resonant vibration. When an existing structure is known to be very lively or for any new structures, it should be confirmed that the amplitudes of vibration are small enough to avoid fatigue problems.

For flexible roof structures, there is the possibility that steady winds may excite vortex shedding and hence resonant vibration of an appreciable amplitude. Likewise, concerted swaying, Jumping or dancing by spectators may excite resonance of floors, barriers or handrails where there are natural frequencies below 4 Hz.

25

Cook, N. J: ’Reduction of wind loads on a grandstand roof’, Journal of wind engineering and industrial aerodynamics 10,1982

Eaton, K. J.: 'Buildings and tropical windstorms', Overseas Building Notes no. 188, April 198

Calibration of techniques for the prediction of peak pressures,Cook, N. J., BRE Crown Copyright, 1982

BS 5973; Access and working scaffolds and special scaffold structures in steel

3.6.7 Handrail loads

Handrails and balustrades should be capable of withstanding the loads defined in Table 3 of BS 6180. The strength of handrails (including supports) used to divide a stairway into channels should be as given in Table 2 of the Guide to safety at sports grounds. This is especially important where masonry or other discontinuous materials are employed.

3.6.8 Crush-barrier loadings

The loadings for which crush barriers, perimeter or dividing fences need to be designed are given in Section 9 of the Guide to safety a t sports grounds. Clearly, the individual building elements to which such barriers are fixed must withstand such localized load effects (see Section 6)

The loading to which such barriers need to be designed are listed in the Guide to safety at sports grounds and take into account the maximum number of rows of spectators, the activity levels and the incline of the sloping terrace. Different categories of activity were categorized as ’lean’, ’strain* and ’heave* in studies carried out by the GLC. These studies form the basis of forces for which crush barriers need to be designed (see Section 6, Appraisal of existing structures of existing structures and Appendix C).

STRUCTURAL SAFETY IN FIRE

3.7.1 Fire resistance

The statutory requirement for the minimum period of fire resistance of a structure is normally specified in the Building Regulations or associated guidance.

However, single-storey sports ground structures, being open to the air without significant internal compartmentation for additional uses, may not be required by Building Regulations to have a specific fire resistance rating for structural members that only support a roof. Structural members that are built into or support a wall or cladding however may need to be fire resisting depending on the distance of the wall or cladding from the site boundary. The relevant period of fire resistance may be £ h or lh depending on the size of the stand. However, when there are additional enclosed uses (such as beneath inclined seating or if the structure supports tiers of seats one above the other), then those elements must have a minimum 1 h fire resistance.

BS 6180: Protective barriers in and around buildings "

Tuan, C. Y. <5c Saul,W. E.: Journal of Structural Engineering. ASCE, Vol III, no. 2

Crush Barrier Strengths and Spacings. Home Office Note, March 1973

Creasy, L. R.: Protective crowd barriers, Ministry of Works, 1948

3.7.2

The structure should be able to withstand a fire without collapse and prevent its growth and spread for a sufficiently long period to enable safe evacuation of the occupants. The degree of fire resistance required, therefore, varies with the fire risk of the building as well as the facility for rescue operations. In general it is governed by three considerations:

(i) type of occupancy (i.e. the purpose for which the building is used)

(ii) floor area and cubic capacity of compartments and

(iii) general height above the average ground level.

Considerations (i) and (ii) are indicative of the expected fire load, the area of ventilation and the geometry of compartments that influence the fire severity and thus determine the degree of fire risk. Consideration (iii) relates to rescue operations. The higher the building, the more time is likely to be needed to evacuate the occupants to safety.

Roof members do not normally need any specific fire rating unless they are designed to provide stability for the structure. In that case the period of fire resistance for the roof members will be the same as required for the pertinent area of the structure. Also, where the fire effect on a particular element may cause a disproportionate area to collapse, an additional protection may be necessary for the element to provide a minimum of I h fire resistance. Steel columns supporting large areas of roof on the stands where there is a potential for a high local fire is such a case in point.

Smoke venting

The form, organization and constructional material of a stand or sports ground must be such that accumulation of the products of combustion (smoke, toxic gases) does not occur so as to inhibit escape to the outside, either in still wind conditions or under the various directions of prevailing wind. When there are significant fire loadings, wind- tunnel studies may be required to assess the likely consequences of particular wind directions, and additional smoke venting provided.

Outdoor places of assembly are not to be considered as inherently 'smoke protected', expecially if they are constructed of combustible material. Such constructions

27

will need evaluation using applicable methods if there is any doubt as to the integrity of the evacuation routes as 'places of safety' free from smoke logging.

The provision of fire resistance as required by Building Regulations is usually sufficient to ensure structural stability during the time necessary to permit safe escape, and also professional fire fighting from insideconventional buildings. Deformations ofsubstantial steel, concrete and masonry can be large in fire temperatures, rising as high as 1200°C for considerable periods. Within indeterminate constructions second order stresses should be investigated. Premature failure from thermal bowing of tall walls, especially walls of (or containing) masonry should be considered since standard fire resistance tests are conducted on walls of only 3 m high. Such consideration is particularly necessary when the failure of one or more major structural elements subject to fire can cause collapse remote from the fire, where people have not yet had time to escape.

The period for which stability is required for life safety purposes must allow time for evacuation to commence and the area to be vacated to a place of safety. Protection of elements to meet the half-hour standard fire resistance test will achieve this, provided that the deformation effects are also considered.

Cook, G. M. E. <5c Morgan, P. B. E.: Thermal bowing in fire and how it affects building design. BRE Information Paper IP 21/88

22

4 FIRE AND FIRE SAFETY

Safety from fire is achieved by measures that restrictinitiation, rate of early growth and later spread of fire; provide and protect escape routes; segregate higher fire risk areas; provide warning (and where necessary detection) of fire; and assist with fire-fighting operations. The fire officer should always be consulted on matters of fire safety.

The type of accommodation that can present the greatest hazard in the event of fire is the existing covered stand where spectators sit or stand, where the level of combustibilitymay be high and the resistance to propagation and spreadof fire is low. Such a combination of properties can endangerlife, and because these are many combinations of accommodation fire engineering guidance should be obtained.

Poor housekeeping, combustible structures, poor stewarding, no evacuation procedures, a lack of firefighting appliances or these not in the appropriate places, creates a great potential danger from fire. Before the granting of a safety certificate these hazards will need to be remedied.

It is essential that in the event of fire, people in a stand have ample time to be able to make their way to safety by use of protected exit routes without having to endure smoke and toxic gases, heat radiation, etc. The means provided for escape depend on the rate at which the fire may develop, the number of people involved, as well as the size and geometry of the structure.

4.1 FIRE SAFETY APPRAISAL STRATEGY

The age of existing structures, their construction and resistance to spread of fire will vary considerably along with the chances of safe escape. It is therefore not considered practical or viable to produce a definitive set of rules from which a judgment can be made. Therefore an approach based on the experience of fire-prevention officers, licencing authorities and club management working within a set of defined parameters should be adopted. The assessment of the fire performance of an existing stand is dependent primarily on:

. the layout

. the materials and detailing of construction

. the management of the facility

all of which must independently comply with a minimum standard.

However, it is important that the assessors, the club management and the local authority recognize that a performance of one aspect that is below minimum acceptable levels must result in severe restriction to the use of that element or improvement to the minimum level.

Guide to safety at sports grounds

2 9

In order to enable a relatively reliable means of assessing the large number of parameters that influence fire safety, the sports facilities are grouped into two risk categories depending on construction materials and contents. Tables 4.1 'Category 1 stands' and 4.2 'Category 2 stands' define this interaction and provide the data defined in Fig. 4.1. Tables 4.1 and 4.2 set out how additional escape time may be gained by the provision of additional management and other system features.

(1) Maximum capacity of stand based on the defined minimum fire protection measures

(3) Stand capacity is defined and certified as the smaller of (1) and (2) above.

(2) The means of escape time as a function of the fire capacity can then be calculated from Section

Fig. 4.1 Concept of appraisal strategy to determine capacity of stand or ground

4.1.1 Allocation of stands to two categories

Provided that there is compliance with the minimum standard, the most significant features of any enclosure are the combustibility, spread of fire and smoke characteristics of the cladding and lining systems. These are therefore used as the criteria for allocation of a sports facility to one of the two categories given in clause 4.1.2. The assessment is a function of the spread of flame performance (i.e. Class0 or Class 1 - Building Regulations, Part B) and the risk of lateral spread of fire. For 'non-traditional' materials such as coated textiles the assessment is more appropriately based on large scale ad hoc testing or a manufacturers fire test certificate.

Research into behaviour in fire shows that untrained people do not easily receive a warning of fire from the frequently ambiguous clues it gives when they are engaged on absorbing tasks such as eating, making a purchase or in this case watching a sporting event. Centralized control of the situation is therefore of importance.

There is no basic awareness of the extremely rapid fire growth due to roofs and ceilings, since experience of fire is, by and large, derived from cooking and bonfires. There is a strong tendency therefore to stand and watch a fire, even in large rooms. A stand is an extreme case, where very hot gases

30

BS 476: Part 6; Definitions surface spread of flame

Building Regulations Approved Document B2/3/4 for Class 0 definition

Canter, D.: Studies of human behaviour in fire; empiricalresults and their implications for education and design, BRE, Garston

4.1.2

collect and rapidly migrate down its length. These radiate intense heat, which accelerates the fire growth and bums the occupants directly. Central management must be aware of this weakness in perception and have measures capable of overcoming it.

All formal provisions for escape are directly related to the time a t which escape commences, typically rather late in the development of an emergency. The ability to initiate early movement is a major factor in the economics of providing safety.

The maximum and minimum escape times for the two categories are defined in Fig.

category minimum maximumexit time exit timemm min

(1) Category 1 2.5 4.0

(2) Category 2 4.0 8.0

PiS* 4.2 Exit times for different categories

Emergency evacuation time is the notional time taken by all people occupying a zone directly affected by the outbreak of a fire to reach a place of relative safety away from that fire.

Calculated evacuation times should not exceed 8 min, as longer times can lead to restiveness in the crowd and the build-up of physical pressure that can also endanger life.

Category 1 stands

EITHER

A stand consisting of walls and roof with a Class 1 spread of flame rating (BS 476: Part 7). The seating area to have minimum Class 2, or Class 0 if cushions are used. Where the linings consist of a composite of a number of materials the class rating is to be supported by a test for the composite construction.

OR

A stand consisting of combustible materials where it is possible to justify that the lateral spread of fire will not inhibit escape or fire fighting operations. For fire and flame spread assessment see subsection 4.4.

Guide to safety at sports grounds. HMSO

National Fire Protection Agency 101 (1988) Appendix D Life safety code 102 Appendix A 3-3 2.2

31

4.1.3 Category 2 stands

A stand consisting of walls and roof with a Class 0 spread of flame rating (BS 476: Parts 6 and 7). The seating area to consist of Class1 surfaces, or Class 0 if cushions are used and all means of escape are adequately smoke protected.

4.1.4 Circulation areas

In all categories, circulation areas, stairways and exit routes leading away from the stand should have Class 0 surfaces.

GUIDANCE FOR ASSESSING MINIMUM STANDARDOF CONSTRUCTION AND PLANNING

4.2.1 General

Generally, the appraisal should be guided by Building Regulations and appropriate legislation (see subsection 2.1). However, specific items that relate particularly to sports grounds must be considered in addition to the basic planning and structural aspects defined in this report and in the Guide to safety a t sports grounds. Tables 4.1, 4.2 and Fig. 4.3 should be referred to assist in the appraisal.

4.2.2 Compartmentation/protection of tiers

Fire-resisting and fire stopping construction is required to separate high fire risk areas and voids. Floors separating stand tiers should also have appropriate fire-resistant construction (see minimum requirements defined in Tables 4.1 and 4.2). Fire engineering guidance should be sought in these instances.

Automatic sprinklers could be considered as an alternative to a lesser standard of compartmentation, although in the majority of cases compartmentation is the better option. If sprinklers are used in outside stands, a dry system may be necessary because of the problem of freezing.

4.2.3 Influence of fire and smoke on escape routes

Escape routes should be planned to keep people well clear of the smoke from a fire. The hot buoyant smoky gases produced by a fire will flow upwards and will collect under and flow along roof spaces, balconies, etc. and be adversely affected by wind.

The escape routes should be planned with these factors in mind so that people can generally move downwards and away from the smoke and be protected from radiation.

TABLE 4 .1 C A T E G O R / 1 STAMPS

VO

tt

Surface* to coaply with Class X standard. Fir* and saoke asaassaant required.

Quality Assurance procedures are recommended Ref el. 4.3.1.

DeterminateStructure

IndeterminateStructure

1 Hour

1 Roar

Fire resistance to be 1 hour or as superstructure whichever is greater. Voids under seating not acceptable.

Pire and saoke hazard a m s i M R t is required unless surfaces coaply with Class 1 standard.

o n e a to ’’i o nJJMCB Sj c z z2 5 2 ° °•o a or n n 9M

n u r s• w * * Ag n nO COr s m >

A written submission froa management is required for justification of their proposals to approving authorities.

DeterminateStructure

IndeterminateStructure

1 Hour

J Hour

Pice resistance to be } hour or as superstructure whichever is greater. Voids under seating not acceptable.

No written submission from Management essential, but recommended. Appointing authorities to be satisfied with proposals. Ref. 4.3.

DeterminateStructure

IndeterminateStructure

J Hour

J Hour

M5S22- - s s ?2 > n o

g a p sH Z m n

S « 3 3

Minimum $ hour. Sprinklers may be used to offset shortfall. Voids under under seating acceptable if cavity barriers and detection provided.

To be agreed with approving authorities. Ref cl. 4.3.3., 4.3.4., 4.3.8.

Details to be included in operating plan.

|» a > h nz 5 > x 3 oSIO O O I

I . M Z ■» c- O _ > I* o m h o so N r H S I H• • M » X |%> * m n < n

l * * 23i,

3*51 » i aHHZ

CO

As 300 to 800, but allow i ainute aaxiaua escape tiae only.

Additional systeas and trained personnel above that " operating plan, if the measures are

considered to be affective and appropriate.

n

As 300 to 800, but allow i minute maxinua escape time only.

Additional facilities above that defined in operating plan if appropriate.

Section 5.0 deteraines capacity by calculation T*clear, short and easily identified, additional Escape tJie if ** ****

so w o

gu r o > w > so n *o m W 4 K

(•■*> K W O MOHH X Ma h <* m nu x

a '

U1

f tO U

:z *

> s

O (ft

£ °

P 2

uj W

s

a f i

e g

t i |8 DO

V>

HI hia *

f C

table4.2 CKTECoRy 2 stamps

Surfaces and fixed seating to comply with CXaaa *0* standard. Pir« and seek* spread assessment is required.

QuaXity Assurance procedures are recommended Ref. cX. 4.3.X.

DeterminateStructure

IndeterminateStructure

1 Hour

1 Hour

Fire resistance to be X hour or as superstructure whichever is greater. Voids under seating not acceptabXe.

Surfaces and fixed seating to coaply with CXass '0* standard.

A written submission froe management is required «or justification of their proposals to approving authorities.

Surfaces to coeply with Class *0* standard.

2 x o o u ; c h * hoxio«r n z x " n x n s oMO t

o n i r i H O > n >

DeternlnateStructure

IndeterminateStructure

1 Hour

{ Hour

Plre resistance to be { hour or as superstructure whichever is greater. Voids under seatng not acceptable.

Ho written submission from management essential, but reco— ended. Appointing authorities to be satisfied with proposals. Ref. 4.3.

DeterminateStructure

IndeterminateStructure

I Hour

i Hour

Minimus * hour. Sprinklers nay be used to offset shortfall. Voids under seating acceptable if cavity barriers and detection provided.

5 2 2 •* h oS 3 S - 3 9 '

..• f t M M O 30 MPHSlH• • M ** H

■V

i*If

TO be agreed with approving authorities. Ref. cl. 4.3.3., 4.3.4.. 4.3.8.

to included in operating plan.

S3III

•e »• n > njh s o x S Lg o x o sol 3 ■ x w *9

J H 1 C X H M ZSX SB Mann

As 500 to 2000, but allow i minute maximum escapetime only.

As 500 to 2000, but allow i minute maximum escapetime only.

Additional systems and trained personnel above that operating plan. If the measures are

assessors^ effective and appropriate by the

Additional facilities above that defined in operatlna plan If the measures are considered to be affective and appropriate by the assessors.

K J i s r i ? , : s ^ s a s f i n s r s . r r 1" “ **-* —

s a y s : *■

S S 5 s s . f 1S i £ r s s t K 2 n 2 5 * t i 2 ? :i3 11

S VoH

Hid

2 5 51*s o *

>

S t * 2 > Si * £j rt» Crt* W*2_, CA O l w x n|

Z NlH >1

H * 3D 3 RH

to Cl HI Sh * h rZ h r ate ll*ca ZA *q|

Obtain drawing* and apptaii»w w*iuLina construction and lUecitt to riakcataguiy

_^^Pooo

mlnlnwi|C««andard construction for that category

NO {OPTION 2)

CloseKtand

NOH 111*

ntand comply _ th Biniitua oiandard lor

active lira maaauraa and manageiec.£ eanAhtn»« nfip r.hai-^ 4.3 4.4 «.

calculate capacity of at and baaed gtl minimum escape time wing appendi*

la there ftfttirwMnt to *•»* ■litimua Msip* t i n

taee Flo l.||f_______

NO

tnoreaoe tho oeeape time uaing Chart®fi? . ' * 4,S' andgeneral guicianuu iu text.

C^loul^tm OrfpACily ortftia tine using Beetieit $.

rl ha on

Dm i milt capacity exceed

tha capacity of stand

NO 'KS

/ i l * d t t p .« \

( capacity of • land .10 titahaunt] on

\ eaeapo j\ tine /

/ (leu stand to

r u nnnpnnlfy

P I O U R B

The influence of the geometry and the form of the roof influence the lateral spread of fire and smoke and therefore should be considered when planning means of escape. Proposals for means of escape and smoke assessments should be referred to the fire and licensing authorities. No routes that can readily be smoke logged should be permitted.

Measures to prevent or retard early fire growth

It is absolutely crucial to restrict fire growth rate to manageable proportions because of the impact of fire growth rate on escape.

There is a need to break the interaction between fire spreading in cavities, wooden seating and flooring. This can be done by:

maintaining clean cavities (or filling voids with non-combustible material

providing adequate compartmentation

replacing combustible materials in floors and seating.

Fire resistance of structure and supporting

The fire-resistance period of the structure supporting the stands should be compatible with the compartmentation (see clause 4.2.2) and usage and also sufficient to prevent premature collapse or progressive failure of a facility (indeterminate structures are an advantage in this respect).

General requirements for fire-resistance periods are defined in the charts (Tables 4.1, 4.2 and Fig. 4.3). However, these values are not definite, and careful consideration is required in appraising the consequences of failure of a particular element and its implications on means of escape and subsequent fire-fighting.

Fire-resistance appraisal

Where specific test data, BRE guidelines and other sources are not available, an alternative fire-engineering approach may be adopted to make an assessment. This approach recognizes the influence of fire load, ventilation, location of structural members and their working stresses.

The stability of structural members during a fire is controlled by the rise of temperatures and corresponding reduction in the strength of the material and the nature and magnitude of loading in the members. The

fire-engineering method of design can quantify the conditions to which structural members will be subjected in the event of a fire.

Different approaches can be made when implementing fire-engineering, many being simple, while others are complicated, costly and time-consuming. For concrete structures, guidance for appraisal of fire resistance is given in the joint report of the Institution and the Concrete Society Design and detailing of concrete structures for fire resistance. In view of the cost implications involved in the length of a study, the level of potential cost savings should be evaluated to establish whether the application of fire engineering is worth while.

GUIDANCE FOR ASSESSING MINIMUM STANDARD FOR MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AND RELATED ACTIVE FIRE PRECAUTIONS -----------------------------

In both existing sports grounds and in those of new design, the way management organize the ground, their stewards and supporting equipment is fundamental to the safety of the spectators in the event of a fire. Staff training, particularly for stewards, in carrying out their normal duties and seeing that they are aware of their role in an emergency situation should be given the highest priority. It is the responsibility of the management who should have the best knowledge of their particular situation to produce the documented evidence (operating plan) that they have considered the to tal problem and that the stand/ground is safe for the certified occupancy. It is important that the licence holder be a person with authority to implement decisions made either in ground improvements and/or during the use of the ground.

4.3.1 Quality assurance for larger facilities

For larger facilities, quality-assurance techniques can be used beneficially to provide the documentary evidence and give an effective means of monitoring the application of the management intent. The following steps are a simple resume of the process:

produce an operating manual to cover all aspects relating to crowd management, emergency situations and equipment

verify and monitor the manual for, say, one year to show that it is adequate and consistent and that it forms a basis for certification

adjust and update the manual as necessary

continue monitoring the process, based on the operating manual.

4.3.2

4.3.3

include in the manual itself details as to how these procedures are to be monitored on a regular basis for effectiveness.

Emergency procedures and staff train in pr

It is essential that plans should be made for dealing with emergencies including fire. The onus to do this lies with the management of the facility. Joint consultation between management, police, fire, local authority ambulance and other emergency services should take place in order to produce agreed plans of action for all foreseeable types of emergency. While the public are in the ground, the number of staff on duty should be sufficient to cover entrances, exits and other strategic points and to fulfil other essential duties. As well as fire stewards, other staff should be trained in the use of firefighting equipment, and in the action they should take in the event of fire.

It is necessary for management to make provision for the collection of information of a quality that will convey real conviction at a sufficiently early stage for it to activate plans for dealing with emergencies. This will almost certainly involve a control centre with authority to collate and act on information and means of communication with individuals on the ground staff, police and the public. In many instances of major life-loss fires, the transmission of information through normal organizational hierarchies has been too slow to be effective. Persons such as referees, gatekeepers, caterers and sales staff (implied by the additional facilities noted in clause 3.3.3) must be included to remove the conflict of interest noted in clause 4.1.1.

Organization of stewards and their training to respond appropriately in an emergency is the management's responsibility, but the advice of the local fire and police authorities should be sought on the content of their training programme and channelled through the club's licence holder/safety officer.

It is recommended that each steward/attendant is issued with a written set of basic operating instructions appropriate to the particular location and responsibility (see Appendix A2).

Public-address system

In dealing with any emergency situation it is important to recognize the way people behave. The seriousness and extent of effect has been found to depend considerably on

3 $

Canter, D. (ed): Fires and human behaviour, 2nd edit., David Futton, 1989

t

4.3.4

the reactions and patterns of activity of people associated with the emergency or fire situation.

It is especially important that appraisers and designers recognize the need to minimize any delay to the start of the evacuation. In this context, clear authoritative and planned instructions that tell people simply and directly that there is a need to evacuate the area and giving them direct instructions on how to do this are needed. It is important to identify exit routes and gates (see clause 2.2.6).

It is extremely important that these are given on a reliable and audible address system. At no stage should the term 'panic' be mentioned, especially not in the form of 'don't panic' or even implicitly in the form of 'please keep calm'. There should be no reference to actual or potential emotional state, simply directions telling people what to do. In a complex building, this may require different instructions to be given to people in different parts, but everyone should be kept informed of the procedures being put in motion. Staff should be made aware of the situation. A prearranged set of code words is one way of keeping staff informed. The capability to arrive a t an early decision to evacuate an area will assist the announcers considerably in making such low-key messages. Experience of past fatal fires has revealed attempts to delay announcements of a developing fire in case 'panic' should occur.

Fire detection (fire alarm systems)

A monitored automatic fire-detection system is needed to enable reliable early detection and start on evacuation procedures. This must register in the control centre/room where the public-address system is situated, and to prevent potentially dangerous confusion, should not be audible to the general public.

When considering the specification of a new system, BS 5839 should be used. Attention is drawn to the provisions for life safety. The modem computer based analogue addressable systems are more easily maintained and have considerable self-checking ability. They have an inherent capability to provide information giving the precise location of the device that detected the fire and a t many locations remote from their control equipments. This is an essential for safe first aid, fire­fighting, rapid discovery of false alarms or to convey sufficient information for the control centre to activate the most suitable strategy to deal with the problem.

BS 5839: 1988

39

*

4.3.6

4.3.7

4.3.8

4.3.9

4.3.10

Video surveillance

There are financial penalties associated with suspension of activities and, by inference, the pressure on control centre staff to avoid implementing emergency plans. On Football League grounds police video surveillance of crowds is already provided. Consideration should be given to using those facilities so that control centre staff receive sufficiently positive information a t first hand so that they can make decisions quickly. Colour equipment is necessary to make judgments on fires. It will be borne in mind that a correctly handled event will have caused a disruption apparently for nothing, since neither death nor even casualty will occur.

Fire loading

Seating, partitioning and any other fixed or movable contents including seat cushions, hired or sold, should possess a good performance in fire. Cushions and seating should comply with current furniture legislation.

Contents

Contents should not be easy to dismantle and used maliciously as projectiles or to start a fire.

Litter

Accumulation of litter should be scrupulously avoided; easily accessible non-combustible litter bins should be provided with provision for collectionprior to each activity.

Provision of fire-fighting equipment

Advice will need to be sought from the local fire authority. At least the following should be considered and should form part of the safety certificate:

provision of adequate water supply and hydrants

hose reels to BS 5306: Part 1, of sufficient length to reach the whole area

provision of portable fire extinguishers, properly maintained and protected from vandalism to BS 5423 and sited and maintained according to BS 5305: Part 3.

Measures to restrict the extent of fire spread in later stages

Restricting the extent and speed of fire spread in the later stages of fire will reduce the possibility of people's escape being further threatened, assist the operations of the fire

BS 5306: Part 1

BS 5423BS 5303: Part 3

4 o

brigade, and reduce the ultimate size of fire and extent of damage. Most measures that reduce the rate of fire growth in the early stages will help to restrict fire spread in later stages.

FIRE AND SMOKE ASSESSMENT

4.4.1 Smoke assessment

Where the roof geometry is not in itself capable of ejecting smoky gases, then reservoirs to contain them together with roof venting to cause them to flow to the outside may be advisable. The design of such systems is normally made for still-air conditions. With an open building of this kind, the effectiveness of the venting can be strongly influenced by the wind because over-pressures generated above a roof and/or sections underneath it can oppose the flow of smoky gases out of a vent and even cause a complete reversal of flow so that air from above the roof flows down through the vent. Thus roof venting cannot be a universal solution.

As the gases rise, they entrain air strongly which increases their volume and lowers their temperature. Further cooling takes place by radiation and convection heat transfer as the gases flow under roofs etc., and eventually they may have lost enough buoyancy for them to follow air movements created by any wind. This could mean that, within a stand, smoke is brought down to ground level. Expert assessment and possibly wind- tunnel testing may be required.

4.4.2 Smoke control measures

It is vital to keep smoke away from escape routes by restricting its travel and even making it flow out of the building altogether.

Geometries of some roofs, e.g. transverse open-ended barrel vaults, can promote the rapid ejection of smoky gases from a stand and inhibit their spread along it. Conversely, longitudinally vaulted roofs favour the rapid spread of smoky gases along a stand. Expert assessment and possibly wind-tunnel testing may be required.

4.4.3 Restriction of flame travel under roofs

Flames from a large fire that impinge on the underside of a roof or balcony, even one made of inert material, will elongate very considerably as they flow along under the roof and, radiating downwards, can put people below in great danger and greatly enhance the spread of fire horizontally at floor level. As with smoke spread the geometry of the roof can inhibit or favour spread of flame along a stand and should be carefully considered.

Thomas, P. H., & Hinkley, P. L.: Design of roof venting systems for single-storev buildings. HMSO, London 1964

A stand consisting of combustible materials where it is possible to justify that the lateral spread of fire and smoke will not inhibit escape or fire-fighting operations may be acceptable.

The desirability of preventing undue flame travel under roofs, even those made of inert material, is important. Where this cannot be prevented by the intrinsic form of the roof, then it may be possible to restrict the travel of flame along the underside of a roof by installing deep roof screens, combined with substantial areas of venting in the roof to allow the flame to pass to the outside. The reservoirs so formed should generally be much smaller than are needed for smoke ventilation in order to reduce the area of stand exposed to unacceptably high levels of heat radiation. Much larger areas of venting would be required than are needed for smoke venting. However, with the greater buoyancy of the flames, the effect of wind is likely to be less important. The roof screens together with their fixings must be able to resist attack by flame and very hot gases for a period commensurate with escape and fire-fighting operations.

Where the roofs of stands are so connected that smoke and flames could travel along essentially two or more sides of a pitch, a wide break in the roof should be made to separate each side, unless flame travel could be eliminated by the measures above.

In very difficult cases, removal of the roof altogether should be considered.

PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL FIRE PRECAUTIONS TO EXTEND MEANS OF ESCAPE TIME

If the exit capacity of the stand is less than actual capacity of the stand, it is feasible (subject to the limitations of Fig. 4.2 and guided by Tables 4.1 and 4.2) to increase the escape capacity by the addition of further safety provisions. The methodology of the approach is defined in the flow chart of Fig. 4.3.

Additional management activities or active fire-protection measures must be justified by the management and supported by a sound technical submission, and agreed by the licencing authority. It should be clear that the additional provisions will, in reality, improve the safety of the facility.

COVERED GROUNDS

Although completely covered grounds in which both the sporting activity and spectators are covered by one single enclosure do not come under the Safety at sports grounds Act, many of the criteria and recommendations concerning category 2 stands are appropriate to covered grounds.

4.7 NEW STANDS AND COVERED GROUNDS

The recommendations defined in this section are appropriate for both new stands and covered grounds and can be used as a basis for developing and approving new designs that are 'smoke-protected places of assembly'.

To be described as a 'smoke-protected place of assembly' all surfaces must generally have low combustibility of Class 0, means of egress must be direct, and the roof must be at least 5 m above the highest seating. Further, a smoke ventilation system should be engineered to maintain the level of smoke generated by any possible fire within the area or adjacent compartments at a minimum of 2.5 m above the highest seating or walking levels.

However where occupied areas open to the space are over 5 m above potential fire load then the clear height from the highest occupied level to the calculated smoke base should be at least 3.0 m.

NFPA 102: Assembly seating, tents and membrane structures 1986 ~

43

5. CROWD SAFETY AND COMFORT

5*1 g e n e r a l

The Guide to safety at sports grounds contains procedures for evaluating the capacity of different parts of sports grounds. Chapter 16 of that Guide gives examples for the estimation of safe ground capacity.

Assessment must be made of:

the holding capacity of a terrace or viewing slope or seated area

• the capacity of a given exit routes from a terraceor stand in combination or singly. Full consideration has to be given to the effects of potential obstructions that could occur

the location of crush barriers to minimize pressures associated with crowd movements.

The number of people that can be safely accommodated on a terrace or in a stand (or other covered accommodation) is either its holding capacity, or the capacity of the exit system to be used in normal circumstances at the end of an event, or the emergency exit system, whichever is the least.

5.2 PASSAGEWAY BLOCKAGES

With a crowd moving along a passageway, physical blockage can occur once a critical density is reached. In these conditions crowd pressures can escalate to a dangerous level, and if a person stumbles or falls the crowd cannot adapt to avoid him or to stop to help.

The blockage may be 'spontaneous' and does not require an obstruction such as people forming a 'comprehensive arch' against the onward stream between the 'abutments' of the passage boundaries. Any obstruction such as people falling will of course aggravate the effect.

Once a blockage occurs, the build-up of pressure and resultant injury and asphyxiation may be rapid if the following crowd is not halted and is unaware of the obstruction ahead.

Since this type of danger arises from crowd pressures its remedy lies in their removal or restraint within safe limits.

The essential limits are:

the means of controlling the crowd density along the route by limiting the rate of access into the route such that the rate does not exceed the capacity of the route itself

Guide to safety at sports grounds. Home Office/Scottish Office, 1986

the design of the passageway to obstructions to flow and other hazards

eliminate

44

provision of sufficient barriers on terraces to restrain surges in 'peak' or 'other' viewing areas without incurring pressures on the human body that cannot be 'tolerated'.

FLOW RATES

The recommended flow rates given in Chapter 1? of the Guide to safety at sports grounds are:

From stands and stairways, a flow rate of 40 persons per minute per unit of exit width (i.e.550 mm) should be used. From terraces (includingcovered terraces) and the ground generallya flow rate of 60 persons per minute per unit of exit width should be used.

The design of each passageway section against theseflow rates should be for those flows expected in anemergency and where necessary take account of the possible loss of availability of other exits in an emergency.

It should be noted that all rates may be reduced where spectators may be less physically able, after consultation with both the licensing and building authorities. For such conditions Appendix B gives the derivation behind the currently accepted rates of flow for crowds.

SEQUENCE OF CALCULATION

The capacity of an element is the product of the flow rate, the available width and the emergency evacuation time, as defined in Section 4.

The sequence of calculations for each element in the ground is illustrated in Fig. 5.1. It recognizes that should a particular element fail to reach the required capacity the options are generally to improve the element or to reduce the overall capacity (see Fig. 4.3).

CONTROL OF CROWD FLOW IN AN EMERGENCY

The need to control the flow of crowds in emergency situations is recognized. In an emergency, reactions may not be logical, and clear concise directions must be given. It is important that exit passageways are identified, signed and sized, and allowance should be made for the emergency situation when other exits may be unusable. Care should be taken in the planning of exit systems so that, in the event of an emergency that blocks any of the usual exit routes, alternative routes will be available. Management and stewards must be familiar with both the layout and organization of the ground and the plans for emergency evacuation. Arrangements for entry and exit and those for seated or standing accommodation can conveniently be considered separately. Disasters at Ibrox (1972) and Birmingham (1984) occurred during egress, while those at Bolton (1946), Oxford and Carlisle (1973) happened on the terraces because of collapse of barriers or insufficient barriers.

CALCULATE ENCLOSURE CA PiniTVr----CHECK E N C L O SU R E EXITS

- t - loUcT

O.K.

ICALCULATE TERRACE CAPACITY

If CHECK TERRACE EXITS

IO.K.

ICALCULATE STAND CAPACITY

I| CHECK STAND EXITS

NOT----O.K.

O.K.

iDEFINE EXIT ROUTES

REDUCE CAPACITY ^IM PR O V E EXITS

[NOT REDUCE CAPACITYI o .kT IMPROVE EXITS

REDUCE CAPACITY IMPROVE EXITS

CALCULATE CAPACITY OF EACH ELEMENT ON EXIT ROUTE

I CHECK FLOW AGAINST CAPACITY 1—° £ ------------------- 1 O.K.I

IMPROVE ROUTE

O.K.

5.5.1

5.5.2

Entry control

Spectators generally arrive over an extended period and are 'filtered' by the turnstiles, which assist control. Entry should be controlled both into and within the ground. Crowd pressure can however occur outside the ground, because of late arrivals or under 'house full' conditions after the turnstiles have been closed. An important provision is means of automatically recording the numbers admitted a t each point. This information should be continuously available a t a central control point. This allows management to control the total number of spectators to an area or section but will not necessarily prevent surge pressures that can even occur in partially filled pens if the crowd concentrates in a favoured area as is common.

Procedures should be developed to manage situations where excessive crowds gather outside the entrance to a ground. These procedures will depend on local knowledge, police advice and available options, such as opening additional entrances.

So that queuing is not normally excessive, sufficient turnstiles should be provided to allow full terrace/stand capacity to be reached in approximately 45 minutes at the rate of 750 persons per turnstile per hour.

Ideally, each tum stile/entry gate should feed a specific viewing area, choice being decided before entry. Where this is not possible, once through the tum stile/entry gate, spectators should be clearly directed, by the use of channelled routes to the appropriate viewing area. In the la tter case, adequate stewarding will be required.

Exit control

Where problems occur as in the event of an exit passageway blockage for whatever reason, it is essential that the entry to that passageway is closed quickly. The public-address system should be used to reinforce, and even inform, stewards. However, such communication cannot be achieved unless the public-address system is aimed a t the specific passageway or the passageway itself is clearly identified in some manner for example, alphabetic or numeric. The labelling of each of the passageways/exit routes at regular intervals such that, for instance, it could be announced that passageway R was closed and passageway T should be used as an alternative would be of benefit. The ability to redirect crowd movements by such clear identification of exit routes is of major importance.

What is the basis for using 45 min? Reference required.

47

Protection provided to stairs, landings and passageway should be enclosed to a standard such as not to pass a 100 mm diameter ball through the protection.

Splitter barriers are those that are arranged parallel with the flow and split it into separate lanes. They have a regulatory effect, help to reduce surge pressures and provide a desirable hand support on one side. Some reduction of flow occurs with lanes less than 1.1 m wide, and such lanes should be excluded from flow calculations.

CRUSH BARRIERS

It is important that crowd pressures cannot be generated so as to cause injury to those spectators pressed against the barrier, and it is of paramount importance that collapse of barriers under crowd pressure does not occur. It should be recognized, however, that on terraces, viewing slopes and elsewhere maximum pressures will occur when all spectators contribute simultaneously to the build-up of pressure. Although this seldom occurs it is likely to cause gross discomfort rather than actual injury. It is important therefore that no undersized crush barriers are permitted.

The Guide to safety at sports grounds contains guidance on the reduced spacing of barriers in areas where spectators may crowd together, for example behind football goals.

For some events, such as 'pop' concerts, barriers may need to be provided in front of the audience to create a 'sterile' zone between audience and the stage, race track, etc. Care is needed in the design of such barriers that they are both adequate elements in themselves and properly founded and that they do not cause injury from excess pressure on individuals against the barriers. Padding out may be necessary to prevent this. Consideration should also be given to curved barriers, with areas for overspill at each end.

Appendix C has been included to provide professional engineers, architects, surveyors, etc. with the scientific background to barrier design and which may in certain instances be necessary for a proper appraisal.

Where barriers are substandard either by strength, height or in any other way do not comply with the Guide thev should be excluded from capacity calculations. Where any barriers are so substandard as to offer a positive risk to safety they should be removed or such areas taken out of use.

STRUCTURAL APPRAISAL

6.1 GENERAL APPROACH

In carrying out an appraisal of an existing ground or individual stand it is important that the survey of conditions of both the overall structure and all its individual details is methodically and meticulously carried out so that as complete a 'picture' of its existing condition and likely structural performance can be identified.

Any remedial measures that may be required to provide structural adequacy can then be more precisely targeted. Although the process of appraisal inevitably leaves less scope for choice of strengthening necessary than does the process of designing a new structure, it is nevertheless important that measures should be as clean lined, simple and attractive as possible. The imagery of such basic structures has been shown to play a significant part in how the facility is viewed by the public.

6.2 EXISTING SURVEY DRAWINGS

Original drawings should be sought. If not available, a survey should be undertaken to identify the construction and provide base drawings for use and annotation during appraisal (see subsection 6.3).

For all new works (and old if possible), stadia should retain original as-built records on the premises, preferably in negative form so that they can be readily reproduced.

6.3 SURVEY OF CONDITION & RECORD OF FINDINGS

Determination of the physical condition of the structure is important. The task of determining the condition of a structure should be approached with an open mind without prejudging the cause of any apparent defects. There is always the danger that new defects that are outside of previous experience will be missed, and much effort may go into trying to find a well known type of defect that is not present. It is necessary to describe the conditions adequately so that the situation can be reviewed objectively. However, previous experience of defects should be borne in mind and checks made for them. Reference to similar age and types of building should be made.

The engineer should trust only the evidence of his own eyes. Members and connections that the engineer judges may contain defects will need exposure. Additional labour is needed to facilitate necessary exposure and help close elements up again after inspection. Clear notes, together with sketches and photographs should be kept; a possible form is shown in Fig. 6.1.

The report Appraisal of existing structures should be consulted for guidance on surveying the condition of a structure.

Appraisal of existing structures, IStructE, London 1980

(Fig.6.1 to be based on Appendices in Appraisal of Existing Structures

6*4 POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS, DEGRADED OR SUBSTANDARD FABRIC ‘-------

6.4.1 Drawings

Such drawings as exist of the structure should be examined with the view to identifying potential problem areas and details in the construction.

Water traps in metal construction are particularly notorious, for example:

a channel on its side roof hook bolt fixings eaves and gable framing members column head connections, and other similar

details where rust can develop freely.

'loose' terrace units resting on supports which could move sideways and fall off under sway loading should be noted. Thick packers under units can be potentially hazardous. Poor-quality in situ concrete terracing can create a tripping hazard.

Attention should be paid to block/brick walls enclosing public corridors, perimeter walls and those forming entry/egress gateways especially if not adequately restrained, since they may be subject to significant lateral loads from crowd pressures.

All parapets, barriers, etc.

In the case of slender structures with long cantilevers and long-span structures, attention should be paid to the effects of fatigue resulting from possible fluctuations. Principal welds should be inspected on a regular basis for evidence of cracks.

6.4.2 Inspection

What needs to be inspected must be safely and easily accessible. Temporary staging may have to be erected to make this possible.

There is always a temptation to view from a distance, especially in bad weather, and reliance must not be attached to impressions gained from distant viewing.

Gutters/downpipes should be included in a 'structural fabric’ inspection to see whether leaking water is getting to metal structure (especially) not protected against its effects.

»

Appraisal of existing structures, IStructE July 1980

Structural renovation of existing buildings.CIRIA report III 1986

Historical structural steelwork Handbook BCSA Publication No 11/84

50

6.4.3

Early grandstands may be 'light' on stability, e.g. Victorian iron sheds are often dependent on their corrugated iron for frame bracing. The engineer must therefore beware of removing cladding, without prior appraisal. He should consider whether permanent extra bracing is desirable.

Checks should include identification of deleterious or hazardous materials. These will include:

. high-alumina cement in structural elements

woodwool slabs used as permanent formwork

calcium chloride in admixtures in reinforced concrete

. sea-dredged aggregates (inadequately washed, so containing residual chlorides)

asbestos products

. concrete subject to alkali-silica reaction

Toilet areas, designated or otherwise, or structures below toilets are particularly at risk from acids etc. and should be checked.

Pre-World War II concrete may contain clinker or otherwise sulphate/nitrate rich aggregates. Leaks through these can highly corrode existing embedded filler joists or supporting steelwork. Embedded details may require sampling or widespread opening up.

The services of an expert are recommended to inspect timber elements for rot, insect attack, and to identify or warn of conditions that could encourage these. (Damp unventilated areas are notorious for dry rot.)

Details that contain junctions of steel and concrete should be checked for corrosion, e.g. precast terrace or seating units on steel frames. Anything fixed by chemical or expanding anchors should be regarded as potentially suspect.

GRC is a material that will bum and become brittle, and its presence should be identified.

Recording of results of condition

Specific comments should be meticulously marked on a 'proforma' checklist as per Fig. 6.2. Ideally the locations of any particular defects should be cross referenced to the survey plans, and photographs should be taken.

Use of redundant buildings -sheets 19, 20, 21 and 22.

Architects Journal, March 21 and 4 April 1979.

5*1

LOCATION ITEM CONDITION COMMENTS

Structure/Buildings

Columns Cast/wrought iron <5c w alls Steel

ConcreteTimberBrickwork

Beams Cast/wrought iron Steel Concrete Timber Other

Decking Wrought iron Steel Concrete,

in situ Concrete,

precast Timber Other

Roof Wrought ironbeams/trusses

S tee l, beams Steel trusses Concrete,

in situ Concrete,

precast Timber, beams Timber,

trusses Other

Advertising hoardings,Roof claddings

Material Fixing and

fastenings

Wall claddings

MaterialFixings

Bri ckwork/b 1 ockwork

InternalExternal

Lintels

Fire separation and compartmentation

Retaining w alls External envelope Foundations

52.

LOCATION item CONDITION COMMENTS

Structure/terrace

Crush barriers Segregation fences Lateral fences Pitch perimeter fence Associated boundary fence Associated boundary w alls Retaining w alls Ground terrace Suspended terrace Column supports

Beam supports Ancilliaries

fastening and fixings

Structure/ Brickwork/blockwork boundary wallsConcrete reinforced

plainSteel Fences Exit gates Turnstiles Retaining w alls

Structure/floodlighttowers

Overall structure Platforms Ladders and rails Fastenings and fixings

Structure/exits

Gangways Stairways Handrails Balustrades Fire protection Crush barriers

Structure/others

Advertising hoardings Toilet blocks Ancillary buildings TV camera positions

Temporarystructures

Anchorages Handrails Guy wires

Fig. 6.2

5*3

6-5 POTENTIALLY co m bu stible m a ter ia ls a n d BUILDING FABRIC "

Guidance on matters concerned with fire appraisal has been given in Section 4.

6.6 TESTING OF MATERIALS & ELEMENTS

Where the survey provides sufficient information to enable the engineer to complete the appraisal and reach conclusions and make recommendations with confidence there will be no need to test. Requirements for testing will arise where, for example,

there is lack of information on what materials are present in the structure

the presence of deteriorated or deleterious material or substandard material is suspected

Such requirements, whether they be for materials testing or for load testing are described in Appraisal of existing structures

6.7 TESTING OF CRUSH BARRIERS/HANDRAILS

Crush barriers should be tested in accordance with the Guide to safety a t sports grounds using an approved testing machine (see Fig. 6.3 and Appendix D).

Where testing is carried out on isolated members, as opposed to complete barriers, then the loading on the member should take account of any loading transfer due to fixity of components.

The results of each individual test must be recorded and kept in a log. Copies should be available to both the licence holder and the local authority. Tests should be carried out either on a five year cycle or totally at least every fifth year. This information should be noted on a 1:200 plan of the ground, and should be incorporated into an annual report for inspection by the licensing authority.

Adequacy of barriers should be to the criteria laid down in the Guide.

All failures should be repaired or renewed prior to the next activity taking place, or the areas in question taken out of use until made safe.

Any works of strengthening and refurbishment carried out as a result of a failure must be retested and logged before being opened to the public.

All new or renewed work should be designed to comply with the Guide for loading capabilities and to the relevant structural codes of practice and, if supervised, by a chartered civil/structural engineer, need not be tested on completion.

The incorporation into a testing schedule of all new or renewed barriers/handrails should be determined by the engineer.

54

(Fig. 6.3 Testing of barriers at Bradford)

Ref Guide to safety at sports grounds I Annex C

8 APPRAISAL OF EFFECTS OF WIND

6.8.1 Wind tunnel tests

If during the process of appraisal, doubts are raised as to the effects of the wind regime on the structure or on smoke venting, investigations by representative wind tunnel tests may be necessary.

Sports ground structures tend to dominate their environment and can make major changes to the original airflow pattern. Sports grounds are seldom built on level sites free from obstructions, so that the topography and all structures in close proximity will need to be included in any wind tunnel test. Care must be taken that this does not reduce the scale of the model so much, in order to fit the wind tunnel, that the model is too small to reproduce the dynamic effects accurately. Suitable wind tunnels are specially built to reproduce the gusty nature of the wind to the same scale as the structural model and are available in specialist laboratories. Tests in the smooth and uniform flow of aeronautical wind tunnels give inaccurate and misleading results since they are directed merely to the determination of quasi-static wind pressures and forces. Special attention needs to be paid to dynamic effects if these are to be measured with any accuracy. Guidelines for wind tunnel tests are given in Appendix K of CP 3: Chapter V: Part 2, and Part 2 of The designer's guide.

6*8.2 Analysis of effects of dynamic loading

The two main sources of dynamic load are wind loads and spectator activities, and damaging effects will follow only if these can excite resonance of a part, or the whole, of a structure.

For existing structures the amplitude of any vibration that arises can be directly measured. For structures subject to upgrading, calculations should be made to determine the natural frequency, the amplitude of vibration and the dynamic stress.

Approach to the assessment of wind loadings is covered in clause 3.6.4 and of other dynamic loading effects in clauses 3.6.5 and 3.6.6. It is unlikely that the majority of structures will have natural frequencies within the bands that can be excited by either source and so can be analysed for response under quasi-static allowable values.

Gust loading excites vibration over a wide range of frequencies however, which may cause problems of fatigue. Data on the loading cycle for fatigue assessments are given in Table 1 of IP19/84 and in Fig. 24 in ECCS report no. 52.

CP 3: Chapter V: Part 2, Appendix K

Bolton, A.: 'Natural frequencies of structures for designers’, Struct. Eng., no. 9, 56A, Sept. 1978

IP19/84 Table 1 Fatigue assessments ECCS report no. 52 Fig. 24

6.8.3

6.8.4

Resonant wind loading

Flexible stadia structures, especially those including slender cantilevers, tall flag poles and lighting masts, may display excessive dynamic effects because of vortex shedding. Lattice structures and typical stand enclosures are not usually subject to this problem.

If investigation, for instance using the classification procedure in BS 6399: Part 2, or Chapter 10 of The designer's guide, shows that natural frequencies of the structure exist close to the bands of possible vortex excitation, care should be taken to consider these aspects. Further studies investigating the interaction of the structure and the air flowing over it, the determination of the forces that this causes and the response of the structure itself to these periodic forces may be necessary.

It is unlikely there will be need to assess the complex behaviour of large amplitude responses, since the engineer is required only to avoid such an occurrence. This can be achieved by altering the form of the structure to eliminate periodic aerodynamic forces altogether by changing the member stiffness to move the natural frequencies away from any aerodynamic forces that cannot be avoided, or by increasing the damping to reduce vibrations to negligible proportions.

Even relatively simple arithmetic calculations as in BS 6399: Part 2 and ECCS report no. 52 will be sufficient as long as they can demonstrate that there is no danger to the structure from wind loading or any feasible behaviour of the spectators.

Spectator loading

Spectators usually act independently, but at moments of excitement the crowd may surge. This is best dealt with by normal quasi-static analysis using loading considerations of clause 3.6.8. Concerted swaying in time or dancing may, however, cause forces of up to two or three times the total weight of the spectators vertically with a considerable horizontal component. Neither of these effects will distress a normal structure unless there is a natural frequency that the crowd can excite, but it should be realized that the presence of any such natural frequency will bias the spectators towards it. The maximum frequency that this concerted action can affect is about 4 Hz, and any natural frequency of the structure below this value is best removed by increasing the stiffness of members or by changing the construction to incorporate more damping.

Section 7 deals with the effects of spectator loading on light demountable stands.

Cook, N. J.: 'Designers guide to wind loading of building structures', Ch. 10.

5a

6*8.5 Regular inspection of slender structures

Occasionally, appraisal will reveal a structure that is sufficiently light, slender or ill-conditioned that possible exciting frequencies approach the natural frequency, and resonance is possible with an amplitude considerably greater than in statically loaded conditions.

Such a condition may cause some fatigue damage over the years, which coupled to the effect of imperfections in the construction, corrosion, etc. can lead to reduction in reserves of strength in the structure, and eventually to a dangerous state.

In consequence, it is extremely important that any long-span' structure, receives 'resident supervision' during initial construction from the design consultant, so that construction follows the designer's intentions, and that sufficient regular and thorough annual checks are made on key elements for damage, corrosion, etc. A full record of the initial construction supervision and all subsequent inspections, remedial works, etc. must be kept.

Should possible resonance of a structure be established, then specialist advice must be taken, possibly using techniques of structural appraisal from the aircraft industry to establish the possibility of cumulative damage. It may be necessary to a lter the characteristics of the structure to suppress resonance.

6.9 APPRAISAL o f s t r u c t u r e s a g a in st DISPORPORTIONATE COLLAPSE" -------------------------------

With so many people collected in one area, it is necessary to check that sports ground structures would not collapse disproportionately to the cause.

A graphic example of such a condition is shown in Fig. 6.3, where without any secondary action between adjacent principal beams, collapse of the front column would lead to collapse of that section of the roof. Such a potential condition could be aggravated by a roof form that enabled the build-up of considerable snow drifts.

The engineer must therefore consider in his appraisal the degree of redundancy of the structure and the potential for redistribution of loads, possibly using 'membrane' action from two-way structural continuity. Such consideration may be especially important in the assessment of the adequacy of early 'structurally light' constructions, or on structures where degradation of initial strength is evident from corrosion or other effects.

6.10 REPLACEMENT OR STRENGTHENING O F DOUBTFITT, ELEMENTS ---- ------------------------- --------

Where either the survey or subsequent testing or appraisal shows an element to be unsatisfactory, it should either be replaced or be suitably strengthened.

57

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jM * tch ti* y , C4u ru /A fa

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Such considerations may well require the installation of temporary support until such time as the permanent remedial work can be undertaken. All such temporary works should be designed and constructed with the location and nature of usage in mind and be reasonably proof against vandalism.

Adequate access will need to be provided to undertake these measures, so that they can be correctly effected and inspected prior to commissioning.

7 TEMPORARY STANDS, FLOODLIGHT/PYLONS, ETC.

7.1 Temporary stands

While many of the aspects are common to the design of permanent stands, there are a number of items that are likely to be of greater importance for those classified as temporary, or demountable, or used for special public events such as pop concerts and golf tournaments.

These features include:

overall stabilitydisproportionate collapse in the event of theremoval of a componentdynamic responseeffects of repeated uselack of fiteffects of added loadings from fabric structures, flagpoles, scoreboards, attached guy wires supporting other structures presence of adjacent high fire loads.

In such circumatances it is necessary to check that the original design is capable of providing the public with an adequate margin of safety.

Inspection should be made for effects of corrosion on all elements of the structure, and that the fire separation of the construction from other structures is sufficient.

Fixings and handrails for all platforms, stairways, etc. must be adequate.

Means of escape from such temporary stands on evacuation must be direct to a sufficient place of safety outside. Special care needs to be taken so that in providing sufficient means of egress from the temporary stand or place of assembly that the capacity of means of egress from existing or adjacent structures is not impaired (and vice versa).

7.2 Other structures

Particular events in sports grounds and other places of assembly will require in addition to temporary stands, the provision of temporary structures such as tents, fabric structures, flagpoles, e tc .. additional floodlighting pylons, lighting trusses, protection barriers and additional means of escape. All such structures used in the presence of the public need to be properly designed to resist the loads to which they might be subjected.

An occasional licence for such an event may well be needed from the local council. This licence will be comprehensive and will need to cover most of those elements referred to in the specimen of Appendix G. This will require a prior appraisal under the direction of an experienced professional engineer of all matters mentioned earlier in this report for sports grounds in normal operation. In particular:

Safety considerations for the design and erection of demountable grandstand, IStructE, May 1989

'Demountable grand­stands’, J. F. Dickie & G. R. Tomlinson, Struct. Eng. Review

BS 5973: Access working scaffolds & special scaffold structures in steel

59

Crowd capacities section by section in relation to adequate means of managed ingress and egress.

Additional exit routes, bridges, zones should be sized as in the Guide to safety a t sports grounds, and appropriately signed and taken directly to an outside place of safety, without surpassing the capacity of existing or other exit routes.

Crowd barriers and their anchorages will need to be designed to resist the loads from crowds to which they are subject (see Section 9 of the Guide). In other cases these horizontal barriers will need to be designed on the basis of the purpose for which they are needed and detailed to prevent crushing. Additional padding may be required.

For instance, the barrier between the front of the audience and the performance should provide a sterile area, and the barrier and its foundation or anchorage should be designed for 3.0 kN/m.

All tents, pylons and protection barriers should be properly anchored to resist the loads from snow, wind and people on them. It is appropriate to amend the wind and snow loads to account for the temporary duration, season of the year, and likelihood of the event proceeding in the circumstance of bad weather. A service load of 20 kg/m8 in addition to self-weight and consideration of 1 in 10 year wind loading condition for the location are then appropriate, unless higher snow loadings are specifically required.

The back guys to temporary structures should not be lower than 2.5 m above any means of escape, and no anchorages should lie within any escape route to provide a possible trip hazard.

Appraisal should be made of any existing elements of the grounds to which such facilities are tied back so that the combined loading does not impair the integrity of either structure.

Materials used for fabric structures should be durably flame proofed and inherently resistant to flame spread to BS 3119/3120 (or B1/B2 of DIN 4102).

Lighting bridges should be adequately designed for the access required of them and for the loads of lighting etc. to be carried by them. Wind loading is often a critical element in the design of such structures. Handrails and safety harnesses should be provided. They should be designed so as to prevent access by unauthorized personnel and, in particular, by the audience.

Unless specifically approved and properly designed, equipment, lighting trusses should not be suspended over areas occupied by the public.

NFPA 102, Assembly seating, tents and membrane structures, 1986 ‘

#

BS 3199/3120

DIN 4102; Flame spread resistance of membrane

BS 6399: Part 1 1984 Loadings for buildings Table 7

Q> O

Any electrical installations should comply with the relevant British Standards and IEE Wiring regulations, and their installation should be to the satisfaction of a professionally qualified electrical engineer of appropriate experience (see also Section 8).

8 ELECTRICAL LAYOUTS

(To be developed in consultation with IEE/chartered electrical engineers.)

G2.

APPENDIX A l DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT

A list of the ’day-to-day’ routine responsibilities of the dub includes:

1. Maintain certificate in force2. Keep Local Authority informed of alterations3. Provide and maintain crush barriers4. Provide police control room5. Provide and maintain emergency lighting6. Provide and maintain fire-fighting equipment7. Provide and maintain communication and warning system8. Provide and maintain first aid room9. Carry out crowd control measures deemed necessary bv

police J10. Provide and maintain notices re fire-fighting equipment11. Provide and maintain fencing12. Provide and maintain wind measuring equipment (if required)13. Provide and maintain general fabric of stadium14. Provide annual inspection (before 1 August of each year15. Before each specific activity, test exit doors and gates,

emergency lighting and communication systems etc.16. After each specific activity, check condition of terraces,

• staircases, stand seats, crush barriers, perimeter fences, penfences, gates and balustrades

17. Record inspections 15 and 16 in log book and log work requiring remedial works and take steps to carry out that work

18. Have responsible person in attendance19. Provide first aid staff20. Arrange adequate policing21. Arrange adequate stewarding22. Arrange attendance of electrician23. Make sure all escape gates are easily openable, except

that certain gates may be locked, provided that steward is in attendance with key

24. Open all gates to evacuate stadium, as directed by police25. Maintain ingress and egress routes clear from obstruction26. Maintain self-closing doors27. Provide and maintain non-slip surfaces to exits28. Provide and maintain exit signs29. Provide and maintain escape routes in perimeter fencing30. Record crowd attendance figures31. Record inspections32. Record training and instruction to staff33. Give each member of staff and steward a copy of emergency

procedures34. Train staff and steward in emergency procedures35. Give means of I/D to people (e.g. press) having free access36. Only store flammable gases and liquids to Local Authority

approval37. Clear all combustible rubbish38. Park vehicles only in an approved manner39. Provide record drawings

Al

A P P E N D I X A 2 D R A F T R U L E S F O R I N S T R U C T I O N O F S T E W A R D S O N E V E N T D A Y S

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SAFETY STEWARDS

1 Safety Stewards to report to Cash Office a t ... two hours before specified activity.

2 Holder to allocate responsibilities.

Responsibilities

(a) Door stewards, stands and ground:

Each door steward to collect standard keys and distinctive surcoat

Report to allocated area. Check exit door(s) for egress

Remain in position to monitor exit door(s) during all of specified activity

- Unlock exit door(s) ten minutes prior to end of match or on instructions ofa police officer or public address message.

IN EVENT OF FIRE*

- Operate nearest fire alarm point

- Unlock exit door(s)

- Await instructions of fire picket

ON HEARING EMERGENCY PA MESSAGE*

- Unlock exit door(s)

- Assist in evacuation if required

- Secure exit door(s) at end of specified activity, or on instructions of a police officer or responsible person

- Return standard key and surcoat

(b) Door stewards - Stand B area

BEFORE EVENT

Report to stadium Administrator two hours before the event starting time

Collect distinctive bib and emergency exit keys from stadium Administrator. Receive instructions as to allocated areas etc.

Report to allocated area. Check the exit door(s), remove lock and securing bar and place in Stewards room adjacent invalids tunnel. Open doors fully to ensure easily open obstructions. Inform Stadium Administrator of any problems encountered.

Check position of fire alarm call point and position of nearest fire and door stewards.

DURING EVENT

Remain in close proximity to exit door(s) throughout the event.

Open exit door(s) ten minutes prior to the end of the event or on instructions of a police officer or public address message i.e. ’Stewards Operate Code 1’.

AFTER THE EVENT

After the event the spectators have left the stadium or on instruction from the police or stadium administrator, secure the exit doors.

* Coded by Stand Area

Return bib and keys to stadium administrator.

Note: Replace security bars only after the public have left the premises.

(c) Fire stewards:

East fire steward to collect standard key and surcoat. Each fire picket team leader to collect emergency communications radio.

Carry out prematch inspections and tests:- Radio

- Fire alarm

- Fire fighting equipment

- Housekeeping

Fire picket team leader to deploy fire pickets

ON HEARING FIRE ALARM

Check the location of fire on the fire alarm indicator panel

Team leader report affected zone to control via radio

Proceed to affected zone. Team leader to assess the incident and decide on the action to be taken.

Team leader to report circumstances or incident to control, and advise on evacuationvlC*

Team leader to liaise with fire brigade on arrival.

AT END OF SPECIFIED ACTIVITY

Check stand/ground and ensure all patrons have left. Check all fire fighting equipment is in place, and report any deficiencies to the holder.

Return all equipment.

(d) Police control room:

ON HEARING FIRE ALARM OR BEING INFORMED OF FIRE

Call the fire brigade by telephone immediately (999)

Ensure all exit door(s) in affected zone are unlocked by making the following announcement over the PA system: ’Stewards Stand A/Stand B etc. Code 1*.

ati0n fr° m n lre pickeV If p«Juip®d *>y fire picket team leader announce evacuation message over PA system for affected zone.

Note: the word 'FIRE' should not be used over the PA system.

A3

t

APPENDIX B GROUND FLOW RATES

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Ages

Gender

Density

Level of service

Directions

Topography

Light and visual

Physical fitness/speed relationship

PREFERRED RATE

ANALYTICAL MODELLING OF FLOW RATE

Ramp

Stairways

Doorways

Static crowd/circulating crowd

Emergency situations

REFERENCES

This Appendix will be drafted taking into account the ’systems’ approach to such problems as ind,cared J Fruin's article 'Crowd dynamics and audlfo,Tum ma„agement'

A 4

APPENDIX C PERFORMANCE OF CRUSH BARRIERS

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL

CROWD PRESSURES

Lean

Push

Slope

MEDICINE

STRENGTH(See also Appendix D)

NUMBER OF ROWS

HEIGHT & WIDTH

GRADIENT & SPACING

REFERENCES

A P P E N D I X D T E S T I N G O F C R U S H B A R R I E R S

(To be developed)

AG

APPENDIX E SIGHTLENES AND VIEW DISTANCES

The maximum distance a t which an object is just recognizable to a spectator’s eye is given by the relationship

d = 0.86 s

where d = distance in man<3 s = size of the object in mm

Table A1 shows the maximum distance against different sizes (s) of the object, while Fig. A1 illustrates this point.

Table A1 - The maximum distance (d) against different sizes (s) of the object

s d s d(size of (size ofobject) objectmm (in) m (ft) mm (in) m (ft)

40 (1.557) 35 (115) 160 (6.299) 138 (453)60 (2.362) 52 (171) 180 (7.087) 155 (508)80 (3.150) 69 (226) 200 (7.874) 172 (564)

100 (3.937) 86 (282) 222 (8.740) 190 (623)120 (4.724) 103 (338) 240 (9.449) 206 (676)140 (5.512) 120 (394)

As the diameter of a football is 220 mm, it follows that the maximum distance between a spectator and the furthest point on the football playing area should not exceed 190 m. It should be borne in mind that a t this distance the object is barely recognizable and does not in fact provide a good and unstrained visibility. The maximum distance therefore should, where possible, be reduced by 20-40% of that calculated by the above,i.e. for a football ground the furthest point of the field to a spectator should be limited to, say, 150m. In a football (and also in a rugby) ground this will correspond roughly to a circle of 90m radius from the centre spot as shown in Fig. Al.

Figs. A2 and A3 show the optimum viewing circle and the maximum distance in two existing grounds - in St James’ Park, Newcastle, and Wembley Stadium. It is clear in the case of Wembley Stadium that a section of the spectators will remain outside the optimum sight distance or even the maximum sight distance of the full arena.

This consideration sometimes is most crucial in deciding whether the stand should have a single rake or multi-tiered ones.

Bobrowski, J., Bardhan-Roy B.K., & Maciag, T.: ’The design and analysis of grandstand structures', Structural Engineer. 52, no. 2, Feb. 1974, p.37

Reed, J.: The layout and construction of sports grounds and grandstands’, Structural Engineer. Feb. 1933, p.74

Serby, M.: 'The good-view factor in stadium design', Engineering news-record. 103, 11 July 1929

A7

Another aspect inter-related to good viewing is the sightline. The slope of the rakers should be such that the lines of sight from the eyes of spectators in each row to the focal point should be clear of or at least tangential to, the top of the head (together with the head cover) of the spectator in the row in front. The focal point is taken as the near edge of the playing field or the centre-line of the nearest line of the nearest lane of the athletic track. The profile of the raker can be determined graphically and by calculation. Simplified formulae can be obtained from references listed in the Handbook.

There are three main categories of raker:

1. straight rakers of constant slope

2. series of straight rakers of different slopes, and

3. curved rakers.

The curved arrangement is theoretically ideal but cumbersome in practice, and apart from the high cost, there can be a safety hazard where crowd movement is involved. Orientation of the stand as well as positioning of the first row with respect to the arena (touchline, for example) is important to allow a good view of the whole of the touchline by all viewers.

Depending on the nature of the performance there appear to be three borad patterns of crowd circulation in stands:

(a) Static crowd: which exists where the show is continuous or even intermittent such as football, rugby and some athletics, but without any interrelated diverse activities during the interval.

(b) Circulating crowd: which exists where the show consists of several consecutive events with interrelated extra activities during the interval between them, and generally associated with betting, such as horse racing, dog racing etc.

(c) A combination of (a) and (b), where one part of the stand could have a static crowd while the other parts have circulating spectators.

Compared with (a) crowds are smaller and more leisurely in the other two categories, especially in (b). The design criteria, of necessity, will be different and the facilities provided by the designer will, of course, have to be compatible with the requirements of the patrons in each relevant category. A relevant numerical comparison of the three categories is given in Table Al.

*

Handbook of sports and recreation buildings design

#

Table A1

category name of stand space per spectator

(a) Typical football stand - Manchester United, Old Trafford

0 .6 8 m 8

Typical a th letics stand - Meadowbank, Edinburgh

0.835 m8

(b) ♦Ascot Racecourse Grandstand

2.04 m 8

**Sandown Park Racecourse Grandstand

2.60 m8

Doncaster Racecourse Grandstand

2.96 m 8

(c) Calgary ’Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’ Stampede Grandstand

1.42 m 8

* Ascot Racecourse Grandstand does not have the same amount of built in facilities for multi-purpose use of the buildings as doe the Doncaster and Sandown Park Grandstands.

** The area of 2.60 m8 per spectator was calculated with regard only to the seating and standing capacity of the rakes. Durking major races a crowd of 30 000 could actually use all the facilities and then space per spectator would come down to 0.69 m8 only, thus comparable to category (a).

A9

Fig Ai Maximum distance batw an recognizabip object and tha spectator’s ey*

maxnum vmmng 80m neks from aacfi

Ml ol optnun150m from

assumed ootim um viewingcircle 90m rackus from centre spot

A7 The maximum viewing distance for football is 190m. The optimum is about 150m. An optimum viewing circle can be assumed at 90m from the centre spot for both football and rugby

A 3S/. James’ Park, Newcastle. The value of using comers has been realised and on site, with transverse dimensional constraints, the additional accommodation can become indispensable. St fames’ Pork (for Newcastle United) when fully developed will seat 16 000 with 34 000 standing. Stamford Bridge for Chelsea was designed to seat 60000. Cardiff Arms Park, when fully developed, wiU have 75000 seats and space for IS000 standing

* Z l 7 biey, Stadtum *** much too large an arena and suffers from a single~tter section. An overlapping multi-tier

b n n g more speaators m o th t °pnm um

Alo

APPENDIX F SPECIMEN DRAWINGS REQUIRED FOR APPRAISAL

Specimen drawings to be provided for

(a) large ground

(b) small ground

APPENDIX G SPECIMEN LICENCE CERTIFICATE

To be compiled

APPENDIX H BIBLIOGRAPHY

To be compiled

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR REPORT

To be provided

«

Al l

BIBLIOGRAPHY

CROWD SAFETY AND REGULATIONS

(1) Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (The Green Guide)HMSO 1976

(2) Report of the Inquiry into Crowd Safety at SportsGrounds (Rt Hon Lord Wheatley) HMSO 1972

(3) Committee of Inquiry into Crowd Safety and Control atSports Grounds, Interim Report (Mr Justice Popplewell) HMSO 1985

(4) Safety at Sports Grounds Act 197 5 HMSO

(5) Crush Barrier Strengths and Spacings (Home OfficeNote) 1973

(6) Crowd Safety - Survey Team Report (DOE Report) HMSO1970

(7) Protective Crowd Barriers (L R Creasy) 1948

(8) Safety at Sports Grounds - Preliminary Notes on FlowPatterns and Crowd Control (R J C Stanton) 1987

DESIGN OF SPORTS GROUNDS

(1) Load Testing of Structures and Structural Components (Report of an ad hoc Committee of the Institution of Structural Engineers) 1989

(2) Demountable Grandstands (J F Dickie & G R Tomlinson) Structural Engineering Review 1988

(3) Demountable Grandstands (J F Dickie) The StructuralEngineer Vol 61A 1983

(4) The Good-View Factor in Stadium Design (EngineeringNews Record) Vol 103 1929

(5) The Lay-out and Construction of Sports Grounds and Grandstands (James Reed) The Structural Engineer 1933

(6) Some Representative Types of Covered Spectators' Stands for Open-air Sports Venues (Klaus Idelberger) Journal Acler-Stahl-Steel, Dusseldorf 1974

(7) A Grandstand in South Africa (Journal of Concrete and Construction Engineering) 1953

(8) The Design and Analysis of Grandstand Structures(J Bobrowski, B K Bardhan-Roy, T Maciag) The Structural Engineer 1974

(9) The New Grandstand at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre (A J J Bartak, D C Kaye, T J George) The Structural Engineer 1977

(10) The Engineering Features of the Epsom Grandstands (Harold Cane) The Structural Engineer 1928

(11) The Design and Construction of the New Ibrox Stadium(S Thorburn & K C W Van der Lee) The Structural Engineer Vol 61A 1983

(12) Centres and Stadia - An Architectural Essay (JohnRice) The Consulting Engineer Vol 35 1971

(13) Introduction to a Discussion on the Effect of Wind onStructures (R G Taylor) The Structural Engineer Vol 12 1973

FIRE AND FIRE SAFETY

(1) Fire Precautions in Football Stadia - A Post-BradfordAnalysis BRE Report 1985

(2) Bradford City Football Club Fire BRE News of FireResearch 1985

(3) Suggested Layout of Fire Precautions (Working Group onRevision of Green Guide, Fire Research Station) 1985

(4) The Application of Fire Engineering to theSpecification of the Structural FireResistance/Protection Requirements in Sports Stands(B R Kirby, British Steel Corporation Laboratories) 1985

(5) Fire Prevention Journal of the Fire ProtectionAssociation Vol 181 1985

(6) Fire Safety and Safety at Sports Venues (The HomeOffice) 1986

(7) Guide to Fire Precautions in Existing Places of Entertainment and Like Premises (The Home Office) 1987

«</*•Pt

SOUTH YnXSHIRE CQUNry COUNCil

® SAFETY OF SPORTS GROUNDS ACT, 1975 GENERAL SAFETY CERTIFICATE

r

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J g p H M b .. .

South Yorkshire County Council

SAFETY OF SPORTS GROUNDS ACT. 1975 GENERAL SAFETY CERTIFICATE

Address of prem ises for which this Certificate Is Issued

The Hillsborough,Stadium, Penlstone Road, Sheffield.

Occupier of the premises and

Holder of this Certificate

Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Ltd.

Use of the prem ises in respect of which this Certificate Is Issued

Football matches. Religious Conventions.

1. This Certificate is issued by South Yorkshire County Council in respect ofthe prem ises described above, being a Sports Stadium designated by Order under Section 1 of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act, 1975 as a stadium requiring a Safety Certificate.

2. The term s and conditions set out In the Schedules attached hereto are herebyImposed.

3. The term s and conditions hereby Imposed are those which the South YorkshireCounty Council consider necessary o r expedient to secure reasonable safety at the Stadium when it is in use for an activity in respect of which this Certificate is issued.

4. The words used in this Certificate and the Schedules attached hereto have- - the meaning assigned to them by Schedule 1 to this Certificate and

Section 17 of the Act.

5. The Schedules and Plans attached hereto all form part of this Certificate*

6 . This Certificate commences on the twenty first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and seventy nine for an indefinite period.

DatQ 21stJDecember, 1979 Signed . .^Chie$ iVeajgwe-TStrbehalf of and dtily authorised by the South Yorkshire County Council.

Interpretation

Tho Act

Authorised Person

The Building Authority

The Chief Constable

The Chief F ire Officer

The Certificate

The County Council

The Guide

The Holder

Invalid Carriage

The Plans

Specified Activity

Spectator

The Stadium

Structural Parts

means the Safety of Sports Ground Act, 1975.

means a person authorised in accordance with Section 11 of the Act.

means the Sheffield City Council.

means the Chief Constable for the time being of the South Yorkshire Police or, as the case may require, the Police Officer having charge of the Stadium on the occasion of a Specified Activity.

means the Chief Fire Officer for the time being of the South Yorkshire County Fire Service or his designated representative.

means the written General Safety Certificate of which the Schedules and Plans form part.

means the South Yorkshire County Council.

means the '•Guide to Safety a t Sports Grounds" as from time to time amended, Issued by the Home Office, o r such other code of practice as may be so Issued.

means the applicant for and person to whom the General Safety Certificate has been Issued and who Is a 'qualified person’ for the purposes of the Act.

means a vehicle, whether mechanically propelled o r not, constructed o r adapted for use for the carriage of one person, being a person suffering from some physical defect or disability.

means the document or documents attached to and forming part of the General Safety Certificate and signed by the person signing the Certificate and / o r any other document o r documents which may be added to o r substituted for such document o r documents and signed on behalf of the County Council.

means a football match or a Betlgious Convention.

means any person occupying accommodation provided for spectators a t the stadium.

means the Hillsborough Stadium, Penis tone Hoad, Sheffield.includes structures, components, installations, fabric and associated parts of the Stadium.

Vehicles includes invalid carriages.

i. SCHEDULE 2

1.

2.

3.

4.

^nATfll Terms and Conditions

(1) The Holder's nominee for the time oerng for acounty Council shall be present whenever the iStadium ^

Specified Activity and he shall on beha u d with atttfe terms and conditions of the Certificate are compiled with

the Specified A ctlvtty.

■ H S S S S“ “ » v » t l L of any term or condition of the Certificate.

The Holder shall not allow spectators to be admitted to the Stadium unless a

Specified Activity is taking place.

, ... . stadium and to the several areas of

I £ X ™ m ^ “ on I Z n the Stadium shali not exceed the flares

specified in Parti of Schedule 3.

more of the following

the playing of music or singing;

the provision of news or comment associated with football;

the sale of tickets for forthcoming activities, programmes, new-sherts

and souvenirs;

(d) the sale and consumption of refreshments;

,e, any other use anciUary to a Specified Activity which has the prior approval

in writing of the County Council.

W Where the

r r r b y t e CH " r ? o m“ - least » days before the

occurrence in respect of which it is required.

(2) K whOst the C ertifl^a t^ i^m o ^ U o n ^ ^ t i O T e ^ i n Section 8

Stadium S S S S S t 21 days before the carrying out of the^ ^ r v e ^ t t T w r i ^ the proposal to the County

Council.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(1) The Holder shall agree with the Chief Constable at least 21 days(or such shorter time to which the Chief Constable may consent)prior to every Specified Activity the methods of admission to beemployed in connection with the Specified Activity and (In relationto a Football Match) the methods to be used for the segregation of home and visiting supporters.

(2) The Holder shall refuse admission to, o r evacuate spectators from, the Stadium or any part thereof at any time before o r during a Specified Activity upon receiving instructions so to do from the Chief Constable.

The Holder shall at his own expense arrange for the attendance at every Specified A c tiv i ty of an adequate number of police officers to secure the orderly and lawful behaviour of the spectators and the number of police officers required at each Specified Activity shall be agreed between the Chief Constable and the Holder at least 21 days (or such shorter time to which the Chief Constable may consent) befbre a Specified Activity takes place.(1) Subject to such interim arrangements as may be agreed by the County Coun

the Holder shall provide and maintain at the Stadium to the satisfactionof the County Council a suitably equipped F irs t Aid Room. The first aid room shall be adequately signed and shall be capable of being lit oy the emergency power supply referred to in paragraph 12 of this Schedule.

(2) The Holder shall ensure that during every Specified Activity a physician employed or retained by the Holder is available to attendat the F irs t Aid Room if required and that his whereabouts are known to those jn the Police Central Control Room at the Stadium.

(3) The Holder shall arrange for the attendance at every Specified Activity of such numbers of qualified F irst Aid assistants as the County Council shall require but without prejudice to the foregoing the Holder shall ensure that at every specified activity there is at least one F irst Aid

• - assistant for every 2 ,0 0 0 spectators.

The Holder shall arrange for the attendance at every Specified Activity of such number of Safety Stewards as may be required by Part 2 of Schedule 3, and shall ensure that the Safety Stewards shall be (a) fit and capable to carry out their duties (b) properly trained and Instructed (c) identifiable by dress (d) provided with written Instructions as to their general duties 1& order to carry out the following:"

(1) Manning of exits as Indicated on the plans

(2) Control and direction of spectators entering using or leaving the Stadium

(3) Patrolling the Stadium and dealing with any emergency tnninrftngraising an alarm and extinguishing any small fire.

Training exercises relating to the action to be taken in the event of an emergency shall be held for Safety Stewards and Staff employed at the Stadium at least once every three months.

The Holder shall ensure that, except where otherwise marked on the Plans, all doors and gates which form an egress route between any spectator accommodation and the public highway, o r other open space outside the stadium, shall be so secured as to open immediately and easily from the inside and shall be manned at all tim es by at least the number of stewards required by P art 2 of Schedule 3. All such doors o r gates shall be opened by the stewards responsible and secured in the fully open position at a time before the end of a Specified Activity agreed between the Holder and the Chief Constable and at any other time on evacuation of the Stadium o r a part thereof on being ordered so to do by a police officer in uniform or by the sounding of the alarm .

(1) The Holder shall provide and maintain to the satisfaction of the Chief Fire Officer exit signs comprising white le tters on a green background over all exits from the Stadium and all exits from spectator accommodation therein and shall ensure that such exit signs may be illuminated by both the main and emergency lighting systems. Such supplementary illuminated signs in such locations as the Chief Fire Officer may require shall also be provided by the Holder.

(2) The Holder shall ensure that the corridors, gangways and staircases indicated on the Plans may be illuminated when required during a Specified Activity by both the main and emergency lighting system s.

(3) The signs mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph shall be illuminated whenever adequate natural light is deficient during a Specified Activity o r as directed by the Chief Constable.

(4) All means of ingress to and egress from the Stadium and to and from any Spectator Accommodation therein shall be maintained free from obstruction and with non-slip and even surfaces and in particular s ta ir coverings shall be secured and maintained so that they do not constitute a source of danger.

(1) Subject to such interim arrangements as may be agreed by the Chief Fire Officer, the Holder shall provide and maintain to the satisfaction of the ChiefF ire Officer a separate emergency power supply for providing electricity sufficient to light all emergency lighting throughout the Stadium, all exit signs and powering all the communication systems within the Stadium, such emergency power supply to be operable Independently of the main power supply and to come into automatic operation within ten seconds of the failure of the la tter and to be capable of maintaining the necessary power output for a minimum of three hours from the failure of the main power supply.

(2) At least once in each period of 12 months the Holder shall supply to the Chief F ire Officer a report as to the condition of the emergency

Power Supply certified by an independent Electrical Engineer.

(3) On the day of a Specified Activity and not less than 3 hours prior to its commencement the emergency power supply shall be tested for a period of 30 minutes. Any defect revealed in this test shall be rectified before the commencement of the Specified Activity.

(4) A competent electrician employed o r retained by the Holder shall be present during a Specified Activity.

(1) The Holder shall provide and maintain at the Stadium to the satisfactionof the Chief Fire Officer a fire warning system.

(2) The fire warning system shall be tested periodically to the satisfaction of the Chief Fire Officer.

Subject to such interim arrangements as may be agreed by the Chief Constable, the Holder shall provide and maintain at the Stadium to the satisfaction of the Chief Constable

(1) A Police Central Control Room which shall be provided with such ancillary equipment as the Chief Constable may require.

(2) Accommodation for the exclusive use of the police as a detention room and for administrative purposes.

(3 ) A public address system audible in all parts of the Stadium. The Police shall have the right to use the public address system for police purposes in priority to its use for any other purpose.

(1 ) The Holder shall at all times maintain all structural parts of the stadium in sound order and to the appropriate and relevant standards in the Guide and in all cases to the satisfaction of the Council.

(2) The Holder shall carry out such works of maintenance, repair and renewal to the Stadium as may be required from time to time by the County Council.

The Holder shall at all tim es maintain all operational parts of the Stadium (including the electrical and communications installations) and all emergency equipment In good and efficient working order to the satisfaction of the County Council and shall undertake such maintenance repair o r renewal as may from time to tim e be necessary to maintain reasonable safety within the Stadium.

The Holder shall place within the Stadium, a t such positions as may be specified by the Chief F ire Officer, emergency procedure notices which shall be maintained legible and unobstructed in those positions.

The parking of vehicles within the boundary of the Stadium shall be restricted to those areas indicated on the Plans unless otherwise approved for emergency purposes by a Police Officer in uniform.

(2) The Holder shall provide and maintain within the Stadium to thesatisfaction of the County Council the access routes for emergency vehicles shown on the plans.

The Holder shall ensure that members of the P ress, T .V . and radio serviceshaving access to the public and playing areas of the Stadium are Identifiable as such.

Television cameras and portable equipment shall be placed only in such positions as may be agreed between the Holder and the Chief Constable.

(1) Liquid refreshments may be sold o r distributed at the Stadium only In containers constructed from soft plastic o r other soft m aterial, or as allowed by the Licensing Justices.

(2) No accumulation of rubbish, bricks, stones or other materials which in the opinion of the Chief Constable are capable of use as m issiles shall be permitted to remain in any part of the Stadium to which spectators have access.

No accumulation of flammable rubbish, dirt, surplus material or goods shall be permitted to remain in any part of the Stadium except in a place and quantity approved in writing by the Chief Fire Officer.

No flammable gases or liquids shall be stored or used in any part of the Stadium without the prior written approval of the Chief Fire Officer.

The Holder shall arrange for the Stadium to be inspected by a suitably qualified Chartered Engineer (Structural o r Civil) In the presence of a representative of the

County Council within. 7 months of the date of the Certificate and a t least once in each period of 12 months thereafter and the Holder shall as soon as possible after each Inspection supply to the County Council a Certificate by the said Chartered Engineer as to the current compliance o r non-compliance with good engineering and building practices and with the relevant British Standard Specifications-and Codes of Practice and with the appropriate provisions and recommendations of the Guide of all structural parts of the Stadium excluding the crush barriers and handrails.

(1) The Holder shall arrange for all crush barrie rs and handrails within the Stadium to be tested in accordance with the appropriate provisions of the Guide by a suitably qualified Chartered Engineer (Structural o r Civil)in the presence of a representative of the County Council within 2 months of the date of this Certificate and for the resu lts thereof to be notified In writing to the County Council as soon as possible thereafter.

(2)(1) The Holder shall ensure that not more than 7 months after the date of this Certificate and thereafter not less than once In each period of 12 monthsa representative sample of crush barriers and handrails to notless than 20% of the total number of such barrie rs and rails is tested in

accordance with the Guide by a suitably qualified Chartered Engineer (Structural or Civil) In the presence of a representative of the County Council and the results thereof notified In writing to the County Council as soon as possible thereafter.

(II) a record shall be kept of those crush b arriers and handrails tested inaccordance with sub-paragraph (2)(1) alone and a barrie r so tested shall not be tested again within a period of years thereafter.

The Holder shall within 7 months of the date of this certificate and thereafter not less than once in each period of 12 months supply to the Chief Fire Officer the certificate of an independent Electrical Engineer as to the current compliance or non-compliance of the electrical Installation within the Stadium with Section E of the I .E .E . Regulations o r other sections o r Regulations for the time being in force relating to the E lectrical Equipment of Buildings.

(i) The Holder shall provide and maintain at the Stadium fire fighting equipment of such type and in such positions as may be required by the Chief Fire Officer.

(ii) The Holder shall arrange for all fire extinguishers, fire hydrants and other water supply within the Stadium to be Inspected and tested as appropriate at least once in each period of 12 months by a competent person to the satisfaction of the Chief F ire Officer.

The Holder shall make and keep the following records which shall be made available for inspection at all reasonable time to Authorised Persons:

(1) A record of the numbers of spectators admitted to the Stadium during a Specified Activity and to each area of Spectator Accommodation therein mentioned in Part 1 of Schedule 3.

(2) A record of any accident or incident occurring whilst the Stadium Is in use for a Specified Activity which causes injury to a spectator, such

- - record to include the name, address, and age of the spectatorInjured, the nature of the injury and how It was caused, as far as can be ascertained by diligent inquiry, and the location of the incident.The Holder shall provide a written report to the County Council within 48 hours of all such accidents o r incidents.

(3) A record of the training and Instruction given and the exercises held in accordance with the requirements of Paragraph 9 of this Schedule such record to include the date and tim e and duration of the instruction or exercise, the name of the person giving instruction, the nature of the Instruction or exercise, and the name(s) of the person(s) instructed.

(4) A record of all inspections, tests, maintenance, repairs and renewals carried out at the Stadium.

The Stadium shall be maintained with the facilities and structures including all crush b a rrie rs , entrances, exits and means of access to the entrances and exits in the number, size, position and strength existing at the date of the Certificate and indicated on the plans and no alteration shall be made thereto unless prior notice in writing is given to the County Council in accordance with paragraph 5(2) of this Schedule.

No spectators shall be allowed to use the Stadium in conditions of extreme wind and/or snow loadings acting singular o r in combination and in particular:-

(1) No spectators shall be allowed to use the stadium in wind speeds in excess of 100 Km .p.h. at 10m above ground leveland this prohibition shall be effective when more than one gust of this speed of at least 3 seconds duration is recorded in the area of the stadium in the 30 minutes immediately p rio r to the tim e of the enquiry mentioned in (2) to the local meteorological office.

(2) The wind speed in (1) shall be ascertained by the Holder by enquiry to the local meteorological office by telephone not more than 30 minutes before the admission of spectators to the stadium andthe wind speed given shall be recorded at once in a book kept for the purpose.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Schedule the County Council shall have the right at any time to require the Holder at his own expense to arrange for the conduct of any inspection o r test which the County Council may consider to be necessary in the interests of securing reasonable safety at the Stadium when it is in use for a Specified Activity.

SCHEDULEs

PART 1

Crowd Capacity

The number of spectators admitted to the stadium and to the various areas of spectator accommodation within the stadium shall not exceed the followingfigures:- -

Spion Kop 16,850

South Stand Upper 5.567

South Stand Lower 3,310

West Stand 4 ,465

West Terrace 7, 200North West Terrace 2, 900North Stand 9 , 882

Total Crowd Capacity 50,174

PART 2

Safety Stewards

The minimum number of Safety Stewards required for each function shall be as follows: -

(1) Manning of exists 26 Stewards (2 per main(2) Control and direction of spectators exit)

entering or leaving the Stadium 38 Stewards (1 per vomitory)(3) - Patrolling the Stadium and dealing

with any emergency including raisingan alarm and extinguishing any sm all Are 2 Stewards (under South

Stand)The Stewards shall be distributed as follows: -

Section of Stadium Number required for each function

1 2 3

Each Main Exit (13) 26

South Stand - 1 2

West Stand - 8

North Stand - 18

Under South Stand ' -

South Yorkshire County CouncilF. A. Mallett. LL.B., Chief Executive.

J . C. Harris. M.A.. LL.B. (Cantab).. County Secretary.

Department of Administration.

Our Ref: DV/BB/583/5 Your Ref: EE/CB

County Hall BarnsleySouth Yorkshire S70 2TN Telephone Barnsley STO (0226) 86141.Ext.......................................

Date: 24th January, 1980

Dear Sir,

Safety of Sfrorts Grounds Act, 1975

Further to my letter of 21st December, 1979, the County Council has now formally decided not to charge a fee for the General Safety Certificate In respect of the Hillsborough Stadium.

Yours faithfully.

Chief Executive

Mr. E. England,Secretary,Sheffield Wednesday Football Club L td ., Hillsborough,Sheffield, ' .....South Yorkshire.S6 1SW

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY F00T3AIX. CLUB

HILLSBOROUGH STM>IUH

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

Hie following notes of guidance are prepared anti issued to assist i official stewards and others in a position of responsibility at the Hillsborough Stadium on the action to be taken and procedures to be followed in the event of the possibility of evacuation of the stadium during the playing of a game when spectators arc present. The notes are not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the action necessary, but are for personal issue to each steward and for retantion by the steward for immediate ref­erence all tho time ha/she is on duty at the stadium.

It is appreciated that the reasons evacuation may become necessary are many and varied, but the most obvious are fires or information that explosive/ incendiary devices have been placed somewhere within the stadium/ground.That information may be received or discovered either by members of the staff at the stadium, or by telephone to the stadium.- police- local or national newspapers.

IT IS STRESSED THAT WHENEVER SUCH INFORMATION IS RECEIVED THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DECISION TO EVACUATE ALL OR PART OF THE GROUND RESTS WITH THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB. (The senior police officer on duty will be in a position to advise as to whether the ’bomb call* is likely to be genuine or not).

Whenever such information becomes known, a message will be relayed to the police officer on duty in the "P. A. Commentary Box" at the ground, who, on instructions from the senior police officer, and irrespective of whether the match is in jorograss'or not, will cause the record 'flHgF.fi tobe played over the loudspeaker system. Ttte^eTTtiB C,n

The playing of that record will indicate to everyone present at the ground, other than spectators, that a possible emergency situation exists.

N.B, - As part of the regular pre-match brief of referees and linesmen and both teams, this information should be passed to then so that the game officials are also aware of the possibility of an interruption in play and tho significance of the playing of the record.

On hearing that record all club stewards will make their way to their des­ignated duty points on gangways/gates/exits, etc. Those on exit gates will open the gates and remain at that point. During this period senior officials will consider the nature of the emergency alleged and will decide to evacuate all/part of the stadium. Once that decision has been taken, but not until, the senior police officer on duty will cause a spoken message to be relayed over the *P. A. System" which will have the effect of

(1) Stopping the game and removing players from the field of play;

(2) Informing the spectators/officials of the precise nature of the emergency and its location if known, and requesting or specified sections of the public to leave their scats and make their way out of the ground by the hearest normal exit route unless specifically directedto do otherwise by means of the aP. A. System".

- 2 -

~ E ’S S D. S £ £ S f E,!CCTT ”mry be played, there is every REajRD ,three b l k d mice’establish ise raiTI“ “ S i ™ ® «IUA SPOKEN MESSAGE TO EVACUAT^ TFE FAr-r^n ' XK THr*T 0132' ^JSTEAD OPm u . BE INDICATED “ «on hearing this -all clear* steuards^ S ^ ~ 4 'TREMAIN ON STAND-BY AT THAT POlNT^r ^ G'VNGWAVS « “ •and resuming their normal dot? ^ osS i£ b ? BEF0RE 7112 ««=«

c ™ 5 l f S 0Ci^ fiSCOVering 4 « “ - receiving iranediAtely - n uX^sts within the ground, he will

U) notify the dub Secretary by telephone

(ii) Inform any police officer.t

( i i i ) S “ n * ■ * “ — —

SiSi 12£nb£ r 0?1 617 sound “y fora °fcontrol point the location^? 2 ™ 9 Signal in the police staffed

then deploy manpower to investigate th^cSisc.' policQ controller can

event of discovery of fi r--» »w .

action in accordance with the follows 1 “ ^ - Sh°"ld “ “ ad<Jltl°"i'1

Sound tho alam by brocO=lng the nearest break 9laSs call point,

Tackle the fire with the appropriate extinguisher if safe to do so:

Close doors within the taaediate vicinity of tho fire,

At no time mention the words ’Fire* or 'RomK< c .don't panic, neither will tho crowd,- ’ Renenber' if

(E) Upon completion of the evacuation of your sec« n„assembly area (which has been soecifiL^L tu feport to ^the person in overall charge, who will in f?* *** report toService and any other relevant <>Bom« ' turn, report to the Fire attendance. g e y S8rvice which nay be in

« * StEWARDS MUST FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES WITH W E LOCAWOH op,.

(a) Fire Alarm -Break Glass* call points;

(b) Location of the Fire Fighting Equipment;

(c) Knowledge of all escape routes at their sector of the ground.

(A)

(B)

(C)

CD)

S H E F F I E L D C I T Y C O U N C I L

SAFETY OF SPORTS GROUNDS ACT 1975

NOTICE OF AMENDMENT OF GENERAL SAFETY CERTIFICATE ISSUED ON 21ST DECEMBER 1979

1 TAKE NOTICE THAT THE SAFETY CERTIFICATE ISSUED TO SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED IN RESPECT OF THE HILLSBOROUGH STADIUM, PENISTONE

ROAD SHEFFIELD BY SOUTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ON 21ST DECEMBER 1979

(AS AMENDED ON 11TH AUGUST 1989) IS HEREBY FURTHER AMENDED AND ADDED TO

2. The amendments are as specified in Appendix 1.

3. THESE AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS ARE ISSUED BY THE SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL IN

RESPECT OF THE PREMISES DESCRIBED ABOVE BEING A SPORT GROUND DESIGNATED BY

ORDER UNDER SECTION 1 OF THE SAFETY OF SPORTS GROUNDS ACT 1975 AS A SPORTS

GROUND REQUIRING A SAFETY CERTIFICATE.

4. The terms and conditions hereby imposed are those which Sheffield City

Council consider necessary or expedient to secure reasonable safety at the

Sports Ground when it is in use for an activity in respect of which this

Certificate is issued.

The amendments and additional conditions shall come into operation on the

19th day of August, 1989.

Dated the 18th day of August 1989.

Signed

Mr. H. M. Webster,

Acting Head of Administration

and Legal Department on behalf of

and duly authorised by the

Sheffield City Council

TO:- Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Limited

A P P E N D I X 1 - A M E N D M E N T S

Schedule 3 of the Safety Certificate issued by South Yorkshire

Council on the 21st December 1979 and as amended on the 11th August

shall be further amended to read as follows

"The number of spectators admitted to the Sports Ground and to the various

areas of the spectator accommodation within the Sports Ground shall not

exceed the following figures

Spion Kop 18,200

South Stand Upper 5,567

South Stand Lower 3,310

West Stand 4,465

North West Terrace-Upper 2,300

North Stand 9,700

Total Crowd Capacity 43,724"

Additional Condition 10 shall be amended to read as follows

"10. a) No spectator shall be allowed access to that part of the Sports

Ground known as the West Terrace except in the circumstances

specified in b.

b) Spectators may be admitted to that part of the West Terrace of

the Sports Ground known as the North West Terrace - Upper if the

South Yorkshire Police Officer in command at the ground is of

the opinion that use should be made of that area in an emergency

to ensure the reasonable safety of spectators at the Sports

Gr o u n d ."

H B 7 A A I / J L

SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL

SAFETY OF SPORTS GROUNDS ACT 1975

NOTICE OF AMENDMENT OF GENERAL SAFETY CERTIFICATE

ISSUED ON 21ST DECEMBER 1979

1. TAKE NOTICE THAT THE SAFETY CERTIFICATE ISSUED TO SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED IN RESPECT OF THE HILLSBOROUGH STADIUM,

PENISTONE ROAD, SHEFFIELD BY SOUTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ON 21 ST

DECEMBER 1979 (AS AMENDED ON 11TH AND 18TH AUGUST 1989) IS HEREBY

FURTHER AMENDED AND ADDED TO

2. The amendments are as specified in Appendix 1.

3. THESE AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS ARE ISSUED BY THE SHEFFIELD CITY

COUNCIL IN RESPECT OF THE PREMISES DESCRIBED ABOVE BEING A SPORT

GROUND DESIGNATED BY ORDER UNDER SECTION 1 OF THE SAFETY OF SPORTS

GROUNDS ACT 1975 AS A SPORTS GROUND REQUIRING A SAFETY CERTIFICATE.

4. The terms and conditions hereby imposed are those which Sheffield

City Council consider necessary or expedient to secure reasonable

safety at the Sports Ground when it is in use for an activity in

respect of which this Certificate is issued.

The amendments and additional conditions shall come into operation on

the day of $6^r£<M4il989.

Dated the /f day 4*4 1989

Signed

Mr. H. M. Webster,

Acting Head of Administration

and Legal Department on behalf

of and duly authorised by the

Sheffield City Council

TO:- Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Limited

HB8AAA/JJJ

A P P E N D I X 1 - A M E N D M E N T S

The Safety Certificate issued by the South Yorkshire County Council on 21st

December 1979 and amended on 11th and 18th August 1989 shall be further amended to read as follows

Schedule 3

The number of spectators admitted to the Sports Ground and to the various areas

of the spectator accommodation within the Sports Ground shall not exceed thefollowing figures:

Spion Kop 16,800

South Stand Upper 5,567

South Stand Lower 3,310

West Stand 4,465

North West Terrace Upper 2,300

North Stand 9,700

Total Crowd Capacity 42,142

Condition 5

Without prejudice to the provisions of Section 8 of the Act the Holder shall not

cause or permit the Sports Ground or any of its installations to be altered

(which term shall exclude minor remedial works which do not in any way affect

the safety of the Sports Ground) in any manner whatsoever without the prior

consent of the Council. In addition, no temp6rary structure shall be installed

without the prior written consent of the Council. The Holder shall supply the

Council with copies of such plans, specifications and calculations as the

Council may reasonably require to enable any application for such consent to be

considered and shall comply with any conditions attached to that consent.

PB/63/DB139

A P P E N D I X 1 - A M E N D M E N T S

Schedule 3 of the Safety Certificate issued by South Yorkshire County

Council on the 21st December 1979 and as amended on the 11th August 1989

shall be further amended to read as follows

The number of spectators admitted to the Sports Ground and to the various

areas of the spectator accommodation within the Sports Ground shall not exceeftL-the following figures

Spion Kop 18,200

South Stand Upper 5,567

South Stand Lower 3,310

West Stand 4,465

North West Terrace-Upper 2,300

North Stand 9,700

Total Crowd Capacity 43,542"

Additional Condition 10 shall be amended to read as follows:-

"10. a) No spectator shall be allowed access to that part of the Sports

Ground known as the West Terrace except in the circumstances

specified in b.

b) Spectators may be admitted to that part of the West Terrace of

the Sports Ground known as the North West Terrace - Upper if the

South Yorkshire Police Officer in command at the ground is of

the opinion that use should be made of Liiai. area in an emergency

to ensure the reasonable safety of spectators at the Sports Ground."

H B 7 A A I / J L

FIRMS WHICH HAVE CARRIED OUT CRUSH BARRIER TESTING

Company Club

Nuttall Yarwood & Partners, Barnsley F.C.

The Groove,

High Street,

Dodworth,

Barnsley,

S75 3RQ

0226 - 206771

Eastwood & Partners, Sheffield Wednesday F.C

St. Andrews House,

23, Kingfield Road,

Sheffield,

Sll 9AS

0742 - 583871

SGS Inspection Services Ltd., Heart of Midlothian F.C

Material Testing Division,

89 - 91 Livery Street,

Birmingham,

BS 1RJ

021 - 236 - 6081

Bingham Blades & Partners, Liverpool F.C.

Scholes Hall,

Scholes Lane,

St. Helens,

Merseyside,

WA10 3PA

0744 - 55151

Mattw T. Shaw, Brentford F.C.

320 Lewisham Road,

Lewisham,

London,

SE13 7PA

01 - 318 - 1421

Project Construction Ltd., Bristol Rovers F.C.

5, Smythe Croft,

Whitchurch,

Bristol

- 1 -

Company Club

K. Chmiel & Partners, Birmingham F.C.

68a Reddicap Hill,

Sutton Coalfield,

West Midlands,

B75 7BG

021 - 378 - 3781

Roy Bolsover & Ass. West Bromwich F.C.

40 Calthorpe Road,

Edgbaston,

Birmingham,

B15 1TY

021 - 54 - 5147

Acoustic Tech. Ltd. Portsmouth F.C.

58 The Avenue,

Southampton,

SOI 2TA

0703 37811

Andrew Firebrace Partners, Cambridge United F.C.

Unit 2,

137 Ditton Walk,

Cambridge,

CBS 8QD

0223 411100

George Corderoy & Co.

20/10/89

- 2 -