News release
22 February 2012 - NR 67/12
Tighter crowd controls needed to safeguard sports and music
fans
Tighter crowd controls must be introduced
at many music and sports events in the UK to safeguard spectator
safety, a leading health and safety body warned today (22 February
2012).
Formal safety training for stewards, the retention of all-seater
stadiums and better management of crowd flows are among measures
urged by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
after its poll of sports and music fans revealed many had been hurt
at an event or involved in a crowd surge.
Most big gigs or matches are well-organised
with health and safety the number one priority, said IOSH, but
there are still events being held across the UK every year which
fall well below the necessary safety standards.
Nearly one in three people feared for their
safety at a major sports or music event, according to the poll of
3,000 fans. Of those who felt unsafe, half blamed overcrowding,
while many cited drug or alcohol misuse (18%), fighting (13%) and
rowdiness of crowds (16%).
More than one in 10 said they had been injured
or hurt at an event, and a third had been caught up in a crowd
surge – where people push forward en masse.
Nearly two thirds who took part in IOSH’s poll
said their mind had been put at ease by the presence of police
officers, security guards and stewards.
Now, organisers of large scale, one-off events
face problems finding stewards who are fully trained and competent
in health and safety. But many are cutting corners by failing to
provide on-site training, IOSH said.
The Institution wants to see music event
organisers provide competent on-site training for all stewards
employed, and better management of crowds once inside a venue.
The Institution polled people who had attended
a big sporting or music event in the last five years. Its findings
were published today at the launch, at Wembley Stadium, of IOSH’s
new Sports Grounds and Events Group.
The group has been formed to campaign for
better safety at spectator events.
Group spokesman Carl Hagemann said: “One of
the main problems organisers of large scale, one-off events face is
having access to stewards, that are fully trained and competent.
And, because of the numbers of stewards required for large events,
achieving this can be problematic.
“In an ideal world, all the stewards employed
would already have a great deal of experience and training as they
step off the bus to work at an event. However, this isn’t reality,
so organisers need to invest in good, comprehensive onsite training
for all stewards - arming them with all the relevant knowledge to
keep people safe. Training should be delivered by competent safety
personnel and be seen as an investment by bosses rather than a
cost.
“The management of crowds and crowd flow once
inside a venue also needs to be a high priority. Organisers need to
respect capacity and density limits within specific parts of
venues. Where organisers forget about the crowds once inside a
venue, they could potentially be courting a tragedy.”
IOSH’s call to action comes in the wake of a
number of disasters over the past decade in which people have been
crushed to death in crowds. At the Love Parade festival in Germany,
in 2010, 21 people were killed and more than 500 were injured in a
human stampede in an overcrowded tunnel leading into the festival.
The safety of crowds at nightclub-based events was highlighted in
October 2011 with the death of a young girl in a Northampton
nightclub.
Tim Roberts, director of The Event Safety
Shop whose clients include Glastonbury Festival and Leeds and
Reading Festivals, said: “Regardless of scale and type of event,
it’s incumbent on organisers to conduct a suitable and sufficient
crowd risk assessment.
“Because while the majority of events are run
well and health and safety is the number one priority, there are a
huge number of events where safety is maybe not given the level of
attention it should be.
“While the UK generally has an excellent
record in regard of spectator safety at sporting, music and other
cultural events, recent incidents in Germany, the USA and elsewhere
shows the potential for serious injury and death at mass
gatherings.
“The inauguration of the IOSH Sports
Grounds and Events Group reflects the increasing professionalism
within the UK event sector and the emergence of specialist safety
practitioners to meet the particular demands of large cultural
events. Our challenge is to ensure that people are not only
protected from danger, but that they feel safe - even when the
danger they perceive is actually quite remote.”
IOSH’s Sports Grounds and Events Group also
reiterated its call to maintain all-seater stadiums in Premier
League and Championship football stadia – a call backed today by
the Hillsborough Family Support Group.
Group chairman John Holden said: “Safe
seating should be provided wherever possible instead of standing
areas.
“While smaller terraces may pose less of a
risk, it’s a known fact that it’s safer to sit than stand,
especially where large numbers of people are in the same area. By
allowing people to sit down they have their own safety-zone in
which they can safely support their team without the threat of
being pushed, trampled on or crushed.”
Margaret Aspinall, chair of the Hillsborough
Family Support Group, who lost her 18-year-old son James in the
tragedy where 96 football fans were killed, said: “There should be
no terracing brought back to English League football.
“Those who want to forget what happened could end up
reliving it again if standing was brought back. Why would people
want to take 10 steps back, when sports ground safety has now gone
forwards.”
- Ends -
Notes for editors:
MEDIA CALL
If you would like to interview IOSH Sports Grounds and Events
Group chair John Holden, vice-chair Carl Hagemann or Hillsborough
Family Support Group chair Margaret Aspinall, a media opportunity
will be taking place on Wednesday 22 February, at Wembley
Stadium.
For further information or to confirm your attendance contact
IOSH media officer Amy Chappell on +44 (0)116 257 3141 or +44
(0)798 000 4494, or alternatively e-mail amy.chappell@iosh.co.uk
About the poll
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH)
Sports Grounds and Events Group commissioned the poll which was
conducted by OnePoll.
The poll was of 3,000 people who had attended a major sports or
music event in the last five years.
About the IOSH Sports Grounds and Events
Group
The Group aim to bring together safety personnel from all
sports, a variety of venues and different types of events to create
an opportunity to share experiences and expertise
As a Group one of the main aims is to promote good practice,
improve standards and encourage professional development
The Group intend to build on existing links with sports ground
safety associations, develop communication with Government
departments and sporting bodies and become the definitive voice for
sports grounds and events safety issues
At present, the Group is supported by the Local Authority Event
Organisers Group, The Racecourse Association, Rugby League Ground
Safety Officers Association, The Institute for the Management of
Sport and Physical Activity, Cricket Safety Officers Association,
Rugby Football Union and Football Safety Officers Association
Scotland
About IOSH
IOSH is the chartered body for health and safety professionals.
With more than 40,000 members in 85 countries, we’re the world’s
biggest professional health and safety organisation.
We set standards, and support, develop and connect our members
with resources, guidance, events and training. We’re the voice of
the profession, and campaign on issues that affect millions of
working people.
IOSH was founded in 1945 and is a registered charity with
international NGO status.
Media enquiries
For more information or to arrange an interview with Ted Slater
please contact:
Amy Chappell, Media Officer,
+44 (0)116 257 3141 or +44 (0)798 000 4494
Ruth Davies, Media Officer, +44
(0)116 257 3139 or +44 (0)798 000 4474
Tim Walsh, Media Manager, +44
(0)116 257 3252 or +44 (0)797 660 4715.