Safety in sports grounds
Sports ground safety certificates
Chelsea, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers (QPR) Football Clubs currently hold general safety certificates issued by Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
General Safety Certificates
Stamford Bridge Chelsea FC:
Stamford Bridge Chelsea FC General safety certificate (pdf 824kb)
Stamford Bridge Chelsea FC General safety certificate amendment notice (pdf 39kb)
Loftus Road QPR FC:
QPR FC General safety certificate (1 of 2) (pdf 324kb)
QPR FC General safety certificate (2 of 2) (pdf 120kb)
QPR FC General safety certificate amendment notice (pdf 406kb)
QPR FC Temporary amendment notice April 2012 (pdf 37kb)
QPR FC Temporary amendment notice February 2012 (pdf 38kb)
QPR FC Temporary amendment notice 23 April 2012 (36kb)
Craven Cottage Fulham FC:
Craven Cottage Fulham FC General safety certificate (pdf 388kb)
Craven Cottage Fulham FC amendment notice (pdf 38kb)
Safety Advisory Groups
Safety Advisory Groups (SAGs), chaired by the council, provide the local authority with specialist advice on how it may effectively discharge its responsibilities in overseeing spectator safety at sports grounds. Representatives of the football club management attend the Safety Advisory Group meetings, which are held in January and July each year.
The latest minutes, to be confirmed at the next SAG:
Chelsea FC SAG minutes January 2012 (pdf 164kb)
Fulham FC SAG minutes January 2012 (pdf 248kb)
QPR FC SAG minutes January 2012 (pdf 119kb)
Agreed minutes from previous meetings:
Chelsea FC SAG minutes July 2011 (pdf 66kb)
Fulham FC SAG minutes July 2011 (pdf 60kb)
QPR FC SAG minutes October 2011 (pdf 59kb)
Chelsea FC SAG minutes January 2011 (pdf 72kb)
Fulham FC SAG minutes January 2011 (pdf 61kb)
QPR FC SAG minutes January 2011 (pdf 50kb)
Chelsea FC SAG minutes July 2010 (pdf 63kb)
Fulham FC SAG minutes July 2010 (pdf 64kb)
QPR FC SAG minutes July 2010 (pdf 53kb)
Chelsea FC SAG minutes January 2010 (pdf 57kb)
Fulham FC SAG minutes January 2010 (pdf 49kb)
QPR FC SAG minutes January 2010 (pdf 46kb)
Summary of sports ground safety requirements
Sports stadia with a spectator capacity of more than 10,000 people (5,000 in the case of Premiership or Football League grounds) are designated by the government and must be certified under the Safety at Sports Grounds Act 1975.
A general safety certificate will cover use of the stadium for certain specified activities, use for other spectator related purposes will require the issue of a special safety certificate.
A safety certificate will set the permitted capacity for the sports ground together with the detailed terms and conditions with which the ground management must comply in order to operate the sports ground at its permitted capacity.
Although the safety certificate is issued by the local authority responsibility for the safety of spectators at the sports ground rests at all time with the sports ground management. This will normally be the owner or the lessee of the sports ground.
Any non-designated sports ground which contains a covered stand* with a spectator capacity of more than 500 is deemed a regulated stand and must be certified under the Fire Safety and Safety at Places of Sport Act 1987.
*Stand, in relation to a sports ground, means an artificial structure (not merely temporary) which provides accommodation for spectators and is wholly or partly covered by a roof, and, in relation to the number of spectators in a stand provided with covered accommodation, "covered" means covered by the roof or other part of the structure which constitutes the stand.
What the certificate includes
Requirements in relation to sports grounds are far reaching and will include but will not be restricted to the following:
• Structural integrity of the stand/stadia
• Provisions for means of escape
• Adequate fire precautions
• Emergency services co-ordination
• Provision of suitable management strategies (i.e. stewarding, crowd control, match day safety arrangements, evacuation procedures, contingency plans, etc.)
The certificate holder is under a legal obligation to comply with all terms and conditions contained within the certificate. Certificates are issued to last indefinitely or alternatively may contain an expiry date. Under the legislation the local authority has ongoing control and powers of enforcement so as to ensure reasonable standards of safety are maintained.
The legislation allows for the issue of prohibition notices to prevent spectator access to any sports ground or part when it is considered a safety risk is immediate.
Further information
Further information is available from the Sports Grounds Safety Authority at www.safetyatsportsgrounds.org.uk (opens a new window).
Transport and Technical Services
Hammersmith & Fulham Council
6th Floor, Town Hall Extension
King Street, Hammersmith
London, W6 9JU
Telephone: 020 8753 1081
Fax: 020 8753 3922
Email: commercialservices@lbhf.gov.uk
Page last updated: 30/04/2012
