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She was escorted out because her husband, who looked to be in his sixties, was taken out and she went with him. There were quite a few others who were apparently members of the same family who also went out with him. I know someone who sits there and he said the whole area was standing up but they picked on this guy because he pointed out others around him were standing up and weren't being told to sit down. A load of police and ShowSec then appeared at the top of the block and went down to take him out. Happy now?
Well he should of sat down then. I picked up my 9 year old nephew when we scored a goal and was told by a City steward that I could not do that. Health and safety gone mad maybe but he was just doing his job. Had I picked him up again when we scored the other two then I he would have been within his rights to ask me to leave. This was not a Showsec but a City steward.
Its a very grey area and the sooner safe standing is brought in the better.
1. The government’s policy in respect of all seated grounds is enforced by way of conditions set out in the licence issued to clubs by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA). Where grounds are required to be all seated the SGSA is instructed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to include conditions restricting the admission of spectators to seated accommodation. The ground regulations adopted by all Premier and Football League clubs include as a condition of entry to the ground that spectators may not stand in seated areas while play is in progress.
Have you identified the underlying reasons why spectators stand persistently? • Inadequate sightlines? • An obstructed view? • Uncomfortable seating? • Other standing spectators obstructing their view? • That is their preference? • To demonstrate their opposition to any club policy? • As part of an organised campaign for the return of standing terraces?
Have you considered the following hazards (including who might be harmed and how)? • The gradient of the seating deck? • In an upper or elevated tier, the height of the front barrier or parapet in front of seated rows and gangways? • Spectators failing to occupy the seats allocated to them and / or migrating into seated areas not allocated to them, either from choice or to avoid uncovered or partially covered seating? • The spectator density exceeding the number of seats in any area? • Spectators obstructing gangways, vomitories and other circulation routes? • Standing spectators acting in an uncontrolled manner, in particular in gangways? • Standing spectators behaving aggressively or unpleasantly, thereby causing offence to others around them?
Have you evaluated the following risks? • Spectators falling onto or between seats? • Spectators falling down gangways? • Spectators falling from elevated seating decks? • Spectators having other spectators fall against or on top of them? • The loss of enjoyment for spectators who have to stand involuntarily?
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• The fear of threat or intimidation faced by spectators who don’t wish to stand? • The inability of children and people of small stature to see the game? • The inability of persons with disabilities to see the game? • The difficulty in monitoring the safety of standing spectators? • The difficulty in identifying troublemakers in the event of any crowd trouble? • Crowd hostility towards the stewards and / or the police over the enforcement of ground regulations? • The greater difficulty of enforcing the football offences legislation, particularly against racist or obscene behaviour and the throwing of missiles?
Have you considered the following in your assessment of the risks (including whether existing precautions are adequate or whether more could be done)? • Injuries from slips / or falls due to uncontrolled movement on seating decks? • Injuries from falls down gangways? • Spectators suffering harm because first aiders or stewards cannot get to them or because they are unable to leave when they wish? • Spectators staying away because of poor customer care or bad behaviour? • A prosecution by the local authority’s trading standards department or a civil action by spectators under consumer protection legislation? • Legal action under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995? • Antisocial behaviour by standing spectators? • Disorder by standing spectators?
Have you included the following measurement indicators in recording your risk assessment? • General crowd behavioural patterns? • Records of crowd-related incidents? • Records of spectator injuries? • Records of spectator complaints?
When did you last review, and if necessary revise your risk assessment?
Clubs would be on a very sticky wicket should somebody die due to an accident because of persistent standing in a seated area. It's obvious that it is not as safe to stand in these areas as it would be in a purpose built safe standing zone. That should be the aim and then most would be happy.
Considering the legislation it seems strange that any club can give a nod and a wink to a small area to be able to stand and still get a safety certificate. This then leads to the problem we have at the moment. ie if they can stand then why cant I ? If that then gets out of hand and the standing spreads then the clubs are in danger of being sanctioned and so tell their stewards or security to clamp down on it. They then have to try to make an example of some people to try to curb the spread of the standing into other areas. Who are they going to make an example of ? The easiest to remove without a fracas. Seems to me they are between a rock and a hard place. Although, as I said earlier there are certain people to whom you give a high viz vest and they become power pissed. I picture Prestwich Blue wearing one in the mod room ;-)