FAQs

General

What is a designated ground?

How do I apply for a ground to be designated or de-designated?

What does Zone Ex mean?

Licensing

What is the purpose of the SGSA licence?

Which grounds require the SGSA licence?

Policing at Sports Grounds

On what basis do the police attend events at the ground?

What does the legislation on sports ground safety say about policing?

What is the statement of intent?

Is the statement of intent a request for police services?

What happens if there is a dispute between the ground management and the police over payment?

For what can the police charge?

What was the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Reading Festival Limited v West Yorkshire Police (the Mean Fiddler case)?

What was the judgment of the Court in Greater Manchester Police v Wigan Athletic?

Safety Certification

What is a safety certificate?

What does the legislation on sports ground safety say about conditions in the safety certificate issued by the local authority?

What is a regulated stand?

How do I calculate the safe capacity of a ground?

What parts of the ground should be covered by the safety certificate?

Should a safety certificate include a requirement for the holder to produce a traffic management plan?

Why does the SGSA continue to advise that changes to safety certificates must be advertised in the local press?

Does the requirement to advertise changes to safety certificates extend to advertising changes made to an operations manual?

Is an Operations Manual held by a public authority (such as the SGSA or a Local Authority) covered by the Freedom of Information Act?

What is the SGSA role at FA cup matches where a Premier or Football League club are drawn away to non-league opposition?

Which events at a sports ground should be covered by the provisions of a safety certificate?

Safety Management

Where can I find information about the tests and inspections to be undertaken by ground management before and after an event?

Who is in charge in the control point / control room?

I’m a new Safety Officer, what do I need to know?

Stewarding

Stewarding and SIA Licence

What are the National Occupational Standards for Spectator Safety?

If a steward is in the process of undertaking their training, assessment and qualification are they allowed to work in a sports ground?

Structural Safety

When should the first annual inspection and structural appraisal be undertaken at a new, or recently completed, stadia?

Should the auxiliary power supply at a sports ground be capable of supplying the entire load for a minimum of three hours or is it sufficient to provide an auxiliary power supply to just the safety related installations?

What action should ground management take to ensure that concourses remain free of slip hazards?

Legislation

To which events does the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 apply?

General

Does the SGSA endorse any particular companies or products?

The SGSA worked with companies to provide the best understanding and advice to people working in sports grounds safety.  However we do not recommend or endorse any products or services.