Health and safety at sports grounds

Safeguarding the safety and wellbeing of spectators visiting sports grounds, whether for sporting occasions or other events such as pop concerts, is governed by the provisions of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 (as amended).

We enforce this legislation in partnership with other agencies such as the police, fire and ambulance services.

Wembley stadium

We are responsible for ensuring that the country's national stadium, Wembley Stadium, which opened in the summer of 2007, is of safe design and construction, and has a management structure that meets the demands, terms and conditions required to obtain and hold a safety certificate.

Large complex buildings used for major sports events and with a capacity of 10,000 or more spectators, require a safety certificate under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975.

Smaller sports grounds with covered stands and a capacity of 500 or more spectators, also require a safety certificate under the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987.

Other sports grounds which don't need a certificate, should ensure that people working at the ground (as well as spectators) are not put at risk. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, protects people using these buildings as well as those working in larger certificated venues.

Safety advisory group (SAG)

In the final report of the inquiry into the Hillsborough stadium disaster, Lord Justice Taylor recommended that each local authority set up an advisory group (now generally known as a safety advisory group - SAG).

The purpose of a SAG is to assist the local authority in exercising its functions. The group consists of appropriate members of its own staff together with representatives of the police, fire and ambulance services. In addition, representatives from Wembley Stadium form an essential part of the group and are regularly consulted, as are other organisations as and when appropriate.

The Wembley Stadium SAG operates under agreed terms of reference which were prepared in consultation with SAG member authorities.