Sports grounds and stadia require fire safety design that accounts for massive crowd numbers, limited escape routes, and the need for rapid mass evacuation.. Sports Ground Fire Safety The Bradford City fire of 1985, killing 56 spectators, led to the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 (amended) and comprehensive safety standards that continue to evolve. The Green Guide Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (6th edition 2018): Published jointly by SGSA, DCMS, and Sport England Provides guidance on all aspects of spectator safety including fire Used by local authorities to set General Safety Certificate conditions Covers permanent venues, temporary structures, and events Capacity Calculations Capacity is determined by the most restrictive of: S factor — seating provision P factor — physical condition of viewing accommodation E factor — entry capacity through turnstiles/gates Exit (T) factor — exit capacity and evacuation time The exit factor is directly related to fire safety — the time for all spectators to reach a place of safety determines maximum capacity. 8 Minute Evacuation The Green Guide requires that all spectators can reach a place of reasonable safety within 8 minutes of an emergency. This translates to: Exit gate widths of minimum 1.1m per unit width Flow rate of 660 persons per unit width per 8 minutes Progressive reduction in density through vomitories and concourses Assembly areas (place of reasonable safety) at adequate distance from stands Fire Safety Specifics Stand construction: Modern stands typically concrete/steel — good inherent fire resistance Timber terracing still exists at lower league grounds — significant fire risk Undercraft areas (below stands) used for storage, hospitality, retail — require compartmentation Hospitality areas: Conference and banqueting facilities within stands Kitchen fire risks serving matchday hospitality Sleeping accommodation (hotel rooms) in some modern stadia Different fire safety requirements to general spectator areas Concourse areas: Food and beverage outlets with cooking equipment High density pedestrian flow restricting emergency access Multiple use (entry, exit, circulation, commercial) creating conflicting requirements For sports ground fire engineering, contact Magnus Opifex. Magnus Opifex SEVEN LTD — UK's Leading Fire Safety & Fire Engineering Consultancy 🌐 magnus opifex.co.uk 📞 +44 7486 691724 ✉️ office@magnus opifex.co.uk Founders: Nicoleta Vasile, Baroness of Brattleby — CEO, Lawyer and Barrister, Legal & Administrative Director Alina — Technical Director & Expert Fire Engineer (BEng) Head Office: Ealing Cross, 85 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5BW Magnus Opifex SEVEN LTD delivers engineering led fire engineering, fire risk assessments, CFD modelling, and building safety consultancy across the United Kingdom and internationally. With over 20 years of combined experience and a UK portfolio spanning healthcare, residential and infrastructure, we bring truly engineered solutions with a personal touch. © 2026 Magnus Opifex SEVEN LTD. All rights reserved.