Safety in sports grounds

Sports venues over a certain spectator capacity must have a safety certificate issued by us. 

  • Premiership or Football League grounds with a spectator capacity over 5,000 people
  • Sports venues with a spectator capacity over 10,000 people
  • Any non-designated sports ground which contains a covered stand with a spectator capacity of more than 500

A general safety certificate will cover use of the stadium for certain specified activities. Other spectator related purposes will need a special safety certificate.

A safety certificate will set the permitted capacity for the sports ground and detailed terms and conditions which the ground management must comply with to operate the sports ground at its permitted capacity.

The sports ground management are responsible for the safety of spectators at all times.

Requirements of the certificate

Requirements in relation to sports grounds will include, but are not be restricted to:

  • Structural integrity of the stand/stadia
  • Provisions for means of escape
  • Adequate fire precautions
  • Emergency services co-ordination
  • Provision of suitable management strategies

Management strategies include:

  • stewarding
  • crowd control
  • match day safety arrangements
  • evacuation procedures
  • contingency plans

The certificate holder is under a legal obligation to comply with all terms and conditions contained within the certificate. Under the legislation the local authority has ongoing control and powers of enforcement to ensure reasonable standards of safety are maintained.

Sports grounds in Trafford

Currently, the following sports stadiums in Trafford hold a General Safety Certificate or Regulated Stand Certificate issued by us.

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.

SAGs are usually held twice a year and attended by representatives of 

  • the sports club management team
  • the Council
  • external agencies such as the emergency services

Our policies for reviewing and issuing of safety certificates, monitoring and inspections, and our safety in sports grounds enforcement policy are listed

Further information is available from the Sports Grounds Safety Authority website.

Contact us

If you have any questions or queries you can contact us by email or by post. 

  • Email: SGS@trafford.gov.uk
  • Post:Trafford Council, Regulatory Services, Trafford Town Hall, Talbot Road, Stretford M32 0TH