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Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide)

Purchase your copy of the Green Guide here.

Safety at sports grounds is achieved by establishing a balance between good management and good design.

The Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (also known as the Green Guide) is the world’s foremost guidance on achieving this goal.

A fundamental principle of the Guide is that responsibility for all people present in a sports ground lies at all times with the ground management. 

The Green Guide details the assessment of a ground’s safe capacity. It outlines how to calculate the entry, holding, exit and emergency exit capacities. 

It also details the requirements for the safe movement of people in, out and around the stadium, including:

  • Circulation, including ingress, egress, vertical circulation and concourses;
  • Structures and installations, including barriers and separating elements and spectator accommodation (both seated and standing);
  • Importance of effective systems including communications and control issues and mechanical and electrical installations; and
  • Specific issues, including fire safety, medical and first aid provision, and media provision.

It’s used around the world by architects and designers as a best practice guide for the development and refurbishment of stadiums.  The latest (sixth) edition offers expert advice and technical specifications on ensuring a safe environment for spectators.

The Green Guide is supported by supplementary guidance:

  • Supplementary Guidance 01: Safe Standing in Seated Areas
  • Supplementary Guidance 03: Event Safety Management

(To note, Supplementary Guidance 02 was created to calculate capacity using social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Purchase the Green Guide

The Green Guide is available to purchase in two formats – printed edition sent directly through the post and a digital edition available for immediate download. You can also purchase a bundle of both the printed and digital editions.

Purchasing FAQs

Yes. We use Eventbrite as our booking system.  On the order page there is a drop down box on the payment method, where you can select pay by invoice.  The invoice will then be sent separately.

Alternatively, please contact monica.gameiro@sgsa.org.uk or andrea.jones@sgsa.org.uk and we’ll send an invoice through directly.

We have discounts available for purchasing multiple hard copies:

  • 15-49 – 10% discount
  • 50-99 – 15% discount
  • 100+ – 20% discount

To make a bulk order, please contact info@sgsa.org.uk.

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