Understanding Stewarding at Spectator Events

This course equips you with the knowledge required to achieve a Level 2 RQF qualification in Understanding Stewarding at Spectator Events. It may also be used to develop the knowledge required for the level 2 NVQ certificate in spectator safety qualification.

There are numerous events every year that requires stewards, such as football matches, festivals, concerts or car races for controlling spectator movement. This course is meant for anyone who wants to work as a steward or learn about event safety and crowd management. It is also beneficial for security officers, crowd marshals, police officers and managers who are responsible for crowd control.

You will learn how to control the entry, exit and movement of people at spectator events, monitor spectators and deal with crowd problems, and deal with emergencies. After successful completion of this course, learners can pursue a career in Stage Pit Operation, Event Safety, Incident Response or Crowd Safety Management.

Regulations

There are several pieces of legislation about sports ground safety.

• The Sports Grounds Safety Act of 1975

The Secretary of State (for Media and Sport) can designate any sports ground with a seating capacity of more than 10,000 spectators as requiring a safety certificate to admit spectators under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975. Local governments are also empowered under the 1975 Act to provide such safety certifications to certify that sports grounds are safe.

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Clubs must take reasonable precautions to ensure that spectators are not exposed to health and safety dangers under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act. Failure to do so is a criminal offence. If a fan is hurt due to a club's failure to avert a known safety risk is a violation of the act.

• Football Spectators Act 1989

The Football Spectators Act of 1989 regulated spectator admissions to specific football matches in England and Wales. The Football Spectators Order 2000 defines this as matches held in international stadiums and Premier League and English Football League facilities.

• Sports Grounds Safety Authority Act 2011

The Sports Ground Safety Authority Act 2011 established the SGSA, which took over the FLA's roles and responsibilities and added an advising role for general safety at sports grounds outside of England for sports other than football.

• Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007

Suppose a fan is killed due to significant management failings resulting in a gross breach of a duty of care. In that case, a club might face prosecution and maximum fines under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. This might be important if there was a systemic safety failure at a stadium that the club's management was aware of but did nothing about.

Accreditations - CPD and Highfield

Our Understanding Stewarding at Spectator Events course is accredited by Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Highfield. The modules of this basic life-support training are based on the Spectators Safety syllabus provided by the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ). 

Facts and Figures

Around 15 million people attend various sporting events every year. Death of spectators happens primarily in hockey and baseball.

The security industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the UK, with stewards being used at a variety of spectator events with more than 620,000 employees. It may also explain why there are around 400,000 people within the UK holding a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence.