Crowd Barrier Testing

Specialist Technical Services (U.K) Limited offers a wide range of services in the stadium and barrier control testing area, undertaking testing, assessments and giving advice on all matters of crowd control. Ensuring safety and compliance in stadiums, arenas, and event spaces is critical. STS Group provides comprehensive crowd barrier testing to help safeguard large-scale events, offering services tailored to the unique needs of stadiums, indoor arenas, and festival grounds across the UK and Europe.

Why Crowd Barrier Testing Matters

Following past disasters strict guidelines have been put in place to ensure all sports stadiums, and any other arenas that attract large crowds, conform to set standards to protect the general public. Crowd barriers are essential for maintaining safety during events. Load testing and inspections confirm the structural integrity of barriers, ensuring they are fit for purpose and compliant with safety guidelines.

Our Services

Crowd/crush barriers play a key part in crowd control and safety for a vast array of situations, crowd control barrier that require testing include, but not limited to are:

• Football & Rugby Stadiums
• Athletics Tracks
• Indoor Arenas
• Festival Crown Control
• Motorsport Tracks/Arenas
• Temporary Barrier Protection

Load testing and inspections are an essential part for ensuring that the system in place is fit for purpose. Testing undertaken by STS-UK Group can confirm that the systems are appropriate and safe; part of the service offered also inspects and advises if any systems are not acceptable for the task.

Expert Testing Aligned with Industry Standards

With regards to sporting stadiums The Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds published in 2018 - this document is the up-to-date reference guide for testing requirements within in sporting grounds, and the likes-of, where any public crowds may congregate.

The Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) is the UK Government's advisor on safety at sports grounds and a world leader in safety. They provide independent, expert advice, based on over three decades of experience in making football in England and Wales a safe and enjoyable experience for spectators. They use experience to advise and support other sports and related industries in the UK and internationally.

Following an assumed successful trail period, the UK Government announced the introduction of safe standing areas within stadiums for the 2022/23 seasons, onwards. STS-UK were proud to be involved with the exclusive third-party on-site installation testing of such new safety designs, undertaking the testing for and on behalf of the initial adopters within some of the top clubs of the first two divisions of football in England and Wales.

For the requirement of such testing, and maintenance a recent publication of The Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds, Supplementary Guidance 01: Safe standing in seated areas - Second edition. Published in July 2022, now outlines the main criteria under this scope; and as such any stadium wishing to install such areas, must apply for an appropriate license from the Sports Ground Safety Association (SGSA). Along with ensuring the criteria outlined within the above document has been adhered to.

One of the criteria's, refer to the action of the barriers being able to demonstrate that the structural design and the methods of fixing of all new independent barriers or seats incorporating barriers, meet the loadings set out in Figure 14 of the “Green Guide”, before spectators are admitted to the area in question. Thereafter, all such barriers should form part of both the management's planned maintenance programme, and its schedule for structural inspections and testing. (Further Information - SG01 2.3, Figure SG01 2, Figure SG01 3 and SG01 2.3h).

Experience You Can Trust

STS-UK Group has vast experience in testing of sporting stadiums and crowd control systems. Competent experienced Technicians, using high accuracy electronic load and displacement devices to ensure that all testing is undertaken to an extremely high standard, working with the client to ensure the safety of any persons using the facilities.

Contact Us

Need expert crowd barrier testing services for your stadium, arena, or event venue? STS Group is here to help. Our experienced team offers reliable, compliant, and professional solutions tailored to your needs across the UK and Europe.

Whether you need a quote, detailed information about our services, or guidance on compliance with industry standards, our team is ready to assist. Ensure the safety and success of your events with STS Group's trusted testing solutions. For further information or a quotation on Crowd Barrier Testing please contact us.