How the Capacity of Edgar Street is Determined

In his latest interview with BBC Hereford and Worcester Graham Turner mentioned the Green Guide which is a 100 page plus publication giving details about safety issues at sports grounds.

Turner said that the capacity at Edgar Street had been reduced because of safety issues and could be reduced further.

According to the Guide, the way the capacity at sports ground is determined is subject to four criteria.

a. the holding capacity
b. the entry capacity
c. the exit capacity
d. the emergency evacuation capacity

The final capacity of the ground will be determined by whichever is the
lowest figure of the four criteria.

a. The holding capacity of the section:

This is the number of people that can be safely accommodated in each section.
In the case of seats, this will be determined by the actual number of seats, less any that cannot be used safely owing to seriously restricted views or their inadequate condition.
In the case of a standing area, this will be determined by a number of features, including crush barrier strengths and layouts and areas which offer restricted views.
The physical condition of these areas is also taken into account.

b. The entry capacity of the section:

The entry capacity is the number of people who can pass through all the turnstiles and other entry points serving the section, within a period of one hour.

c. The exit capacity of the section:

This is the number of people that can safely exit from the viewing area of the section under normal conditions.

d. The emergency evacuation capacity:

This is determined by the emergency evacuation time, which is based largely on the level of risk of the section and its associated emergency evacuation routes. The emergency evacuation capacity is the number of people that can safely negotiate the emergency evacuation routes and reach a place of safety within that set time.

e. The final capacity:

Having established all the above figures, the final capacity of the section, and thence of the whole ground, will be determined by whichever is the lowest figure arrived at for (a), (b), (c) or (d).

Meanwhile the Green Guide has a section on Emergency evacuation times. (Hereford United have said they will have a fire evacuation exercise this evening at half time during the friendly against Bristol City)

The emergency evacuation time is a calculation which, together with the rate of passage, is used to determine the capacity of the emergency exit system from the viewing accommodation to a place of safety or reasonable safety, in the event of an emergency.
The maximum emergency evacuation time for sports grounds varies between two and half minutes and eight minutes.
The time set depends largely on the level of fire risk present. Spectator accommodation which has a high fire risk should have an emergency exit capacity based on an emergency evacuation time of not more than two and a half minutes. A longer emergency evacuation time, of between two and a half minutes and eight minutes, is acceptable for grounds or parts of grounds where the fire risk is reduced.
However rather than relying solely on a short emergency evacuation time, the aim should always be to introduce measures which will minimise the outbreak and spread of fire.

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