The guide contains the collected knowledge of people who are experienced in managing and advising on programme safety. It can be used as a guide when you are planning your programme, activity or event, completing a recce, carrying out risk assessments, managing the activities, or reviewing your existing risk assessment.
It is not infallible or a substitute for original thinking - it's simply an aide memoir and information resource based on current legislation and best practice.
Sports staff can also refer to the Journalism Safety Guide (JSG) for common activities. Copies of the JSG can be downloaded or obtained in hard copy from the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Safety Advice Line.
Are You Using the Safety App?
In areas of the business such as production, radio or sport the Safety App can be used:
- to record changes to your risk assessment in a dynamic way
- during a recce to record issues, hazards and controls which you need to cover in your risk assessment
For High Risk Activities you must still contact the High Risk team for advice and support.
Further Advice and Feedback
If you canβt find what you are looking for or need more advice and are working on a ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ production, then contact your safety advisor or the safety advice line.
If you have any comments or suggestions for additional guide pages then please email the Safety Advice line.
How to use the Sports Safety Guide
Unlike the Journalism Safety Guide, this guide is not based on generic risk assessments. The guide forms the basis of useful information to consider when YOU are carrying out a risk assessment. For simple and repetitive tasks, local generic risk assessments exist and should be followed.
When planning any production, event or activity you should consider the resources needed and the steps youβll need to take to manage the potential risk.
Youβll find guidance to help you with the planning stages in several pages of this guide, such as:
- Selection and Managing Production Contractors
- Monitoring and Supervision
- Location Safety
- Sports Safety guide Training
As you work up your plans, schedules and staffing requirements youβll need to start the more detailed planning, develop the risk assessments and decide how youβll remove or manage the risks.
If you canβt find what you want or you need more help or advice, if you are working on a ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ production, event or activity you can call contact the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Safety advice line, or contact your safety advisor directly.
If your production has any elements that are high risk, you should contact the directly.
Sport events always take place in non-ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ locations, therefore there is a requirement when two or more employers share a workplace that they MUST coordinate their health and safety. Monitoring will ensure this is taking place and identify any gaps.
Sport Specific Production
For all events, particularly with multiple sites β ask the question βwho is in charge?β Someone competent must be designated as taking overall responsibility.
Where a special event for a sport e.g. a Cup Final is to broadcast it is more than likely that the type of coverage provided will be quite unique and vary considerably from the standard coverage normally carried out for that particular sport.
The differences can include (but not exclusively);
- Extra cameras and broadcasting positions
- Multiple OB sites
- Additional temporary structures being installed for broadcast positions
- Specialist broadcast equipment utilised
- Aerial filming
- On-site studio facilities
- Increase in on-site staffing requirements
- Use of vehicles to enhance the sport coverage
- Increase in the quantity and type of on-site broadcast vehicles required
- Special effects (fireworks/pyrotechnics) used by event organiser affecting location safety
- Use of unfamiliar locations
- Changes to fire and emergency arrangements/provision
- Increase in welfare provision requirements
Any of these (and others that become apparent) need to be considered when planning coverage from the event and in some cases will require a specific risk assessment produced to cover just that activity, depending upon the level of risk involved and the assessment undertaken.
Specialist broadcast equipment
New techniques of providing unique sport coverage are being developed constantly. Some examples of the specialist equipment available to broadcasters include;
- SegWayΒ© (mobile camera platform)
- Camera car
- Pole cameras
- Underwater camera
- Ariel camera (wired and/or rigged)
- Helmet cameras
- Boat cameras
- Aerial filming βpodβ cameras
- βBeauty-shot camerasβ
- Remote control cameras
The majority of these will be provided via contractors to a production and will therefore require a separate risk assessment and possibly a method statement to be provided as well.
It is important that the production ensure that all the requirements for the Control of contractors are met and that there are no health and safety issues left unaddressed.
Sport Specific Activities
A to Z Activities list for sport specific activities covered in the Sport Safety Guide.
Animals in Sport
Athletics
Contact Sports
Indoor Events
Motor Sport / Stadia Sport
Water Sports
Winter Sports
Training
All staff should complete the mandatory training for your job role. Refer to your line manager.
The following are production risk specific:
- All sports staff working in close proximity to crowds e.g. boxing, rugby, cricket, football, etc. should consider the need for attendance at our Working in Crowds training course
- All staff working for the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ in countries designated hostile environments must complete the Hostile Environment and First Aid course and refreshers (HEFAT).
- All staff who regularly work in noisy events e.g. motor sport, boxing, rugby, cricket, football should have their need for noise protection assessed by a competent person
- Additional related learning and links to health and safety training have been included following each topic. Training should be discussed with your Line Manager in relation to the productions you are sent on.
- Those who complete and authorise risk assessment for coverage of sporting events should complete a relevant mandatory training course, such as the Safe Management of TV or Radio Productions, or News Assignment and Location Safety course (NALS).
- Freelancers and international staff without access to Gateway β please talk to your UK contact.
Safety Training courses
Training resources are under regular development β check the course list given in our safety guideline 'Training and Competence: Safety'.
A-Z Activities - Sport
A to Z list of activities included in the Sports Safety Guide
A - E
- Aerial Filming and Airfields
- Airfields - Small
- Animals: Displaying and handling for performance
- Asbestos Management on Location
- Audience and Visitor Security
- Banned Airlines
- Batteries on Productions
- Boats: Working on
- Broadcast Vehicles
- Broadcast: Presentation and Linking Positions
- Children and Young People
- Demonstrations, Protests and Crowds
- Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
- Driving
- Electrical Equipment and Systems
F - L
- Fires - Buildings and Bushfires
- First Aid and Welfare on Location
- Health Hazards on Location
- Lone Working
M - R
- Manual Handling
- Noise at Work
- Non-Ionising Radiation
- OB Venue Rigging
- Pregnancy
- Press Conferences
- Pressure and Stress
- Psychological Trauma and PTSD
S - Z
- Security (on Location)
- Slips and Trips
- Sports Events: Recording or Filming
- Tiredness and Fatigue
- Vehicles: Recording in, from and around
- Vehicles used in Sports Coverage
- Violence and Aggression
- Water: Working On or Near
- Weather Conditions
- Working at Height: General
- Working at Height: Gantries & High Level Platforms
- Working at Height: Ladder Pods
- Working at Height: Ladders
- Working at Height: Mobile Elevating Work Platforms
- Working at Height: Rope Access Techniques
- Working at Height: Scaffolding (tubular type)
- Working at Height: Tower Scaffolds
Safety tools, guides and contacts
- The new online tool for Risk Assessments, incidents and monitoring (NOTE: Use Google Chrome for Windows or Safari for MAC to fully access)
- Safety Equipment StoresJust one number to call: 0844 800 8875
- ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Safety GuidelinesAccess our A-Z of safety guidelines
- Safety Advice Line: 0370 411 0464 Email: safety@bbc.co.uk
Events guidance - key links:
- Exhibitions
- General Guidance
- Indoor Location Recce Checklist
- Outdoor Location Recce Checklist
- Major Incidents & Emergency Planning
- Marketing and Promotional
- Noise Exposure
- Planning and Management
- Responsibilities
- Responsibilities Form
- Laser Lighting Effects
- Strobe Lighting
- Temporary Stages and Rostra
Health topics - key links:
- (ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ network only)
- Contributors Fitness to Participate
- Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
- (ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ network only)
- First Aid and Welfare on Location
- International Travel - Risks & Health
- Manual Handling
- Mental Health: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔpage
- (ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ network only)
- Personal Health and Wellbeing
- Pregnancy
- Psychological Trauma Support & Trauma Risk Management (TRiM)
- Tiredness and Fatigue
- Travel Health Contacts
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ High Risk - key links:
- CBRN and Industrial Spills
- Covert Filming
- Crisis Management and Security Support
- Demonstrations, Protests and Crowds
- Disaster Coverage
- Door Stepping
- (ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ network only)
- (ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ network only)
- Public Order
- Safety Equipment Stores
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Journalism - key links:
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Productions - key links:
- Aerial Filming and Airfields
- Animals: Displaying and handling for performance
- Boats: Working on
- Children and Young People
- Driving
- Electrical Equipment and Systems
- First Aid and Welfare on Location
- Food Safety (Cooking and Catering)
- Remote Location Working
- Roads and Streets: Working by
- Security of Productions on Location
- Stunts
- Tiredness and Fatigue
- Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS aka Drones)
- Vehicles: Recording in, from and around
- Working at Height: Mobile Elevating Work Platforms
- Working at Height: Tower Scaffolds
- (ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Network only)
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Security - key links:
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Sport - key links:
About this site
This site describes what the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ does in relation to managing its health, safety and security risks and is intended for those who work directly for the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ.
It is not intended to provide instruction or guidance on how third parties should manage their risks. The ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ cannot be held liable for how this information is interpreted or used by third parties, nor provide any assurance that adopting it would provide any measure of legal compliance. More information
Some links on this site are only accessible when connected to the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ network