G4S Safety and Security Audit
24 January 2011
January 20, 2011, Security Solutions Company G4S Kenya has made several recommendations to enhance Safety and Security in all Kenya Premier League stadia across the country.
This follows an audit commissioned by the Kenya Premier League (KPL), on six local stadia, in the wake of a stampede on October 23, 2010 during a highly-charged Kenyan Premier League football match pitting Gor Mahia and arch-rivals AFC Leopards at the Nyayo National Stadium where five fans died and scores were injured.
The recommendations made in a report titled, “Kenya Football Stadia Safety and Security Survey Interim Report,” include hiring a safety officer and constructing a control room; staffing each stadia with more staff to alleviate pressures on police forces; and installing a PA system to enable effective communication with fans inside and outside stadiums.
Further the four man KPL/G4S technical team, tasked with conducting the audit recommends that training be provided to all security and turnstile operators to understand the stadia operations; tickets should be sold away from the stadia at secure locations, and not on match days to avoid stampedes; where feasible all stadia should have seats and a security perimeter fence should be erected around all the stadiums to stop illegal entry and subsequent loss of revenue.
Speaking during the handing-over of the report, G4S Kenya managing director John Wheater said the security firm was keen on working with all stakeholders to ensure that the safety of football fans is guaranteed.
“It is my hope that these recommendations will be implemented and G4S looks forward to engaging with the government and Kenya Premier League to deliver the solutions required,” he said.
Wheater explained the firm was committed to assisting the KPL in bringing the game of football to international standards and which he said starts with the security of the fans.
“At G4S we have over 25 years of high profile event security and management spanning pre-event Risk, Health and Safety Analysis, Disaster Management, Planning and Execution, Event security Staffing and even match ticketing solutions and which as you know we have executed many times on behalf of the KPL”, said, Wheater.
In the UK, G4S that is the largest security group in the world provides match day security for numerous top flight clubs with attendances of up to 52,000. G4S also secures high profile events such as the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and Superstar concerts at the O2 Arena.
The firm now hopes to provide thought leadership in reviewing stadiums used for KPL games and providing a safety assessment and action plan going forward as the country anticipates the start of the KPL 2011 Season.
You can down load the report on here:G4S Kenya Stadia Security Audit
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About G4S
G4S is the world’s leading security solutions group, which specialises
in outsourcing of business processes in sectors where security and safety
risks are considered a strategic threat. G4S is the largest employer quoted
on the London Stock Exchange and has a secondary stock exchange listing in Copenhagen.
G4S has operations in more than 110 countries and over 595,000 employees.
For more information on G4S, visit www.g4s.com.