BLEACHER SAFETY INSPECTION
Contact us at (512) 521-1573 or
E-Mail: selcojohnson@gmail.com
The Consumer Products Safety Commission, the NFPA, and the ICC have issued guidelines for establishing bleacher safety standards for telescopic bleachers and grandstands. These guidelines require facilities and local governments to provide for annual bleacher safety inspections to assure that bleachers meet structural and safety requirements.
Bleacher Safety Inspection Checklist:
1. Inspect bleachers for indications of damage, wear and
misalignment prior to use.
2. Inspect bleachers for any dangerous or hazardous conditions.
3. Use only trained personnel to open and close bleachers following instructions provided in the owner’s manual.
4. Any opening between the components in the seating, such as between the footboard, seat board and riser should prevent passage of a four-inch diameter sphere.
5. Inspect guardrails at the top and open ends of bleachers where the toe footboard, seat board or aisle is 30 inches or more above the ground.
6. Inspect access steps to seating including handrails for support.
7. Inspect underneath of bleachers for improper storage and for combustible materials.
8. Inspect for adequate bearing provided? (The structure must bear uniformly on the floor or ground in a manner so as to safely support the structure.)
9. Inspect the welds, cross bracing, and fasteners.
10. Inspect for proper signage.
Selco offers an initial free visual bleacher safety inspection and evaluation of your current assembly seating along with the cost of any needed repairs or enhancements.
In 2012, there were more than 12,000 bleacher-associated injuries requiring emergency room treatment, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Thirty-two percent of those injuries were the result of falls from the bleachers onto a surface below. Serious injuries typically result from falls between seats, floorboards, and between guardrails. Bleacher safety inspection, repair and renovations would have prevented the majority of these accidents.