GOALPOST SAFETY SCHEME
Cornwall FA has been making football pitch providers in the county aware of the safety issues concerning goalposts. A number of accidents, including fatalities, have prompted the following guidelines and advice to be issued by the FA.
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For safety reasons goalposts of any size (including those which are portable and not installed permanently at a pitch or practice field) must always be anchored securely to the ground
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Portable goalposts must be secured as per the manufacturer’s instructions
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Under no circumstances should children or adults be allowed to climb on, swing or play with the structure of the goalposts
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Particular attention is drawn to the fact that if not properly assembled and secured, portable goalposts may overturn
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Regular inspections of goalposts must be carried out to check that they are properly maintained
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Portable goalposts should not be left in place after use. They should be dismantled and removed to a place of secure storage.
The use of metal cup hooks on goals will be banned from the commencement of season 2007/08 and match officials will be instructed not to commence matches where such net fixings are evident for safety reasons. Nets should only be secured by plastic hooks or tape and not by metal cup hooks. Any metal cup hooks should be removed and replaced. New goalposts should not be purchased if they include metal cup hooks.
Goalposts which are “home made” or which have been altered from their original size or construction should not be used. These have been the cause of a number of deaths and injuries.
There is no BS/CEN standard for wooden goals and it is unlikely that wooden goals will pass a load or stability test. The FA recommends that wooden goals should be replaced when necessary with compliant metal, aluminium or plastic goalposts. All wooden goals previously tested by independent consultants have failed strength and stability tests.
The Football Foundation has been supporting the replacement of goalposts and the county has supported 35 organisations in successful applications to the Foundation. Grants for up to 50% of the costs of replacement goalposts are available for the following:
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pre-1996 i.e. before British Standards were produced
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metal cup hooks on posts and crossbars
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wooden
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freestanding
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Mini-Soccer goals which are now incomplete, corroded or rusted
Please contact development@cornwallfa.com for more details, advice and an application form or phone 01726 74080.
The following clubs and schools have made successful applications to the Goalpost Safety Scheme
Altarnon FC Blue Anchor FC Budehaven Community School Chacewater Youth FC Crowan Parish Council Culdrose Youth FC Delaware CP School East Caradon Rangers FC Foxhole Stars AFC Godolphin Atlantic AFC Gorran Youth Activities Club Hayle Community School Illogan RBL JFC Kilkhampton AFC Lanivet CP School Luxulyan School Marazion Blues FC Mawgan United FC Mevagissey FC Morwenstow AFC Mounts Bay School Newmoor Rovers FC Newquay Youth Centre FC North Cornwall District Council Pencalenick Special School Penrice Community College Penwith District Council Penzance AFC Perranporth AFC Perranwell FC Porthleven FC Probus FC Roche FC Ruan Minor FC Sennen Sports Association St Anns Chapel FC St Blazey AFC St Breock CP School St Erme Playing Fields St Ives School St Ives Town AFC St Just FC St Mark's CE School St Newlyn East AFC The Lizard Argyle FC Torpoint Community College Treleigh CP School Wadebridge CP School Wadebridge Town AFC Wendron United FC
The above projects cost £39,009.88 of which £19,419.00 was in Football Foundation grants.
www.footballfoundation.org.uk |
