Bleacher safety is a year round concern.  The bleachers in this picture look like a lot of those on many school facilities. In other words, they don’t look too bad until you look a little more closely.

These don’t seem too much cause for concern until you realize that the Consumer Product Safety Commission and many codes require safety rails on the back of these bleachers.  In addition, rails are needed on all rows that are 30 inches above the ground, so several aisles in this picture need safety protection.

The guardrails that go on these bleachers have to be at least 42″ above the adjacent seat board, footboard or aisle.

Once you get above 30″ then nothing bigger than  a 4″ sphere is allowed to pass through any gap in the bleachers. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, “the 4-inch opening recommendation is based on anthropometric data showing that 95% of all children 4 months of age and older would be prevented from completely passing through a 4-inch opening.”

On the bleacher in this picture, you can see that one of the seat planks is wobbly and could cause a tripping hazard.

Finally, if that is not enough, note the missing end caps that result in sharp edges that can cut skin and rip clothing.

By the way, those are outdoor bleachers in this picture but this is the best time to prepare for Spring Sports so that no day in 2016 slides by without safety being a top concern in your facilities.

If you have questions about this, or bleacher inspections just fill out the form below or give us a call at 888-399-4999.