Risk Assessment

1. Background Information
School/Workplace: The Pennsylvania State University Date: 11/29/2022
Title of Penn State Vs. Ohio State Football Game Risk Assessment Name of Lee Gysen
Assessment: person
conducting
assessment:

Introduction:
On October 29, 2022, I attended the Penn State versus Ohio State football game at the Beaver Stadium. Effectively managing stadium
events is extremely complex, and there is a lot of risk involved not only for the guests, but also the hosts. While I enjoyed the game, I took note of
some things around the stadium that I believe can be hazardous to either the guests or the hosts of the game. The top five risks I noted were
terrorism, slip and fall injuries, food poisoning, aggressive actions from guests, and property damage. Many of the solutions to these risks were
simply design flaws, which cannot be fixed very easily. However, I have pointed out where I think extra measures could be taken to mitigate risk
more effectively during such a large event.

2. Risk Assessment
List Additional Controls (if any - where current controls
Identify and list Hazards List Current Risk Controls Risk Rating
are not adequately managing the level of risk)
1 Terrorism  Metal detectors upon entry  Very limited number of exits makes this
 No weapons of any kind E5

2. Risk Assessment
Identify and list Hazards
2 Slip and Fall Injuries
3 Food Poisoning
4 Aggressive or negligent action
by other guests
Risk Assessment Template
Risk Assessment
List Additional Controls (if any - where current controls
List Current Risk Controls Risk Rating
are not adequately managing the level of risk)
permitted, situation worse.
 Police in and around stadium Medium  Could implement Qualified Anti-
 Ambulance and fire truck on
standby
Terrorism Technologies to make them
 Mini hospital under stadium not liable for any act of terrorism under
the SAFETY act.
 Caution signs  Many stairways are very steep and if you
 Well maintained stairs and slip you could literally fall down them
handrails
B1 (this is a design flaw and is not easily
 Main crowd movement paths
are slopes and not stairs fixed).
 Mini hospital under stadium High  Guests could be asked to sign liability
to assist during event waiver to protect from these instances
 Alcohol vendors complete before entering stadium
RAMP certification and limit
amount of alcohol purchased
by buyers
 Manuals are provided to  Better supervision of vendors
organizations running
concessions and are held to
similar standards as B2
restaurants
 Vendors not allowed any Medium
outside food or drinks
 Records and receipts of all
food in stands and all food
sold
 Mini hospital under stadium
to assist with illness
 Vendors responsible for food
related illness caused by food
from their stand
 Police and other staff  Bathrooms and concessions are very
managing every location close which can create some tension
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2. Risk Assessment
Identify and list Hazards
5 Property Damage
6 Out of control crowd
7 Theft
8 Heart attack/ or similar
unforeseen health event
List Current Risk Controls
 Police on standby
 Staff trained to handle such
situations
 Police and other staff
managing every area
 Cameras cover every key
area
 As much close parking as
possible to minimize possible
vandalism
 Tailgates are adequately
managed and policed by staff
 Police and staff present and
managing every area
 Crowds sectioned off
 Certain places blocked off to
guests
 Some areas only accessible
by certain guests or staff
members
 Police and staff present in all
areas containing guests
 Temporary police stations set
up outside and around
stadium
 AEDs located throughout
stadium
 Police and staff managing all
areas
List Additional Controls (if any - where current controls
Risk Rating
are not adequately managing the level of risk)
B3 between people.
Medium  Bathrooms can also get overcrowded.
 Could have better enforcement of
alcohol sales to intoxicated people.
 Could advertise the penalties for
aggressive behaviour
 Could advertise the penalties for
vandalism
A2
Medium
 Could utilize liability waiver to transfer
risk away from stadium
B3
Medium
 Could advertise the penalty for theft and
A1 make the risk more well known
Medium
 Could also include this in a liability
waiver
 Could also train staff for these situations
D2
Extreme

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2. Risk Assessment
Identify and list Hazards
9 Fire
1 Faulty Building Structures
0 throughout stadium
List Additional Controls (if any - where current controls
List Current Risk Controls Risk Rating
are not adequately managing the level of risk)
 Small hospital under stadium
 First responders spread out
in and around stadium
 Emergency exits located  Keep detailed records of sprinkler and
everywhere fire alarm testing if not done already
 Clear signage locating
emergency exits
 Multiple routes to exit C3
 Fire sprinklers everywhere Medium
necessary
 Fire alarms located
throughout stadium
 Fire department on standby
outside stadium
 Many exits located  Detailed records of maintenance if not
C5 done already
 Clear marked emergency Low
exits
 Constant maintenance of
facility

Conclusion:
Football games at Beaver Stadium can be extremely wild. However, the people here at Penn State are professionals and do a great job at
mitigating risk in their home stadium. This made it hard to point out flaws in their system because they are very successful in their efforts. While this
risk assessment barely scratches the surface of all that goes into an event of this size, we can get a picture of some of the larger considerations the
planners of these events must consider.

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1. Consequence - Evaluate the consequences of a risk occurring according to 2. Likelihood - Evaluate the likelihood of an incident occurring according to the
the ratings in the top row ratings in the left hand column

Descriptor Level Definition Descriptor Level Definition

Insignificant A No injury
Rare 1 May occur somewhere, sometime (“once in a life time /
Minor B Injury/ ill health requiring first aid once in a hundred years”)

Moderate C Injury/ill health requiring medical Unlikely 2 May occur somewhere within the Department over an
attention extended period of time

Major D Injury/ill health requiring hospital Possible 3 May occur several times across the Department or a
admission region over a period of time

Severe E Fatality Likely 4 May be anticipated multiple times over a period of time
May occur once every few repetitions of the activity or
event
3. Risk Matrix – Using the matrix calculate the level of risk by finding the
Almost 5 Prone to occur regularly
intersection between the likelihood and the consequences
Certain It is anticipated for each repetition of the activity of event
Likelihood Consequence
4. Risk Level/Rating and Actions
Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Severe
A B C D E Descripto Definition
Almost Medium High Extreme Extreme Extreme r
Certain 1
Likely Medium Medium High Extreme Extreme Extreme: Notify Workplace Manager and/or Management OHS
2 Nominee immediately. Corrective actions should be taken
Possible Low Medium Medium High Extreme immediately. Cease associated activity.
3 High: Notify Workplace Manager and/or Management OHS
Unlikely Low Low Medium Medium High Nominee immediately. Corrective actions should be taken
4 within 48 hours of notification.
Rare Low Low Low Medium Medium Medium: Notify Nominated employee, HSR / HSC. Nominated
5 employee, OHS Representative / HSC is to follow up that
corrective action is taken within 7 days.
Low Notify Nominated employee, HSR / HSC. Nominated
employee, HSR / HSC is to follow up that corrective action is
taken within a reasonable time.
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