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The Football Association, along with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Health and Safety Executive and the British Standards Institution, would like to draw your attention to the following guidelines for the safe use of goalposts. Too many serious injuries and fatalities have occurred in recent years as a result of unsafe or incorrect use of goalposts. Safety is always of paramount importance and everyone in football must play their part to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future.

1. 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.

• Portable goalposts must be secured by the use of chain anchors or appropriate anchor weights to prevent them from toppling forward.

• It is essential that under no circumstances should children or adults be allowed to climb, swing on or play with the structures of the goalposts.

• Particular attention is drawn to the fact that if not properly assembled and secured, portable goalposts may topple over.

• Regular inspections of goalposts should be carried out to check that they are kept properly maintained.

2. Portable goalposts should not be left in place after use. They should be dismantled and removed to a place of secure storage.

3. It is strongly recommended that 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 which cannot be replaced.

4. 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.

5. Guidelines to prevent toppling:

i. Follow Manufacturer’s guide-lines in assembling goalposts.
ii. Before use, adults should:

• ensure each goal is anchored securely in its place

• exert a significant downward force on the cross bar

• exert a significant backward force on both upright posts

• exert a significant forward force on both upright posts

These must be repeated until it is established that the structure is secure. If not, alternative goals/pitches must be used.

For reference, you should note that The F.A. and BSI have developed a standard for future purchases (PAS 36:2000), available from BSI. It is hoped this will be developed into a full British Standard in due course.

REMEMBER TO USE ALL EQUIPMENT, NOT JUST GOALPOSTS, SAFELY AT ALL TIMES.