The procedure of sports facility management is a tedious and lengthy subject. A proper understanding of the details of sports facility management can deliver an enjoyable experience to the managers. Facilities management is not limited to designing, planning, leasing, product management, space planning, capital management, property management, construction management, and real estate planning, acquisition and disposal. It is a much broader concept than the activities mentioned above. A sports facility manager must understand these disciplines to conduct the event in a successful manner. The essay deals with the role of a facility manager, the health, and safety legislation that are necessary for the process of planning and managing a facility of a sports event.
In this essay paper, a case study of Arsenal Football Club’s sports facilities has been presented to show the approach of the organizational management securing various objectives to be attained at the professional end. In the case of sports facility management, there are some major components of sports facility operations to be followed. The operational structure of one of the leading football club in England has divided the organizational management and operational framework in five different segments such as organizational management, human resources management, financial management, and legal concerns and procedures and operations management . In operational management, the club shows the leadership strategies, decision-making capabilities, sports facilities management, conflict managerial understanding, and problem-solving methods. Understanding the proper management ideas, the club has chosen the most suitable organizational culture to deliver affirmative and motivated organizational culture for the employees. In human resource management of the extensive sports facilities, the organization puts the emphasis on managerial capabilities, strategic management competencies and implication of proper legislative, authority and ethical challenges to the human resources.
The relationship of the employees with the customers working in the venue has worked for the organization to deliver the most suitable sports facilities. In the case of financial management, the organization has critically understood the financial functions need to be performed. The facility managers working in the venue have significantly maintained their financial skills to arrange every necessary sports facility. Additionally, sports facility management of the organization has sorted out the legal challenges and issues in the operations. Understanding the law and legislative aimed to verify the health and safety measures, the management has created significant risk management plans to avoid any emergency situation. Apart from that, operations management has another segment that has been suitably developed by the club to maintain the guidelines and organizational budget.
Arsenal Football Club has technically maintained each and every component of sports facility management operations. The design of the operational management has fully supported the venue operations. The managers of the sports facility operations have systematically developed an overview of the major facilities of the venue such as food courts, comfortable seats, superb club house facilities, excellent locker facilities, security system, and special tasks force management in case of emergency situations. Apart from that, the legal and government amendments and guidelines have to be maintained to provide a venue that can set an example for the rest of the grounds . The security monitoring system of the venue is another special achievement for the club. The management has utilized advanced technology and IT equipment to support the workers. The cooperation system of the management has helped the employees to update each and every small problem to the managers. Before and after the matches, the support teams verify every equipment and status of the facilities to avoid any complaints within the sports complex. Another responsibility for the operational management is to identify the proper scheduling of each event so that all the requirements of the players can be comprehensively sorted out within the given timeframe. The running function of every facility can motivate the human resources to deliver proper assistance at the workplace. Arsenal Football Club has efficiently planned the operational management tasks on a regular basis to provide every possible sports facility available in the venue to the sportsmen as well as the spectators.
At the beginning of presenting the key legislation and government regulations of the United Kingdom relevant to the sports facilities, it is essential to understand health and safety management’s importance to the sports venues. Within the venue premises, at the time of practice sessions, health and safety measures for the players can be vital. For instance, playing pitch, fitness center’s equipment, and swimming pool facilities must be checked properly to avoid any unwanted injury for the players. At the same time, in match playing condition, emergency services for the players as well as the audience must be prepared following the guidelines . In the underlying section, the proper legislation and laws for sports facility environment of the UK have been presented to make it easy.
Wide-ranging Health and Safety legislation in the UK:
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974- The Act specifically governs the workplace safety of the employees .
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999- The regulation speaks for a risk assessment strategy for the venue management to avoid any unwanted hazards at the complex .
Health Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992- The regulation has been implemented to secure management responsibility to maintain health and safety .
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002- The regulations votes for controlling any substances that can be harmful to the people at the sports location .
Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975- The precise act governs the strict safety policy at the sports grounds recommended to follow the government and law .
Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sports Act 1987- The act has monitored the safety from fire. The management of the sports venues must maintain the act to be eligible for hosting any match event at the ground complex .
Considering the acts and regulations for the sports venues, the club has made a proper assessment to deliver a perfect atmosphere for the players and spectators. Apart from maintaining the regulations, the government bodies also verify the safety and health management of the sports complex to certify the sports facilities. In training sessions, the venue management must take care of the requirements of the players. The management must take guidance from the professionals to make the arrangements better. Therefore, the club arranges inspections to make an overview of the facilities presented within the complex. Besides, disciplinary procedures, development programs for the human resources have been organized to maintain the safety guidelines. Additionally, the record of the proceedings has been notified to the management to create better facility arrangements securing the health and safety measures . The government of UK also takes the proper description of the working facilities of the sporting facilities of sports complexes. The club has efficiently followed the day to day work to check the safety and health facilities on a regular basis. For example, inspection of the playing equipment, alarm system at the entrance and exit, medical assistance features, fire evacuation process, emergency task forces approach has been monitored to confirm the operational safety management. For effective safety measures, the condition of the security equipment, playing equipment must be checked on a consistence basis to satisfy the management . Affirmatively, the risk assessment of the management is very essential to tackle any hazardous circumstances. Proper technological efficiency and efficient workforce have made it easy for the club to deliver high-class sports facilities to the athletes.
The management team of the venue has evidently worked out the facilities in the operational management to support the internal and external facilities provided both to the players and spectators. The sports facility management of the sports venue has followed all the guidelines and knowledgeable factors necessary for the effective facility. The experienced management heads and human resources have readily prepared efficient health guidelines and supportive safety measures to complete the sports facilities . It is not only the facilities but also the cooperation of the employees that can significantly matter the most. The technical team and risk management team have individually made out their responsibilities to present proper safety steps at the venue. The video recording facility at the each corner of the ground has made life easy for the security professionals to take control of security concerns. If any accident happens, the medical team and individual task management body of the venue will sort out the matter in no time. The club has arranged safety training drills for the staffs to help out the players and spectators in critical circumstances.
The management of the venue has divided the ideas into the different segment to make it more effective for the staffs to provide better assistance. The departments of the management are mentioned as follows.
Security Management- The team identifies the security concerns and acts as per the requirement.
Technical Management- The team overviews the technical aspect and ensures health safety and other requirements.
Health and Safety Management- The team controls the health and safety system of the athletes and spectators.
Operational Management- The team covers other organizational operations such as event management.
The organization of Arsenal Football Club has efficiently utilized the competitive benefit and financial support to develop advanced sports facilities in the venue complex. The organization takes advice from the players and the spectators to provide the facilities as per the preferences in the match conditions. Recent incidents of security breach have alarmingly increased the essentiality of health and safety measures in sports complexes. Meanwhile, the management is eager to deliver more approaches to secure a safe environment in the playing field. The case study of Arsenal Football Club can eventually help other sports complex to understand how they can technically improve the sports facilities ensuring health and safety measures. The management of the club has always promoted the sports facilities on the biggest occasions to show the potentiality of the clubs. Furthermore, the club has urged the players and football fans all around the world to help out the sports management to improve the current facilities. For Arsenal Football Club, encouragement is the key to their success in developing a quality sports environment.
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