Capacity and Density are frequently used in the wrong context. Let’s explore the difference… Both are fundamental terms in crowd safety and management, but what’s the difference? Capacity and density, in a crowd safety context, both relate to the number of people in a given area. However, that’s as far as the similarity extends. The […]
Capacity and Density are not the same… Read More »
We have to do the Maths… Crowd management is a combination of disciplines – including mathematics. The numbers for your event or venue must be crunched. Fortunately, there are only a few key figures and calculations required. Following extensive research, guidance provides these numbers as best practice and assists organisers to device safe plans. The
Flow rates, densities and the maths… Read More »
Is current event guidance and legislation sufficient? As the event industry continues to grow, the likelihood for incidents and issues remains a persistent and present threat. High profile major incidents resulting in scrutiny and review have helped shaped the improvement and understanding of crowd management, however incidents continue to occur. The improved approach to planning,
Guidance, Legislation and Standardisation Read More »
The Policing focus on football crowds. The police service have long been involved in mass crowd events. This article discusses their role and relationship with football events and considers how well placed they are to manage football crowds
Modelling to Improve Crowd Safety Understanding crowd movement and behaviour is a complex skill which, when inappropriately applied, can have catastrophic consequences. As Still and Pelling (2009) point out, this understanding and application must not be left to chance and indeed, crowd science as a discipline has gathered momentum over recent years. It is suggested the use of
Control Room Tools Read More »
Manage crowds, don’t control them Crowd Management is a specialist area of expertise. However, more often than not, Crowd Control is used to influence the movement and behaviour of large crowds. It is suggested these chosen methods have a negative impact on crowd safety, customer experience and inter group relationships. Gustav Le Bon’s seminal work
Blaming the Crowd Inhibits Learning In 2009 The Cabinet Office deemed the examining of past incidents as ‘crucial’ to identify lessons for future events. It is suggested, however, that despite the many opportunities to review and improve we do not learn effectively from past incidents (Elliott and Smith 2006). As such it is no surprise that crowd
The mad, impulsive mob Read More »
Reviewing Causality to Assist in Promoting Crowd Safety Whilst the study of crowds and mass gatherings continues to develop, there remain gaps in knowledge and application in relation to crowd safety (Cabinet Office 2009). This notion is supported by the fact that disasters continue to occur and sadly people continue to die in crowd related incidents. As Johnes
Categorising Incidents Read More »
Considering cusp catastrophe theory to explain crowd incidents The theory devised by Thom in the 1960s and developed by Zeeman in the 1970s, describes a sudden and catastrophic change in state which is often a feature in crowd disasters. Cusp Catastrophe Theory can be used to explain the relationship between crowd movement, crowd density and crowd order. The
Catastrophe Theory Read More »
Understanding Crowd Theory Early crowd related literature provides a disparaging view of large-scale gatherings, depicting them as out of control entities, which are a threat to disciplined society. Whilst the notion of crowds as irrational, ferocious, homogenous collectives has been challenged by numerous academics, there is no singly accepted explanation addressing the complexities of crowd
