Study of crowd movement facilities and procedures in Olympic Park, Montreal

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Study of crowd movement facilities and procedures in Olympic Park,

Montreal

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA DIVISION OF BUILDING RESEARCH

DBR INTERNAL REPORT NO. 438

STUDY OF CROWD MOVEMENT FACILITIES AND PROCEDURES I N OLYMPIC PARK, MONTREAL

by J . L . P a u l s and B.M. Johnson

Checked by: M

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c

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B. Approved by:

C

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B

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C

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Date: J u n e 1977

PREFACE

In May 1976 the Division of Building Research was requested by COJO, the Olympic Games Organizing Committee in Montreal, to assist with the identification and solution of crowd movement problems at Olympic Park.

A small team from the Design and Use Section was set up to assist COJO and to document the use of spectator facilities in Olympic Park during the Games, for long-term research purposes.

This report summarizes the DBR/NRC team's activities before and during the Games and outlines some preliminary findings of the

observations.

J.L.

Pauls and B.M. Johnson, both architects, are the research officers with the Design and Use Section who provided most of the assistance to COJO, and organized the on-site surveys of crowd movement.

Ottawa June 1977

C. B. Crawford Director DBR/NRC

STUDY OF CROWD MOVEMENT FACILITIES AND PROCEDURES IN OLYMPIC PARK, MONTREAL

b

Y

J.L. Pauls and B.M. Johnson

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Layout of Olympic Park and its Venues Public Transport to and from Olympic Park Circulation Around Olympic Park Venues Hazards in Olympic Park Circulation Areas Olympic Stadium Facilities

Aisle stair irregularities

Entry and egress times for Stadium Public washroom facilities in Stadium Other problems studied in Stadium Visitor Facilities in the Piscine Facilities in the Velodrome

Crowd Control Activities of COJO Staff Acknowledgements

Figures 1 to 21

Appendix A NRC Film Release

Appendix B Public Transport Study Figures B-1 and B-2

Appendix C Stadium Egress and Ingress 31 July

Page

Appendix D Suggested and Actual Provision of Washroom Facilities

STUDY OF CROWD MOVEMENT FACILITIES AND PROCEDURES IN OLYMPIC PARK, MONTREAL

by

J . L. Pauls and B.M. Johnson

INTRODUCTION

The activities of the DBR/NRC team began in May 1976 with the difficult task of becoming familiar with the complex Olympic Park facilities, the final form and function of which was by no means clear from design documents and site visits. The capacity of the public transit system was evaluated directly by observation and through discussions with Montreal Transit officials. When the Olympic Park facilities were first used in the rehearsal in late June a number of problems were identified and discussed with COJO staff. These discussions, and earlier ones, appear to have

influenced some of the last-minute modifications to spectator facilities and some crowd control procedures.

Complementing this task of assisting COJO staff was the larger, long-term one of developing information for application to any

facilities where crowds assemble. Given the complexity of the Olympic Park facilities, their intensive use over a 16-day Games period, and the need for in-depth analysis, the first step was to record visitor behavior as extensively as possible. This was done on 16-mm film, super-8 film, and video tape using up to 13 cameras

(owned by NRC, rented, or borrowed for the study). Through the kind co-operation of the CBC, additional video recordings were made from fixed cameras covering movement in the aisles of the three venues studies (Stadium, Piscine, Velodrome).

Not including technical support, administrative and management time, about 1500 man-hours (by 10 NRC staff and research associates) were devoted to this recording activity during the period July 15 to August 2. A further 1600 man-hours were put in by the study team during the remainder of the three-month summer period. Not counting salaries, approximately $20,000 was spent in support of this study during the summer.

In September 1976, a small team conducted observations of the first post-Olympics use of the Stadium. Of particular interest on this occasion was the safety of football spectators on the highly- irregular Stadium aisle stairs.

An inventory of the resulting film and video tape records and related documentation was completed late in 1976. Approximately 35 hours of video recordings (some in colour) were produced. Nearly 15,000 feet of super-8 film (some 40 to 50 hours) at 18 or 6 frames per second were shot. Nearly 5,000 feet of 16-mm film (2 hours) provide a high-quality record of the many aspects of spectator

facilities and control procedures examined at Olympic Park. Because of the sampling procedures used in making the visual records several hundred hours of visitor behavior can be reconstructed for future analysis, a task that could take several years.

Eventual analysis of the research records will cover a large range of existing and evolving concerns in building design and operation. At one end of the spectrum of anticipated findings is the design and control of large-scale pedestrian systems (entailing public transit facilities, movement between buildings, ingress and egress, etc.). Among the many small-scale findings are size-flow relations for doors, ramps, and stairs; handrail utilization; and stepping behavior on various sized stair treads with various risers. Among potential safety implications of such research findings are those for stair design (which is felt to be a factor in the 35,000 injuries and approximate 300 deaths each year resulting from falls on stairs by Canadians). Economic savings might be achieved with more rational design of egress facilities for stadia, grandstands and arenas. For example, existing ambiguities in design codes and guides could be resolved with better information, perhaps leading to savings of $50 or more per seat in grandstands

Although publication of research findings in scientific and design literature is an important end product of NRC research, some applications of building research occur well before formal publication. For example, two weeks after the end of the Olympic Games study in Montreal two days of extensive discussions about spectator facilities were held between DBR/NRC staff and a group of 19 persons in Edmonton

involved with the administration and facilities design for the 1978 Commonwealth Games. Of particular concern were ingress/egress facilities and washroom facilities in a 42,000-seat stadium and a 4,700-seat aquatic centre, both at present in initial stages of construction.

In view of the potentially wide-ranging applications of the findings of the DBR/NRC research staff studying the Olympic

facilities, it was considered an appropriate subject for a short 16-mm film provided by NRC to all Canadian television stations halfway

through the Olympic Games. (Several of these are produced each year by NKCrs Public Information Branch and they normally deal with items of l~road interest .) The text, accompanyirlg the film, is reproduced in Appendix A . In addition to making this film available to Canadian television stations, NRC staff discussed the Olympic Games study in a

t e l e v i s i o n news i t e m produced by CFCF d u r i n g t h e Games and i n r a d i o i n t e r v i e w s c a r r i e d by CBM l a t e r i n t h e summer.

From t h e f o r e g o i n g it can be seen t h a t DBR/NRC i s concerned w i t h a c h i e v i n g widespread a p p l i c a t i o n s of t h e i n f o r m a t i o n d e r i v e d from t h e Olympics crowd movement s t u d y and from e a r l i e r s t u d i e s , i n c l u d i n g t h o s e o f t h e C a l g a r y , T o r o n t o and Ottawa g r a n d s t a n d s . In t h e c a s e o f t h e Montreal Olympic f a c i l i t i e s r e s e a r c h f i n d i n g s may be a p p l i e d n o t o n l y t o t h e i r post-Olympics o p e r a t i o n b u t a l s o t o post-Olympics completion o f c o n s t r u c t i o n . Some a s p e c t s o f t h e f a c i l i t i e s have been o f s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t and p r e l i m i n a r y f i n d i n g s and o p i n i o n s a r e o u t l i n e d i n t h e f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n s d e a l i n g w i t h p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t t o and from Olympic P a r k , movement around t h e P a r k , t h e Stadium, t h e P i s c i n e , t h e Velodrome, and crowd c o n t r o l s t a f f and t h e i r p r o c e d u r e s .

LAYOUT OF OLYMPIC PARK AND ITS VENUES*

F i g u r e 1 shows a p l a n o f t h e Olympic Park l o c a t e d seven km n o r t h o f M o n t r e a l ' s downtown c o r e and bounded by Sherbrooke S t r e e t on t h e w e s t , Viau S t r e e t on t h e n o r t h , P i e r r e de C o u b e r t i n on t h e e a s t , and P i e IX on t h e s o u t h . The n o r t h - s o u t h dimension o f t h e Park i s approximately 1100 m e t r e s . The e a s t - w e s t dimensions r a n g e from 710 m e t r e s a t t h e n o r t h end t o 230 m e t r e s a t t h e s o u t h .

Ground l e v e l on t h e west s i d e o f t h e Park i s approximately 20 m e t r e s h i g h e r t h a n on t h e e a s t s i d e .

Venues c o n s t r u c t e d f o r t h e Olympic Games were t h e 7 5 , 0 0 0 - p l a c e Stadium (63,000 s e a t s and 12,000 s t a n d i n g s p a c e s ) , t h e 9 , 2 0 0 - p l a c e Swimming H a l l o r P i s c i n e , and t h e 7 , 2 0 0 - p l a c e Velodrome. Two e x i s t i n g a r e n a s , n o r t h o f t h e Stadium-Piscine-Velodrome complex p r o v i d e d an a d d i t i o n a l 10,000 s e a t s . Two newly c o n s t r u c t e d subway s t a t i o n s , Viau and P i e I X , on t h e n o r t h - s o u t h Metro l i n e o p e r a t e d by t h e Montreal Urban Community T r a n s i t Commission (CTCUM), were

l o c a t e d on t h e e a s t s i d e o f t h e Park. An e l e v a t e d promenade, up t o

5 . 5 m e t r e s ahove ground l e v e l , p r o v i d e d t h e c h i e f means o f a c c e s s t o t h e S t a d i u m ' s l e v e l 300 ( F i g u r e 2 ) . Large e n c l o s e d p a r k i n g a r e a s were l o c a t e d s o u t h o f t h e Stadium i n a l a r g e a r e a o f f o u n t a i n s ,

p l a n t e r s and p l a z a s and underground n o r t h e a s t o f t h e Piscine-Velodrome a r e a .

Access t o t h e Stadium a t t h e promenade l e v e l ( l e v e l 300) was d i s p e r s e d a l o n g i t s 700-metre p e r i m e t e r ( n o t i n c l u d i n g t h e n o r t h

end where t h e Stadium a d j o i n e d t h e P i s c i n e u n d e r t h e y e t - t o - b e - c o m p l e t e d m a s t ) . A t ground l e v e l , o r l e v e l 200 of t h e Stadium, t h e r e was a

major a c c e s s / e g r e s s g a t e c o n n e c t i n g t o a t u n n e l t o P i e IX S t a t i o n

t o t h e s o u t h and two s m a l l e r e x i t g a t e s a t t h e n o r t h e a s t and n o r t h w e s t . S p e c t a t o r a c c e s s t o t h e P i s c i n e was t o t h e w e s t , e a s t and n o r t h from ground l e v e l . P e r i m e t e r a c c e s s was a v a i l a b l e a t ground l e v e l t o t h e Velodrome.

*

I t s h o u l d be n o t e d t h a t t h r o u g h o u t t h i s r e p o r t t r u e compass d i r e c t i o n s a r e used i n s t e a d o f t h e d i r e c t i o n a l c o n v e n t i o n s u s e d by many

M o n t r e a l e r s , e - g . , t h e Olympic Park i s c o n s i d e r e d by M o n t r e a l e r s t o be e a s t of downtown whereas i n a c t u a l f a c t i t i s a l m o s t d i r e c t l y n o r t h .

PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO AND FROM OLYMPIC PARK

The f o l l o w i n g i s a summary o f f i n d i n g s d e s c r i b e d i n Appendix B . The p r e l i m i n a r y a p p r a i s a l o f t h e Metro system s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e Metro was used much l e s s t h a n had been e x p e c t e d . Maximum f l o w s , e i t h e r a r r i v i n g from o r d e p a r t i n g t o t h e s o u t h ( c i t y c e n t r e ) were a p p r o x i m a t e l y 20,000 p e r s o n s p e r h o u r . Approximately 60 p e r c e n t o f t h o s e a r r i v i n g from t h e s o u t h d e t r a i n e d a t P i e IX s t a t i o n w h i l e

50 p e r c e n t o f t h o s e d e p a r t i n g t o t h e s o u t h e n t r a i n e d a t P i e IX s t a t i o n . Thc number o f p e o p l e a r r i v i n g from o r d e p a r t i n g t o t h e n o r t h seldom approached 6 , 0 0 0 p e r s o n s p e r h o u r , most o f whom used Viau s t a t i o n . Even w i t h t h i s l e s s - t h a n - a n t i c i p a t e d u s e t h e

c a p a c i t y o f b o t h s t a t i o n s a p p e a r e d i n a d e q u a t e . F i g u r e 3

i l l u s t r a t e s t h e q u e u i n g t h a t o c c u r r e d f r e q u e n t l y a t t h e e n t r a n c e s t o Viau s t a t i o n . T h i s o c c u r r e d even w i t h a f o u r - m i n u t e headway between t r a i n s . I f more p e o p l e had d e c i d e d t o u s e t h e Metro l a r g e queues would have o c c u r r e d a t P i e IX a s w e l l , even w i t h t h e s p e c i a l 1976 bus l i n e c a r r y i n g Olympic Park s p e c t a t o r s d i r e c t l y t o o r from B e r r i d e Montigny s t a t i o n , t h e t r a n s f e r s t a t i o n f o r t h e M e t r o ' s t h r e e l i n e s . Changes i n t h e u s e o f t h e Metro s t a t i o n s o r changes i n t h e i r p h y s i c a l s t r u c t u r e a p p e a r n e c e s s a r y i f t h e y a r e t o s e r v e l a r g e r crowds.

CIRCULATION AROUND OLYMPIC PARK VENUES

I n e a r l y d i s c u s s i o n s o f DBR/NRC p e r s o n n e l w i t h C O J O s t a f f , c o n c e r n was e x p r e s s e d about l i m i t e d w a i t i n g a r e a s around t h e v e n u e s and a b o u t t h e l i m i t e d r o u t e s t o and from t h e promenade

around t h e Stadium. F o r t u n a t e l y , b e c a u s e crowds around t h e Stadium were s m a l l e r t h a n e x p e c t e d a t any one t i m e , t h e s e l i m i t a t i o n s were t o l e r a b l e . The e x p e c t e d sudden mass i n g r e s s o r mass e g r e s s o f

70,000 Stadium s p e c t a t o r s n e v e r o c c u r r e d . With o n l y a few e x c e p t i o n s , crowds g e n e r a l l y moved i n a l e i s u r e l y f a s h i o n w i t h o u t g r e a t c o n c e r n f o r b e g i n n i n g and f i n i s h i n g t i m e s o f e v e n t s . Only on 31 J u l y was t h e r e s e r i o u s and p o t e n t i a l l y - d a n g e r o u s i n t e r f e r e n c e between a p p r o x i m a t e l y 50,000 s p e c t a t o r s l e a v i n g and 60,000 s p e c t a t o r s

e n t e r i n g t h e Stadium. T h i s o c c u r r e d o v e r a two-hour p e r i o d d e s p i t e t h e f a c t t h a t o n l y 1 112 h o u r s s e p a r a t e d a p o p u l a r a t h l e t i c f i n a l from t h e f o o t b a l l f i n a l . (See Appendix C f o r a d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h i s o c c a s i o n . )

I n t e n s i v e , h i g h - d e n s i t y u s e o f t h e promenade ( a s shown i n F i g u r e 4 ) g e n e r a l l y l a s t e d no more t h a n 20 m i n u t e s . T h e r e were few a t t r a c t i o n s o r a m e n i t i e s on t h e promenade t o e n c o u r a g e e x t e n s i v e u s e o f t h e a r e a . The s m a l l e r b u t more s h e l t e r e d a r e a s t o t h e n o r t h e a s t

of t h e Stadium, p a r t i c u l a r l y between t h e Velodrome and t h e P i s c i n e , were g e n e r a l l y more a c t i v e . T h i s promoted a number o f l a r g e l y u n o f f i c i a l crowd e v e n t s c e n t e r i n g on b u s k e r s , hawkers, s c a l p e r s and o t h e r s s e e k i n g a t t e n t i o n . These d i d n o t c a u s e crowd movement

d i f f i c u l t i e s s o s e v e r e a s t h o s e caused by t h e c o n f u s i n g arrangements f o r t i c k e t s e l l i n g and s p e c t a t o r a c c e s s t o t h e P i s c i n e .

The grouping o f t i c k e t k i o s k s i n a r e a s n o t needed f o r c i r c u l a t i o n around venues and t h e u s e of o r g a n i z e d , f o l d e d queues p r e v e n t e d t h e s i t u a t i o n e n c o u n t e r e d d u r i n g t h e r e h e a r s a l when l o n g queues o f p e o p l e s t r e t c h e d a c r o s s t h e promenade. (See F i g u r e 5 t a k e n d u r i n g t h e r e h e a r s a l , and F i g u r e 6 t a k e n d u r i n g t h e Olympic Games.) Large s i g n s a t t h e t i c k e t k i o s k s might have improved t h e o n - s i t e t i c k e t s a l e s a c t i v i t y . By g i v i n g v i s i t o r s b e t t e r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t i c k e t a v a i l a b i l i t y , u n c e r t a i n t y c o u l d have been reduced and s c a l p i n g checked.

Most o f t h e s i g n s around t h e Park appeared t o be w e l l t h o u g h t o u t and e f f e c t i v e a l t h o u g h t h e meaning o f arrows was u n c l e a r on some s i g n s . Access t o t h e venues from t h e Viau metro s t a t i o n a p p e a r e d t o be l e s s c o n f u s i n g ( i n t e r m s o f p e r c e i v e d Park l a y o u t ) t h a n t h a t from P i e IX s t a t i o n . In o t h e r words, t h e o r i e n t a t i o n p r o c e s s f o r v i s i t o r s may have been e a s i e r t o t h e n o r t h e a s t o f t h e Stadium t h a n i t was a t t h e s o u t h e n t r y t o t h e Park. P i e IX s t a t i o n d i d n o t r e l a t e d i r e c t l y , i n terms o f p e r c e i v e d r o u t e s , t o t h e

promenade o r t h e Stadium. T h i s f a c t o r , p l u s t h e l a r g e r number o f crowd a t t r a c t i o n s and a m e n i t i e s t o t h e s o u t h e a s t and t h e d e s i r e on t h e p a r t o f some v i s i t o r s t o board a less-crowded Metro t r a i n moving s o u t h , may have been r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e s u r p r i s i n g l y e x t e n s i v e u s e o f Viau s t a t i o n and t h e r e s u l t a n t queuing a t i t s e n t r a n c e d o o r s . ( F i g u r e 3)

F o r t u n a t e l y , d u r i n g t h e Games, r a i n was i n f r e q u e n t b u t i t s o c c u r r e n c e on t h e evening o f 31 J u l y a g g r a v a t e d a d i f f i c u l t s i t u a t i o n . (See Appendix C.) On t h i s evening s p e c t a t o r s t o o k s h e l t e r a t t h e p e r i m e t e r o f t h e Stadium and u n d e r t h e a u t o m o b i l e ramp from Sherbrooke S t r e e t . Another p o t e n t i a l l y - u s e f u l covered a r e a , under t h e promenade a t t h e west s i d e o f t h e Stadium, was n o t w e l l i n t e g r a t e d i n t o t h e p e d e s t r i a n c i r c u l a t i o n system f o r t h e

Stadium. C o n s i d e r i n g t h e s c a r c i t y of s h e l t e r e d a r e a s , i t s i n c r e a s e d u s e s h o u l d be encouraged i n f u t u r e development o f t h e Stadium.

HAZARDS IN OLYMPIC PARK CIRCULATION AREAS

Design and c o n s t r u c t i o n i n a d e q u a c i e s l e d t o a number o f h a z a r d s t o v i s i t o r s i n t h e Park o u t s i d e t h e venues. The c o n c r e t e

l a t t i c e a r e a s , w i t h e a r t h and g r a s s i n f i l l , u s e d f o r t h e p a t h s a t t h e n o r t h end o f t h e Park were b o t h a n u i s a n c e and a h a z a r d w i t h many t y p e s of f o o t w e a r . Some p r o t r u d i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n j o i n t - f i l l e r s

i n t h e l a r g e c o n c r e t e walking a r e a s posed a t r i p p i n g h a z a r d . A t

two l o c a t i o n s a s i n g l e unmarked s t e p o r c u r b (on a n o t h e r w i s e l e v e l walking s u r f a c e ) was l o c a t e d where p e o p l e , e s p e c i a l l y i n a crowd, c o u l d e a s i l y t r i p o r s t u m b l e . One o f t h e s t e p s was i n t h e temporary a c c e s s t h r o u g h t h e p a r k i n g g a r a g e t o P i e IX s t a t i o n ; t h e o t h e r t o

t h e e a s t o f t h e s k y l i g h t a t l e v e l 200. A s h o r t ramp j u s t below t h e Sherbrooke S t r e e t s i d e w a l k west o f t h e Stadium w i l l be a h a z a r d i n i c y c o n d i t i o n s w i t h i t s s l o p e v a r y i n g between an e x c e s s i v e 1 i n 4

t o a j u s t a c c e p t a b l e 1 i n 10.

I n t h e Park a s well a s i n t h e venues ( d i s c u s s e d l a t e r ) s t a i r s have been i n a d e q u a t e l y d e s i g n e d and c o n s t r u c t e d . The t h r e e - m e t r e wide s t a i r s between t h e promenade and l e v e l 200 have h a n d r a i l s on o n l y one s i d e and t h e y a r e f a r t o o l a r g e t o be g r a s p e d by even a n a d u l t hand. To add i n j u r y t o i n s u l t , m e r e l y s l i d i n g o n e ' s hand

down t h e s e m e t a l h a n d r a i l s i s t o r i s k a b r a s i o n a g a i n s t s h a r p c o n c r e t e f i n s t h a t a r e a s l i t t l e a s 25 mm away from t h e h a n d r a i l s . O t h e r s t a i r s , shown i n F i g u r e s 7 and 8 , have no h a n d r a i l s a t a l l . A long s e r i e s o f 8 3 s t e p s w i t h o n l y t h r e e l a n d i n g s , n o r t h e a s t o f t h e

Sherbrooke v i a d u c t , s h o u l d be p r o v i d e d w i t h h a n d r a i l s . The skewed s t a i r s s o u t h w e s t o f t h e Stadium show a n i n a d e q u a t e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e e x t e n s i v e movement i n t h i s a r e a . Not o n l y i s t h e i r t r e a d

geometry c o n f u s i n g and d i f f i c u l t t o n e g o t i a t e , b u t t h e r e i s a r e a l d a n g e r o f p e o p l e f a l l i n g on t h e a d j o i n i n g o v e r s i z e d s t e p s ( n o t p r o t e c t e d by permanent r a i l i n g s ) .

OLYMPIC STADIUM FACILITIES

I n t e r m s o f number, arrangement and q u a l i t y o f i n t e r i o r

c i r c u l a t i o n r o u t e s , t h e Olympic Stadium ( d u r i n g t h e Games) a p p e a r e d i n f e r i o r t o o t h e r r e c e n t l y - b u i l t s t a d i a and g r a n d s t a n d s s t u d i e d by

DBR/NRC. Some o f t h i s c a n b e a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e d i f f i c u l t c o n s t r u c t i o n s c h e d u l e and t h e f a c t t h a t up t o 20,000 s p e c t a t o r s p a c e s were o f a t e m p o r a r y n a t u r e . Now w i t h t h e Games f i n i s h e d , d e c i s i o n s must b e made r e g a r d i n g a c c e p t a b l e l e v e l s o f s a f e t y and c o n v e n i e n c e o f

s p e c t a t o r s u s i n g t h e f a c i l i t i e s i n t h e i r f i n a l form. Some o f t h e s e d e c i s i o n s may o p t f o r r e t e n t i o n o f c e r t a i n f a c i l i t i e s even though t h e y f a i l t o meet e x i s t i n g s t a n d a r d s o f d e s i g n , even s t a n d a r d s s e t o u t i n s a f e t y r e g u l a t i o n s . T h i s i s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y u n d e s i r a b l e - i f t h e s a f e t y and o t h e r i m p l i c a t i o n s of such d e c i s i o n s a r e w e l l

u n d e r s t o o d

-

and c o n s i d e r e d a c c e p t a b l e . These two c o n d i t i o n s a r e by no means s t r a i g h t - f o r w a r d . Knowledge o f s a f e t y i m p l i c a t i o n s o f b u i l d i n g f a c i l i t i e s i s v e r y l i m i t e d and s t a n d a r d s o f s a f e t y a r e n o t e x p l i c i t l y e s t a b l i s h e d .

One o f t h e g o a l s o f t h e DBR/NRC s t u d y of Olympic Park

f a c i l i t i e s was t o l e a r n more a b o u t t h e f a c i l i t y - r e l a t e d f a c t o r s i n i n j u r y - c a u s i n g a c c i d e n t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y on s t a i r s . T h i s g o a l was s h a r e d by two U.S. r e s e a r c h e r s , M r . J o h n Archea and D r . .John Templer

( b o t h l e a d e r s i n s t a i r s a f e t y r e s e a r c h ) who were a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e

DBR/NRC team i n t h e Olympic Park s t u d y . With d e t a i l e d c o n c l u s i o n s from t h e s t u d y e x p e c t e d o n l y some t i m e i n t h e f u t u r e , t h e comments and s u g g e s t i o n s t h a t f o l l o w r e f l e c t g e n e r a l e x p e r i e n c e and

A i s l e S t a i r I r r e g u l a r i t i e s

Non-uniform d i m e n s i o n s o f a i s l e s t a i r r i s e r s and t r e a d s were measured t h r o u g h o u t t h e Stadium. F i g u r e 9 shows a p o r t i o n o f o n e , f o r t u n a t e l y n o n - t y p i c a l , a i s l e a t S e c t i o n H j u s t below l e v e l 300. S t a r t i n g a t t h e t o p , s u c c e s s i v e r i s e r d i m e n s i o n s were 240 mm, 145 mm, 125 mm, 140 mm, 125 mm. F i g u r e 10 shows f i v e s t e p s o f a t y p i c a l a i s l e l e a d i n g up t o l e v e l 600. The r i s e r s i n t h i s a i s l e r a n g e from 130 mm t o 200 mm; t h e t r e a d s from 230 mm t o 265 mm. Every t h i r d n o s i n g , o r l e a d i n g edge of t h e t r e a d , i s b e v e l e d and i s p a r t o f t h e s e a t i n g d e c k . T h i s b e v e l i n g d e c r e a s e s t h e a l r e a d y s m a l l t r e a d by n e a r l y 20 mm, r e s u l t i n g i n some t r e a d s o n l y 230 mm deep. I n t h e uppermost a i s l e s o f t h e S t a d i u m , r i s e r h e i g h t s i n t h e same a i s l e v a r y by n e a r l y 70 mm and t h e e f f e c t i v e t r e a d d e p t h s v a r y b y n e a r l y 35 mm. Good p r a c t i c e and c e r t a i n b u i l d i n g c o d e s s u g g e s t t h a t v a r i a t i o n s i n a f l i g h t o f s t a i r s b e k e p t u n d e r 6 mm. R e s e a r c h on s t a i r a c c i d e n t s i n d i c a t e s i r r e g u l a r i t y of s t a i r s i s a major f a c t o r , p e r h a p s t h e most i m p o r t a n t a s p e c t of s t a i r geometry, i n i n j u r y - p r o d u c i n g f a l l s .

As F i g u r e s 11 and 12 show, t h e s e i r r e g u l a r i t i e s and o t h e r d e f e c t s c a u s e d by s l o p p y workmanship c o m p l i c a t e a n a l r e a d y

p r e c a r i o u s s i t u a t i o n a t t h e u p p e r l e v e l s of t h e Stadium. The a i s l e s a r e s t e e p l y i n c l i n e d . T h e r e a r e no h a n d r a i l s o r s u p p o r t s t h a t would a l l o w a s t u m b l i n g p e r s o n t o check h i s f a l l o r r e g a i n h i s b a l a n c e . The upper a i s l e s above l e v e l 600 a r e l o n g e r t h a n 10 m e t r e s . P e r s o n s d e s c e n d i n g t h e a i s l e s c o u l d e a s i l y b e d i s t r a c t e d by v i e w s o f t h e Stadium and t h e p l a y i n g f i e l d f a r below. F a l l s s u s t a i n e d by p e r s o n s d e s c e n d i n g a s t a i r o f t e n r e s u l t i n s e v e r e i n j u r i e s . The a i s l e s may have lower i l l u m i n a t i o n t h a n o t h e r a r e a s o f t h e Stadium t h a t a r e s e e n by p e o p l c u s i n g t h e a i s l e s . Many p e o p l e must u s e e a c h a i s l e t h u s a d d i n g t o t h e d i s t r a c t i o n s t h a t c o u l d l e a d t o a m i s s t e p and t o t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f one p e r s o n f a l l i n g . Some o f t h e s t a i r t r e a d s a r e broken up w i t h wide c o n s t r u c t i o n j o i n t s f i l l e d w i t h r e l a t i v e l y s o f t m a t e r i a l and i n some c a s e s c o v e r e d w i t h plywood s t r i p s t h u s f u r t h e r downgrading t h e a l r e a d y p o o r q u a l i t y o f t h e c r i t i c a l s t e p p i n g a r e a s ( F i g u r e 1 1 ) .

The h a z a r d s o f t h e Stadium s t a i r s were s t r e s s e d i n a r e p o r t t o

COJO i n e a r l y J u l y . Some s u g g e s t i o n s l i s t e d i n t h a t r e p o r t were a d o p t e d i n p a r t b e f o r e and d u r i n g t h e Games. A y e l l o w s t r i p e , c o n t r a s t i n g w i t h t h e g r a y t r e a d s , was p a i n t e d on e v e r y b e v e l e d n o s i n g ( e v e r y t h i r d t r e a d ) . T h i s a p p e a r e d t o h e l p a t t r a c t g r e a t e r a t t e n t i o n t o t h e s t a i r s and t h u s l e d p e o p l e t o e x e r c i s e u n u s u a l c a u t i o n w i t h t h e s t a i r s . The s t a i r s were l i k e l y p e r c e i v e d by many p e o p l e t o be p r e c a r i o u s even i f t h e i r a p p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e s p e c i f i c d e f e c t s was i n c o m p l e t e . Ushers and u s h e r e t t e s were t o l d t o s u g g e s t t o s p e c t a t o r s t h a t c a r e b e t a k e n w i t h t h e s t a i r s . E x t r a s t a f f ,

i n c l u d i n g f i r s t - a i d p e r s o n n e l , were a s s i g n e d t o t h e u p p e r p a r t o f t h e Stadium. F i g u r e 1 3 shows some o f t h e C O J O s t a f f a s s i g n e d t o t h e J u l y 17 o p e n i n g c e r e m o n i e s . I n t h e a i s l e s , t h e r a t i o o f u s h e r s o r u s h e r e t t e s t o s p e c t a t o r s was a b o u t 1 t o 100.

Although t h e f r e q u e n c y o f o b s e r v e d m i s s t e p s on t h e a i s l e s t a i r s a p p e a r e d h i g h e r t h a n o b s e r v e d on s t a i r s i n o t h e r g r a n d s t a n d s ( h a v i n g much l e s s i r r e g u l a r i t y ) t h e p r e c a u t i o n s t a k e n a p p e a r t o have had a b e n e f i c i a l e f f e c t . The f r e q u e n c y o f m i s s t e p s may have r i s e n l a t e r

i n t h e Games a s some o f t h e p r e c a u t i o n s were r e l a x e d . In t h e S t a d i u m ' s f i r s t post-Olympics u s e m i s s t e p s were o b s e r v e d t o o c c u r v e r y f r e q u e n t l y

- -

a s o f t e n a s once i n e v e r y 100 u s e s o f an a i s l e . From v e r y p r e l i m i n a r y r e s e a r c h f i n d i n g s i n t h e U.S. it i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t on t y p i c a l s t a i r s , f o r e v e r y 100 n o t i c e a b l e m i s s t e p s , a minor a c c i d e n t o r f a l l o c c u r s 1 0 t j m e s and a d i s a b l i n g a c c i d e n t o n c e . ( O n e - s i x t h o f such d i s a b l i n g a c c i d e n t s r e q u i r e h o s p i t a l t r e a t m e n t and one i n a t h o u s a n d such d i s a b l i n g a c c i d e n t s i s f a t a l . ) I t i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t one d i s a b l i n g a c c i d e n t o c c u r s f o r e v e r y 700,000 f l i g h t s o f s t a i r u s e . These f i g u r e s must be t r e a t e d c a u t i o u s l y a s t h e y a r e o n l y p r e l i m i n a r y e s t i m a t e s based on i n c o m p l e t e r e s e a r c h .

A s i m i l a r o r d e r o f r i s k o f s t a i r a c c i d e n t was found i n a DBR/NRC

s t u d y o f s p e c t a t o r movement i n a Canadian g r a n d s t a n d . I n t h e new C a l g a r y Stampede G r a n d s t a n d , where s t a i r s a r e used e x t e n s i v e l y , i t

i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t a s t a i r a c c i d e n t , r e q u i r i n g medical f i r s t - a i d , o c c u r s once f o r e v e r y 300,000 s t a i r f l i g h t s ascended o r descended. Of 336,000 s p e c t a t o r s u s i n g t h a t g r a n d s t a n d i n a t e n - d a y p e r i o d i n

1975, t e n were t r e a t e d a t a f i r s t - a i d s t a t i o n f o r s t a i r a c c i d e n t r e l a t e d i n j u r i e s and two o f t h e s e were t a k e n t o h o s p i t a l f o r f u r t h e r t r e a t m e n t o r x - r a y s .

Given t h e a p p r o x i m a t e r i s k f i g u r e s s u g g e s t e d i n v e r y r e c e n t r e s e a r c h e l s e w h e r e , how s e r i o u s do t h e h a z a r d s o f t h e Olympic

Stadium s t a i r s a p p e a r t o b e ? A check o f t h e v e r y s k e t c h y f i r s t - a i d p o s t r e c o r d s f o r t h c 1 , 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 s p e c t a t o r s i n t h e Stadium d u r i n g t h e Olympic Games s u g g e s t s t h e f o l l o w i n g e s t i m a t e . For e v e r y 10,000

s p e c t a t o r s t h e r e a p p e a r s t o b e one f a l l - t y p e i n j u r y ( l a r g e l y a b r a s i o n s w i t h some c u t s , b r u i s e s and s p r a i n s ) . These d i d n o t n e c e s s a r i l y

a l l o c c u r on s t a i r s ; t h e r e were a l s o o t h e r h a z a r d o u s c o n d i t i o n s i n t h e Stadium.

I t s h o u l d b e n o t e d t h a t many minor mishaps a r e n o t r e p o r t e d t o f i r s t - a i d p o s t s . T h i s t e n d e n c y n o t t o s e e k f i r s t - a i d t r e a t m e n t f o r minor a i l m e n t s o r minor i n j u r i e s may e x p l a i n g r e a t d i f f e r e n c e s i n o v e r - a l l f i r s t - a i d p o s t r e p o r t i n g r a t e s f o r C a l g a r y and M o n t r e a l . P e o p l e i n t h e C a l g a r y Grandstand r e p o r t e d t o f i r s t - a i d p o s t s a t t h e r a t e o f one p e r 200 s p e c t a t o r s ; i n Montreal t h e r a t e was one p e r 1 , 4 0 0 s p e c t a t o r s . I n t h e l a t t e r c a s e t h e f i r s t - a i d p o s t s were l i k e l y n o t a s o b v i o u s t o s p e c t a t o r s who would t h e n be more l i k e l y

t o l e a v e a n a i l m e n t o r minor i n j u r y u n t r e a t e d w h i l e i n t h e Stadium. ( I n b o t h C a l g a r y and Montreal c o m p l a i n t s o f headache o r g a s t r o - i n t e s t i n a l u p s e t s a c c o u n t e d f o r many r e p o r t s . )

From t h e v e r y s k e t c h y e v i d e n c e a v a i l a b l e , it d o e s n o t a p p e a r u n r e a s o n a b l e t o assume t h a t t h e r i s k o f i n j u r y - p r o d u c i n g a c c i d e n t s on s t a i r s i s p o s s i b l y s e v e r a l times g r e a t e r i n t h e Olympic Stadium t h a n i n t h e C a l g a r y Grandstand which h a s more r e g u l a r s t a i r s .

I t i s i m p o r t a n t t o n o t e t h a t s t a i r a c c i d e n t s i n t h e C a l g a r y Grandstand r a r e l y o c c u r r e d d u r i n g d e n s e crowd f l o w i n t o o r o u t o f t h e G r a n d s t a n d (when s p e e d s o f movement a r e r e l a t i v e l y l o w ) . T h i s f i n d i n g , p l u s s i m i l a r f i n d i n g s from o t h e r DBR/NRC r e s e a r c h , s u g g e s t t h a t i n t h e Olympic Stadium t h e g r e a t e s t r i s k o f s t a i r a c c i d e n t s o c c u r s when few p e o p l e a r e on t h e s t a i r s . F o r t u n a t e l y , d u r i n g t h e Olympic Games, s p e c t a t o r s d i d n o t f r e q u e n t l y u s e a i s l e s d u r i n g e v e n t s t h u s r e d u c i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r a c c i d e n t s a s w e l l a s a f f e c t i n g t h e n a t u r e o f a c c i d e n t r i s k .

In t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e DBR/NRC s t u d y team t h e Olympic Stadium a i s l e s t a i r s p o s e abnormal h a z a r d s t o s p e c t a t o r s ' s a f e t y . The s t a i r s s h o u l d be improved t o b r i n g them up t o t h e q u a l i t y found i n comparable s p e c t a t o r f a c i l i t i e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h o s e i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s where s t e e p a i s l e s t a i r s i n g r a n d s t a n d s a r e o f t e n e q u i p p e d w i t h h a n d r a i l s . Given t h e d i m e n s i o n s o f t h e m a j o r p r e c a s t c o n c r e t e beams forming t h e u p p e r s e a t deck i t w i l l b e d i f f i c u l t t o i n s t a l l i n t e r m e d i a t e s t e p s w i t h t r e a d s and r i s e r s t h a t a r e c o m f o r t a b l e and c o m p a r a t i v e l y s a f e t o u s e . I n s u c h s i t u a t i o n s h a n d r a i l s , i n s t a l l e d a l o n g t h e m i d d l e o f t h e a i s l e s , p r o v e u s e f u l . Given t h e narrow w i d t h s o f t h e e x i s t i n g a i s l e s i t i s a d v i s a b l e t o widen them t o make t h e p r o v i s i o n o f c e n t r a l h a n d r a i l s f e a s i b l e . A t r a d e - o f f may be p o s s i b l e h e r e i f f e w e r , w i d e r a i s l e s a r e p r o v i d e d . I n d o i n g t h i s , s e a t s p a c i n g may be s l i g h t l y a l t e r e d . ( I t s h o u l d b e n o t e d t h a t some r e c e n t l y - b u i l t s p e c t a t o r f a c i l i t i e s have i n c r e a s e d a v e r a g e s e a t s p a c i n g s t o 560 mm a s opposed t o t h e 510 mm p r o v i d e d i n t h e S t a d i u m . ) Marking o f t r e a d n o s i n g s i s a d v i s e d . I n f a c t t h i s i s a normal B u i l d i n g Code r e q u i r e m e n t f o r a i s l e s i n many s p e c t a t o r f a c i l i t i e s . Uniform n o s i n g s , n o t c u t on a s l a n t a s i s t h e c a s e w i t h e v e r y t h i r d n o s i n g on t h e u p p e r s t a d i u m a i s l e s t a i r s , s h o u l d be u s e d . I n

a d d i t i o n , on a i s l e s where a c c e s s t o s e a t s i s from above, row numbers s h o u l d be mounted on s e a t b a c k s i n e a s y view o f e n t e r i n g s p e c t a t o r s , who have a d i f f i c u l t - e n o u g h t a s k i n d e s c e n d i n g t h e a i s l e s t a i r s .

I f s u c h improvements a r e made, s a v i n g s would be r e a l i z e d from t h e s m a l l e r number o f u s h e r s and u s h e r e t t e s needed; t h e t h r e a t o f c o s t l y l i a b i l i t y s u i t s would b e r e d u c e d ; and s p e c t a t o r s a f e t y and c o m f o r t would b e s i g n i f i c a n t l y improved.

E n t r y and E g r e s s Times f o r S t a d i u m

Some p r e d i c t i o n s o f t h e t i m e r e q u i r e d t o empty and f i l l t h e S t a d i u m were p r e s e n t e d i n a DBR/NRC r e p o r t t o C O J O i n mid-June. Q u o t i n g from t h a t r e p o r t :

"Of t h e 1 - 1 / 2 h o u r s between s c h e d u l e d e v e n i n g e v e n t s i n t h e Stadium p e r h a p s 4 0 m i n u t e s i s r e q u i r e d f o r c l e a r i n g t h e

S t a d i u m and t h e promenade around t h e S t a d i u m . C l e a n i n g and a

s e c u r i t y c h e c k m i g h t t a k e 10 m i n u t e s o r more. The incoming s p e c t a t o r s would r e q u i r e a t l e a s t 45 m i n u t e s t o p a s s t h r o u g h t h e 100 o r s o t u r n s t i l e s and move t o t h e i r s e a t s .

Among t h e many q u e s t i o n s a f f e c t i n g t h e p r e p a r a t i o n o f crowd c o n t r o l p r o c e d u r e s i s t h a t o f t h e p o r t i o n o f crowd l e a v i n g p r i o r t o t h e end o f an e v e n t . ( P r e d i c t i o n s g i v e n s o f a r h a v e assumed c a p a c i t y c r o w d s . ) I t may w e l l happen, f o r example on

2 3 _{J u n e and o t h e r d a y s w i t h t i g h t s c h e d u l i n g , t h a t c l e a r i n g}

and f i l l i n g t i m e s may b e a c c e p t a b l y s h o r t b e c a u s e many p e o p l e l e a v e e a r l y . For t h i s r e a s o n i t i s d i f f i c u l t t o t e l l w h e t h e r p r e d i c t i o n s o f c l e a r i n g t i m e a r e o p t i m i s t i c o r p e s s i m i s t i c o v e r a l l . " As i t t u r n e d o u t t h e f o r e g o i n g comments had c o n s i d e r a b l e v a l i d i t y . S e e f o r example, t h e d i a r y of e v e n t s f o r 31 J u l y (Appendix C ) when up t o 60,000 s p e c t a t o r s l e f t t h e S t a d i u m o v e r a o n e - h o u r p e r i o d ( w i t h some e x i t s c l e a r i n g much e a r l i e r t h a n o t h e r s ) , and e n t r y by a p p r o x i m a t e l y 6 0 , 0 0 0 s p e c t a t o r s t o o k a b o u t 40 m i n u t e s

( w i t h some e n t r a n c e s c l e a r i n g much e a r l i e r t h a n o t h e r s ) . The main e g r e s s and i n g r e s s f l o w s were s e p a r a t e d by a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 0 m i n u t e s ; however, p o s s i b l y h u n d r e d s o f s p e c t a t o r s s t a y e d i n t h e S t a d i u m a f t e r t h e f i r s t e v e n t . I n a d d i t i o n t o b e i n g a m a j o r t e s t f o r t h e C O J O

crowd c o n t r o l p e r s o n n e l , t h e e v e n i n g ' s l a r g e - s c a l e e g r e s s and

i n g r e s s a c t i v i t y was t h e most d i r e c t t e s t o f DBR/NRC t i m e p r e d i c t i o n s

The t a s k o f making p r e d i c t i o n s o f t h e c l e a r i n g and f i l l i n g t i m e s f o r t h e S t a d i u m was c o m p l i c a t e d by t h e p o o r match o f t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f e n t r y (and e g r e s s ) f a c i l i t i e s t o t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f a r r i v i n g (and d e p a r t i n g ) s p e c t a t o r s . For example, many

s p e c t a t o r s a r r i v e d from a r e a s n o r t h e a s t o f t h e S t a d i u m . E n t r a n c e s and c x i t s s e r v i n g t h e n o r t h s e a t i n g and s t a n d i n g a r e a s a r e

u n d e r s i g n e d . F i g u r e 14 shows t h e l i m i t e d promenade a r e a a v a i l a b l e a t o n c o f t h e two most n o r t h e r l y s e t s of d o o r s - - d o o r s t h a t

s c r v e d n o t o n l y t h e s p e c t a t o r s e n t c r i n g t h e S t a d i u m b u t a l s o t h o s e l e a v i n g . Each 860-mm doorway might s e r v e o v e r 2 , 0 0 0 p e r s o n s .

I n i t s post-Olympic Games c o n f i g u r a t i o n t h e S t a d i u m w i l l p o s e f e w e r d i f f i c u l t i e s f o r crowd c o n t r o l p e r s o n n e l (and f o r r e s e a r c h c r s a t t e m p t i n g t o make r e a l i s t i c p r e d i c t i o n s o f e g r e s s t i m e s ) . E g r e s s t i m e s f o r c l e a r i n g a l l 56,000 s p e c t a t o r s o u t o f t h e S t a d i u m a p p e a r

t o b e l a r g e l y d e t e r m i n e d by t h e u s e o f t h e 22 m ( t o t a l w i d t h ) o f ramps a n d f o u r 1200-mm e s c a l a t o r s by 3 0 , 0 0 0 s p e c t a t o r s from l e v e l s 500, 600 and 700 ( p e r h a p s 3 5 , 0 0 0 i f some s p e c t a t o r s from s e a t s n e a r l e v e l 400 u s e i t a s a n e x i t r o u t e ) . Each 2.7-m wide ramp c a n c a r r y 150 p e r s o n s p e r m i n u t e and e a c h e s c a l a t o r 90 p e r s o n s p e r m i n u t e u n d e r h i g h f l o w c o n d i t i o n s . Thus t h e s e v e r t i c a l movement f a c i l i t i e s c o u l d b e i n heavy u s e f o r 1 9 t o 22 m i n u t e s a s s u m i n g e f f i c i e n t u s e . The f a s t e s t c l e a r i n g t i m e of a l l s p e c t a t o r s t o t h e S t a d i u m e x i t s a t l e v e l 300 would b e a b o u t 25 m i n u t e s . E x p e r i e n c e s u g g e s t s t h a t crowds c a n n o t b e e x p e c t e d t o c l e a r s u c h a l a r g e b u i l d i n g i n t h e most e f f i c i e n t manner, t h e r e f o r e a nominal c l e a r i n g t i m c o f a b o u t 3 0 m i n u t e s i s s u g g e s t e d a s a r e a s o n a b l e e x p e c t a t i o n i f a l l 5 5 , 0 0 0 s p e c t a t o r s want t o l e a v e r a p i d l y . The l o n g e v a c u a t i o n t i m e s c o u l d b e r a t i o n a l i z e d a s a v i r t u e , and n o t a p r o b l e m , b e c a u s e p u b l i c t r a n s i t , p a r k i n g , and l o c a l s t r e e t s w i l l t a k e more t h a n 30 m i n u t e s t o c l e a r . T h e r e r e m a i n s , however, a q u e s t i o n o f s a f e t y i f r a p i d e g r e s s i s r e q u i r e d o r i f crowds become i m p a t i e n t w i t h t h e s l o w , crowded d e s c e n t on t h e ramps which l a r g e l y d e t e r m i n e e v a c u a t i o n t i m e . (See F i g u r e 1 5 f o r

c o n d i t i o n s on ramp a t f u l l - f l o w . )

T h e s e c l e a r i n g t i m e s r e f l e c t t h e f a c t t h a t t h e S t a d i u m ramps a n d e s c a l a t o r s w i l l p r o v i d e o n l y a b o u t o n e - s i x t h ( o r l e s s ) o f t h e e x i t w i d t h c a l l e d f o r i n t h e c u r r e n t e d i t i o n o f t h e N a t i o n a l B u i l d i n g Code o f Canada. I f judged a g a i n s t c u r r e n t l y p r o p o s e d c h a n g e s t o e x i t r u l e s i n t h e N a t i o n a l B u i l d i n g Code t h e Olympic S t a d i u m would p r o v i d e o n l y h a l f o f t h e r e q u i r e d e x i t c a p a c i t y

(even l e s s f o r t h c l a r g e r s p e c t a t o r crowds h e l d d u r i n g t h e Olympic Games)

.

To cope e f f e c t i v e l y w i t h t h e e n t r y o f s p e c t a t o r s f o r p o s t - Olympics u s e o f t h e S t a d i u m , i t seems r e a s o n a b l e t o r e d u c e t h e number o f t u r n s t i l e s p r o v i d e d a n d r e l o c a t e some t o o t h e r a r e a s . The a r r a n g e m e n t o f t h e I 0 4 t u r n s t i l e s d u r i n g t h e Olympic Games

(some o f which a r e shown i n F i g u r e 1 6 ) d i d n o t make t h e most

e f f i c i e n t u s e o f t u r n s t i l e s o r t i c k e t ' - c o n t r o l s t a f f . A t e a c h e n t r y t h e f o u r t u r n s t i l e s d i r e c t l y o p p o s i t e t h e d o o r s o p e r a t e d most

e f f e c t i v e l y ; e a c h t u r n s t i l e s e r v i n g o n e p e r s o n e v e r y 3 s e c o n d s . The o t h e r 6 t u r n s t i l e s , t o t h e s i d e s o f t h e d o o r s , s e r v e d one p e r s o n e v e r y 4 s e c o n d s . Both t h e s e t i m e s may h a v e improved somewhat l a t e r i n t h e Games a s t i c k e t - c o n t r o l s t a f f became more p r o f i c i e n t . ( T h i s w i l l b e d e t e r m i n e d t h r o u g h a n a l y s i s o f r e s e a r c h r e c o r d s o f t h e l a t e r e v e n t s . ) P u b l i c Washroom F a c i l i t i e s i n t h e S t a d i u m Thc u s e made o f p u b l i c washroom f a c i l i t i e s c o u l d n o t b e s t u d i e d i n d e t a i l a s it h a s been i n o t h e r r e c e n t l y c o n s t r u c t e d s t a d i a and g r a n d s t a n d s . S u f f i c i e n t r e s e a r c h s t a f f was n o t a v a i l a b l e t o c a r r y

o u t a n y t h i n g more t h a n a s u p e r f i c i a l e v a l u a t i o n o f problems a r i s i n g , f o r example, b e c a u s e o f i n a d e q u a t e f a c i l i t i e s f o r women. A s

e x p e c t e d , d u r i n g a t h l e t i c e v e n t s queuing o c c u r r e d f r e q u e n t l y a t women's washrooms, even when t h e Stadium was n o t f i l l e d t o c a p a c i t y . T h i s r e f l e c t e d t h e l a r g e r r a t i o o f women t h a n i s t h e c a s e a t o t h e r s p o r t i n g e v e n t s . Canadian f o o t b a l l games f o r example, a r e a t t e n d e d l a r g e l y by men who a c c o u n t f o r 2 1 3 _{t o 3/4 o f t h e s p e c t a t o r s . Thus}

t h e i n a d e q u a t e p r o v i s i o n o f women's washrooms w i l l be l e s s o f a problem i n t h e S t a d i u m ' s f u t u r e u s e f o r f o o t b a l l and p o s s i b l y b a s e b a l l . Then it may w e l l be t h e male s p e c t a t o r s ' t u r n t o queue a t t h e washrooms. A t a b l e l i s t i n g s u g g e s t e d and p r o v i d e d washroom f a c i l i t i e s f o r t h e Olympic Games u s e o f t h e Stadium i s g i v e n i n Appendix I).

O t h e r Problems S t u d i e d i n Stadium

T h i s s e c t i o n l i s t s some problems o f s a f e t y w i t h t h e t e m p o r a r y a r r a n g e m e n t s used d u r i n g t h e Olympic Games. A more d e t a i l e d

a s s e s s m e n t o f t h e s e problems w i l l b e p o s s i b l e i n f u t u r e d a t a a n a l y s e s . C o n s i d e r i n g t h e i r l i m i t e d r e l e v a n c e t o t h e post-Games Stadium, t h e y w i l l o n l y b e touched on b r i e f l y h e r e .

The many plywood s t r i p s c o v e r i n g j o i n t s i n Stadium f l o o r s l a b s posed a p p r e c i a b l e problems. The i n c i d e n c e o f v i s i t o r s t r i p p i n g on

t h e s e 20-mm p r o j e c t i o n s was n o t i n f r e q u e n t and it i s s u s p e c t e d t h a t some f a l l s were s e r i o u s enough t o r e q u i r e medical t r e a t m e n t . A t

o t h e r j o i n t s t h e r e were m e t a l e x p a n s i o n j o i n t c o v e r s t h a t sank a s much a s 30 mm below t h e a d j o i n i n g c o n c r e t e s l a b s t h u s e x p o s i n g a d d i t i o n a l t r i p p i n g h a z a r d s . I n some a r e a s b o t h t h e r a i s e d s t r i p s and t h e d e p r e s s e d m e t a l s t r i p s were s i d e by s i d e i n major r o u t e s o f p e d e s t r i a n t r a f f i c such a s a t ramps. A s one o f t h e d e t a i l e d s t u d i e s made d u r i n g t h e Games, movie f i l m was s h o t o f how w e l l p e o p l e

p e r c c i v c d t h e h a z a r d , how t h e i r s t e p p i n g b e h a v i o r responded and t h e i n f l u e n c e o f v a r i o u s t y p e s o f f o o t w e a r on t h e t r i p p i n g h a z a r d .

Another more i s o l a t e d b u t p o s s i b l y more h a z a r d o u s t r i p p i n g . t u a t i o n e x i s t e d on l e v e l 300 a t t h e t o p a p p r o a c h t o t h e n o r t h e a s t a i r s e r v i n g s t a n d e e s ( F i g u r e 1 7 ) . A p i e c e o f i n a d e q u a t e l y t i e d down plywood p r o j e c t e d up a b o u t 2 5 mm n e a r t h e f i r s t s t a i r s t e p . F i l m s made o f p e o p l e walking o v e r t h i s a r e a on t h e l a s t d a y s o f t h e Games i n d i c a t e t h a t t r i p s were n o t uncommon and i n s e v e r a l o b s e r v e d , b u t n o t f i l m e d c a s e s , t h e y n e a r l y r e s u l t e d i n a s e v e r e tumble down t h e s t a i r s .

A d r a m a t i c d e m o n s t r a t i o n o f t h e t e m p o r a r y h a z a r d s o f a p a r t i c u l a r e x t e r i o r s t a i r between t h e promenade and ground l e v e l n o r t h e a s t o f t h e Stadium o c c u r r e d d u r i n g t h e pre-Games r e h e a r s a l l a t e i n J u n e . The c a s t - i n - p l a c e c o n c r e t e s t a i r s t r u c t u r e , n o t y e t f i n i s h e d w i t h c a r e f u l l y dimensioned p r e - c a s t t r e a d p i e c e s , was used by s p e c t a t o r s a t t e n d i n g e v e n t s i n t h e P a r k . On t h e t o p f l i g h t o f t h i s s t a i r t h e y

had t o cope w i t h a f o r m i d a b l e s e r i e s o f s t e p s , t h e f i r s t t r e a d (on d e s c e n t ) b e i n g o n l y 200 mm deep w h i l e t h e o t h e r t r e a d s were a p p r o x i m a t e l y 300 mm deep. The f i r s t r i s e r was 140 mm and t h e n e x t 190 mm. Upon o b s e r v i n g an e x t r e m e l y h i g h m i s s t e p r a t e a t t h i s p o i n t on t h e s t a i r t h e DBR/NRC team s t r o n g l y recommended i t be c l o s e d t o p u b l i c u s e u n t i l i t s f i n i s h e d t r e a d s were i n s t a l l e d . During t h e Games, i n i t s f i n i s h e d form, t h e s t a i r s e r v e d d e s c e n d i n g s p e c t a t o r s much b e t t e r a s t h e m i s s t e p r a t e changed from one p e r t w e n t y u s e s t o one p e r t h o u s a n d u s e s o r more. Normal m i s s t e p r a t e on w e l l - d e s i g n e d s t a i r s i s e s t i m a t e d t o b e one m i s s t e p o r n e a r - a c c i d e n t i n e v e r y 7,000 o r more u s e s o f a f l i g h t o f s t a i r s . An above a v e r a g e m i s s t e p r a t e , even on t h e f i n i s h e d s t a i r , i s n o t s u r p r i s i n g a s t h e s t a i r h a s o t h e r d e f e c t s .

The many l i g h t p i p e r a i l i n g s s e t up f o r t h e 11,000 s t a n d e e s a t t h e n o r t h end o f t h e Stadium had many s h a r p e d g e s t o c u t

s p e c t a t o r s and t e a r c l o t h i n g . T h i s was even t h e c a s e a t t h e w o r s t p o s s i b l e l o c a t i o n , where s p e c t a t o r s s t e p p i n g down t h e f i r s t s t e p on a i s l e s from l e v e l 200 f a c e d a 3 5 0 - t o 380-mm d r o p ( t h e u s u a l r i s e r h e i g h t below t h i s b e i n g 250 mm). Many had t o r e a c h f o r one o f t h e s h a r p e n d s o f s u c h r a i l i n g s t o r e g a i n l o s t b a l a n c e t o p r e v e n t a f a l l . Among t h e f i r s t - a i d r e p o r t s o f l a c e r a t i o n s many

were f o r c u t s t o hands - - c u t s t h a t may have been due t o t h e r a i l i n g s . S i m i l a r r a i l i n g s i n t h e P i s c i n e had t h e i r s h a r p e n d s c o v e r e d w i t h a p r o t e c t i v e s l e e v e r e s u l t i n g i n a s a f e , smooth r a i l .

VISITOR FACILITIES IN THE PISCINE

I n t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e DBR/NRC team t h e P i s c i n e was t h e l e a s t s a f e venue s t u d i e d b e c a u s e o f i n a d e q u a t e , p o o r l y - a r r a n g e d e x i t f a c i l i t i e s and t h e p r e s e n c e o f u n u s u a l f i r e h a z a r d s u n d e r t h e t e m p o r a r y s t a n d f o r a b o u t 7000 s p e c t a t o r s on t h e Stadium s i d e o f t h e p o o l . The u n d e r - p r o v i s i o n and p o o r a r r a n g e m e n t o f e x i t s from t h e t e m p o r a r y s e a t i n g r e s u l t e d i n l o n g c l e a r i n g times, r a n g i n g from

15 t o 20 m i n u t e s f o r c a p a c i t y crowds a t t e m p t i n g t o l e a v e a t one t i m e . A s w i t h o t h e r v e n u e s , s p e c t a t o r s o f t e n d r i f t e d o u t o f t h e P i s c i n e b e f o r e t h e end o f e v e n t s . The e x a c t c l e a r i n g t i m e f o r a mass e g r e s s c o u l d n o t , t h e r e f o r e , be measured d i r e c t l y . (The B r i t i s h Guide t o S a f e t y a t S p o r t s Grounds r e q u i r e s t h a t s p e c t a t o r

f a c i l i t i e s s u b j e c t t o such f i r e h a z a r d s b e p r o v i d e d w i t h s u f f i c i e n t e x i t s t o p e r m i t t h e a r e a t o b e c l e a r e d i n 2 1 / 2 m i n u t e s . )

D e t a i l e d r e s e a r c h r e c o r d s were made o f how w e l l s p e c i f i c p a r t s o f t h e e g r e s s (and i n g r e s s ) system f u n c t i o n e d . Areas t h a t a p p e a r e d t o b e b o t t l e n e c k s i n t h e e g r e s s s y s t e m f o r t h e t e m p o r a r y s t a n d s

included the entries to the narrow vomitories (1400 mm wide) from the aisles. Figure 18 shows congestion experienced here during ingress. During egress, extensive queuing occurred here as only about 45 persons per minute could clear each vomitory. The corridor areas behind the vomitories were also congested. As well as

reducing exit widths, the food concessions in the corridor added to the fire hazard (Figure 19). Other bottlenecks occurred at the exit doors. The doors made available for normal egress provided only about one-fifth of the total width normally called for in North American building codes. The arrangement of doors at the west corner was awkward as crowds approached them at a glancing angle, thus reducing their effectiveness. Considering these shortcomings and hazards it is astonishing that these doors were occasionally chained and locked during well-attended events, particularly during early use of the Piscine.

As with the Stadium, a number of unusual stairs were provided for the spectators' use. One of these was an unusually steep temporary stair (250-mm risers, 200-mm treads) serving standing spaces beside the permanent seating. Spectators exercised extreme caution in its use. There was much evidence of generally poor design and construction workmanship, even on permanent aisle stairs.

Upgrading of these is recommended.

If certain improvements are made and all exits from the permanent seats fully utilized it is estimated that, in its post- Olympic use, 2,500 spectators could evacuate in perhaps 5 minutes - - an acceptable evacuation time if fire and other hazards are under contro 1.

FACILITIES IN THE VELODROME

The Velodrome had the best exit facilities of the three venues studied at Olympic Park (Figure 20). From a preliminary examination of DBR/NRC records of crowd egress here it is estimated to have an

evacuation time of 8 to 10 minutes, much longer than official estimates. The fact that official estimates by others are unrealistically low

reflects the misconceptions regarding crowd egress that have long been accepted by designers and safety officials. According to these misconceptions the Velodrome's 1220-mm wide aisles are supposed to carry an egress flow of perhaps 100 persons per minute. Each aisle serves up to 280 seats. In actual practice crowd flows only reach about half this figure and could be much less depending on the abilities of spectators and their perception of their safety in descending the long aisle stairs. Note, in Figure 21, that some spectators will have to exercise caution even with well designed aisle stairs. These include the elderly and people carrying or assisting small children (as at the bottom of the aisle illustrated).

The Velodrome's aisle stairs had design and construction defects but not so many as those found in the other venues studied at Olympic Park. With the upper aisles located at construction joints in the seating decks, there were irregularities in adjacent tread sizes

(13 mm to S O mrn depending on part of treads measured) and caulk-filled joints (sometimes over 25 mm across). Variations in heights of

adjacent risers rarely exceeded 13 mm. These irregularities may have been a factor in reducing the egress flow down aisles. Improvements to the aisle stairs (short of rebuilding the aisles) should include painted stripes at nosings of treads and provision of handrails. The handrails would make the aisles safer and could perhaps significantly improve egress flows.

CROWD CONTROL ACTIVITIES OF COJO STAFF

In general COJO staff coped well with crowd control problems and largely overcame many deficiencies in the Olympic Park facilities in connection with spectator access and egress. In addition to hard working managers, COJO had relatively good luck with such potentially serious problems as inclement weather; large, badly-behaved crowds; and accidents and terrorism.

The management of the facilities and spectator problems was generally good despite the inexperience of almost all personnel

involved and the fact that new, complex facilities had to be managed. It is nevertheless felt that there is a great need for more expertise on spectator facilities which should be carried over and improved with each subsequent Olympiad. The effort to capitalize in a

systematic fashion on expertise about spectator facilities and crowd control procedures received little recognition or financial

support. Work carried out by the DBR/NRC team may well have been the first effort to document spectator facilities and control procedures at Olympic Games. If detailed information had been

available from earlier Games the resulting savings and improved services might have been substantial.

To complement the long-term development of knowledge about building and transportation facilities for the Olympic Games, the DBR/NRC study team will report on the effectiveness of crowd control aids (signs, bullhorns, public address systems, riot fences, etc. )

,

effective procedures and appropriate staff/visitor ratios. Early impressions of the effectiveness of COJO staff and their use of crowd control aids and procedures suggest that staff levels could have been reduced and some redistribution done to provide more crowd control staff outside the venues. Some of the techniques employed appeared either inefficient or ineffective. For example, the use of bullhorns to direct visitors was not always effective. Alternate measures such as large signs or provision of clear channels of movement might have been both more effective and less disturbing to visitors.

Perhaps t h e b i g g e s t h a n d i c a p f a c i n g t h e C O J O managers and t h e i r crowd c o n t r o l s t a f f was t h e f a i l u r e t o c o o r d i n a t e a l l p l a n n i n g o f s p e c t a t o r f a c i l i t i e s and t h e i r o p e r a t i o n a t an e a r l y s t a g e . For example, t h e a r c h i t e c t u r a l teams d e s i g n i n g t h e f a c i l i t i e s s h o u l d have had e a r l y d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h p e r s o n n e l knowledgeable on crowd c o n t r o l and a l s o s h o u l d have r e c o r d e d f o r s u b s e q u e n t u s e a l l t h e i r d e s i g n a s s u m p t i o n s r e g a r d i n g s p e c t a t o r movement and i t s c o n t r o l . A s it was, even a t t h e v e r y l a t e s t a g e when t h e DBR/NRC team became i n v o l v e d w i t h t h e Montreal f a c i l i t i e s , t h e r e was o n l y f r a g m e n t a r y documentation o f d e s i g n c o n s i d e r a t i o n s and v e r y l i t t l e e v i d e n c e o f p l a n n i n g and c o o r d i n a t i o n r e g a r d i n g v i s i t o r s t o t h e f a c i l i t i e s . Acknowledgements

The DBR/NRC team i s g r a t e f u l t o COJO, p a r t i c u l a r l y t o

M r . G e r a l d Aumont and h i s f e l l o w w o r k e r s , and t o t h e CTCUM f o r t h e i r c o - o p e r a t i o n , a s s i s t a n c e and p a t i e n c e w i t h t h i s r e s e a r c h endeavour.

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FIGURE 11. The a i s l e s a r e s t e e p l y i n c l i n e d and t h e r e a r e no h a n d r a i l s t o allow a stumbling person t o check h i s f a l l

X R E 12. Some of t h e s t a i r t r e a d s a r e broken up with wide c o n s t r u c t i o n j o i n t s f i l l e d with r e l a t i v e l y s o f t m a t e r i a l and i n some c a s e s covered w i t h plywood s t r i p s t h u s f u r t h e r downgrading t h e a l r e a d y poor q u a l i t y of t h e c r i t i c a l s t e p p i n g a r e a s

FIGURE

14. The uneven distribution of entries and exits caused considerable congestion at the

N.E.

and

N.W.

GURE 17. The piece of inadequately tied down plywood projecting up about 25 at the top of the stair constituted a hazardous tripping situation

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APPENDIX A

NRC FILM RELEASE

COLOUR S.O. F. (Optical: FX only) 1:lO

ANNCR: INTRO While more than 100,000 people a day are watching the athletes at the Montreal Olympics, they too are being watched

.

,

.

by a team of scientists.

TAKE FILM The Olympics will attract more than a million ANNCR: VOICE people

.

. .

people who've never used any of the

facilities before. The close scheduling of events and the huge crowds have raised concern: How do you get so many people in and out from one event to another

.

.

.

safely, and with the least possible confusion? The Olympic organizing committee has called in a team of specialists from the National Research Council for information that will help right now and, more importantly, that will provide the kind of data that will help in the future. High above the crowds, the NRC cameras will let scientists record, and later predict, evacuation patterns and speeds, both in normal circumstances and in emergencies. From that will come the first complete research to help designers decide where they should use stairs, where they should use ramps, where there should be handrails

. . .

or turnstiles

.

.

.

even where there should be someone in uniform you can ask for directions. Preliminary findings are being discussed with the Olympic

organizers and later, detailed information will be shared with the rest of the world: One of the legacies Montreal will leave future Olympics.