5 Steps to Ensure Bleacher Safety

Bleachers make sporting events so much more enjoyable to watch. Spectators get to enjoy comfortable seating so their focus stays on the competition. However, safety is an important issue when it comes to bleacher use. The following five steps will help keep your spectators safe at every match.

1. Assemble Bleachers Carefully

When assembling and installing new bleachers, it’s important to be very cautious and ensure that each step is completely correctly. Pay close attention to fasteners, welds, and anchors to ensure that the bleachers are safely installed.

2. Know the Handrail Guidelines

Handrails should be added to any bleachers at heights above 30 inches. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the top of the guardrail should be at least 42 inches above the leading edge of the adjacent footboard, seat board or aisle. The openings in guardrails should prevent passage of a four-inch sphere, the approximate size of a baby’s head

3. Fix or Replace Old Bleachers

Bleachers should be repaired or replaced if they become unsafe in any way. In addition, the CPSC recommendations address the open deck design commonly found in older bleachers. To prevent people from tripping or falling through, facilities should add risers in the spaces below the seat boards and above the footboards. The riser should close off enough of the opening in the deck to prevent the passage of a four-inch sphere.

4. Add Non-Skid Surfaces

Many bleachers feature a grooved surface that helps to eliminate water from puddling on top and creating a slippery surface. To further improve bleacher safety, you can add a non-skid surface to bleacher stairs and walkways.

5. Perform Regular Inspections

Facility managers should always inspect bleachers before and after use. In addition, the CPSC recommends and the National Fire Protection Association requires that bleachers be thoroughly inspected at least quarterly by trained personnel, and that any problems be corrected immediately.

Use these tips to ensure that all spectators are able to watch sporting events safely from the comfort of your bleachers.

Choosing The Right Sports Seating Solution

Keep the crowd comfortable and the players, too, with the selection of bleachers and team benches available at First Team. All bleachers and benches sold at First Team are made with aluminum seat and foot planks supported by powder-coated steel underneath the seating structure. Portable bleachers and benches are available at First Team as well as fixed bleachers and benches. If you need player benches or bleachers with powder coated planks customized in your choice of colors, First Team can do that too.

Indoor and Outdoor Bleachers

Bleachers are available for both indoor gyms and outdoor stadiums and field. FanStand offers both Tip N Roll and Outdoor Bleachers. The Tip N Roll model bleachers made for indoor seating use anodized aluminum seat and walk planks that measure 9 5/8″ x 1 ¾”. Available with single or double wide walk planks, Tip N Roll Bleachers come with 4″ tip-n-roll wheels secured to the back seat support so the bleachers are portable. FanStand bleachers do not require a safety railing because no seat is higher than 2 1/2 feet off the ground.

Bleachers Features

FanStand Outdoor Bleachers available in nine colors and with a limited lifetime warranty also use 9 5/8″ x 1 3/4″ anodized aluminum planking. The basic framing of the outdoor bleachers is all welded structural angle with bolted cross bracing so that the strength of the bleachers is maximized for end shift loads. The outdoor bleachers come with framing spaced on 6-foot centers and treated wood runners that are bolted to the bottom of each frame for enhanced stability on soft surfaces.

Player Benches

Player benches to accommodate many needs are available at First Team, including portable benches and fixed, in-ground benches. Any bench is available either with or without a back rest, and whatever style you choose comes in a selection of different lengths, so whether you have a large roster or a more limited squad, there’s a bench at First Team that will fit your team.

Should I get Portable or Permanent Sports Benches?

What kind of team do you have? Is your organization one that is better suited to having permanent sports benches, or will portable benches suffice? Permanent in-ground players’ benches that are installed right into the concrete are ideal for baseball dugouts, soccer fields and football or lacrosse fields. A portable bench is the proper choice for a team on the move. Portable benches can be used either indoors or outdoors.

Permanent Benches

Teammate Fixed Benches available at First Team are made with anodized aluminum planking measuring 9 5/8″ x 1 3/4″ for seats and back rests. Support legs and backrest brackets are made with steel construction and the legs are spaced on 6-foot centers. Teammate fixed player benches come in three lengths: 8 feet, 15 feet and 21 feet, and each length can be ordered either with or without back rests. “Fixed” benches are cemented right into the ground for a permanent installation. All the planks on the Teammate Fixed Benches include end caps so there aren’t any sharp edges. Teammate Fixed Benches are available in custom colors so you can order them to match the look of your own team, and the seat planks and back rests can be custom powder coated in up to nine different colors for whichever length bench you order.

Portable Benches

Teammate Portable Benches include a lot of the same features and options present in the fixed benches, and these are also available at First Team. The portable benches also employ 9 5/8″ x 1 3/4″ anodized aluminum planking on both the seats and the back rests. The support legs and brackets on the back rests are powder coated painted black, with legs are spaced on centers that are 6 feet. The portable player benches feature rubber floor protectors so that wherever you temporarily park the benches, they will not cause damage, scratching or scuffing to the floors. Teammate portable player benches are available in 8 feet, 15 feet and 21 feet lengths, and you can get any of these three sizes with or without back rests. Nine different custom colors are available, enough to suit the official look of almost any team.

How to Determine What Size of Bleachers Your Facility Needs

Buying new bleachers is a great upgrade for any sports facility. But if you’re not sure what size of bleachers to purchase, it can cause stress over whether your chosen seating will be sufficient. Use this helpful guide to figure out the perfect size of bleachers for your gym, volleyball or basketball court, soccer field or other sports facility.

Consider Current & Future Attendance

The first place to start when you’re searching for the right bleachers is to consider the current admission numbers for games. If you sell tickets, you can go back and look at your records to see how many tickets have been sold. Those who don’t track attendance may have to go to games to count the number of spectators. It will take a little research, but having an idea of the maximum number people you need to provide seats for will help you narrow down your bleacher options.

Of course, if seating has been insufficient in the past, you may want to consider that attendance could increase once you install new seating. When fans know there is plenty of comfortable seating available, it makes the prospect of attending a game seem more enticing.

Calculate Your Facility Size

Make sure that you take exact measurements of your facility before you order bleachers. You don’t want your new seating to arrive only to find out that it won’t fit. Additionally, you’ll need to consider how your bleachers will be stored when not in use. FanStand Indoor Tip-N-Roll Bleachers, for example, feature wheels on the back that make them easy to transport into a storage space, but you’ll still need to measure to make sure they can fit through the entryway.

Don’t Forget the Players

When you order new bleachers, you may also want to get new benches for players and coaches to use on the sidelines. First Team offers a great selection of portable and fixed benches that will complement your new bleachers.  First Team also offers custom padded folding chairs for sideline use.

Provide plenty of seating for spectators by ordering new portable or stationary bleachers for your facility. First Team offers a great selection of safe, comfortable bleachers along with industry-leading warranties.

Advantages and Versatility of Tip-N-Roll Bleachers

Tip-N-Roll Bleachers are an innovative seating solution that many sports facilities are using to provide comfortable, safe seating for spectators. Learn more about this unique bleacher style and why it’s such a smart investment for facility managers in this handy guide.

What are Tip-N-Roll Bleachers?

FanStand Tip-N-Roll Bleachers are a unique product. These bleacher sets look just like normal bleachers do. However, wheels have been attached on the back of the back seat support for a convenient purpose. The bleachers can be tipped back onto these wheels for easier transportation and storage. In addition rubber floor protectors are included under the bottom of the frame so that floors won’t be damaged when tipping the bleachers up and down. Tip-N-Roll Bleachers are recommended for indoor use but can be used outdoors and rolled on hard, smooth surfaces.

Tip-N-Roll Bleacher Advantages

There are a number of benefits associated with using Tip-N-Roll Bleachers for spectator seating, including:

• Portability: The lightweight structure and sturdy wheels make it easy to move these bleachers anywhere you need them to go.
• Height: FanStand Tip-N-Roll Bleachers are designed so the highest seat level is below 30″ above ground level, eliminating the need for safety railing.
• Durability: Basic framing is all welded structural angle with bolted cross bracing to maximize bleacher strength for end shift loads.
• Style: The bleacher planks are available in several popular colors, and the steel under structure is powder-coat painted black.
• 

Tip-N-Roll Bleacher Versatility

Because these bleachers are so easy to move around, they offer endless options when it comes to spectator seating. You can position them along the sidelines for games, but keep them safely stored away during practices. The bleachers’ smaller size also makes it possible to place them in several spots throughout larger sporting facilities which contain multiple courts or indoor fields. You can also customize your bleacher layout depending on the size of crowd you are expecting, or use your Tip-N-Roll Bleachers for auxiliary seating for high attendance events.

Add some Tip-N-Roll Bleachers from First Team to your indoor facility to enjoy the great benefits and versatile seating options mentioned here.