The facility has been given a compliance score of a hugely impressive 99 per cent, which has delighted the club's head of safety and security, Adrian Morris.
“This is the highest score any Premier League club has ever achieved, so we're delighted,” he said. “While it’s been a strange year for everyone, work has continued for our operations team and to be able to get to this standard, during such trying circumstances, is an absolutely fantastic achievement.
“While I'm extremely proud of how our safety and security team have pulled together ahead of the audit, a special mention must go to our training and compliance officer, Laurence Murphy, who has been outstanding in bringing our compliance up to this very high standard – not only through his training but also in compiling the necessary evidence required.”
The audit comprised of 11 sections, including H&S Policy, Planning & Implementation, Training & Development, Risk Assessment, Electrical Safety and Site & Food Safety, and the club scored a total of 269 points out of a possible 270.
“We've been improving year on year but we're the first club in Premier League history to get 99% compliance, which means we're leading the way in health and safety with regards to academy training grounds,” adds Laurence.
“The Premier League want to make sure that as we're a Category A training ground, there's a consistent and safe approach in all areas. As a result, everything is thoroughly checked; for instance, making sure all staff are trained in all areas of health and safety, all records are thoroughly recorded and maintained, and there’s a solid management programme in place.
“In light of the pandemic, we had to present our evidence in a different way this year, so it was done over Zoom. Everything I said I also had to back up with documentation. I needed a portfolio of evidence at my fingertips – so getting ready for the audit was more time-consuming this time, but it was certainly worth it in the end.”
The report from the Premier League included the following: ‘The audit of the Brighton & Hove Albion academy Health and Safety Management Systems (HSMS) resulted in a score of 99% which is an excellent result providing Full Assurance.
‘This is the highest score achieved across the Premier League academy audits so far.
‘The managers and staff at the academy are aware of their responsibilities and have good understanding of COVID-19 risk assessment, general risk assessments, first aid and fire arrangements.
‘An excellent audit again, well done to all involved’.
The audit comes hot on the heels of the club being awarded the ISO 45001 standard in September, a significant achievement which safeguards the health, safety and welfare of all members of staff – both at the Amex Stadium and training ground.
“The ISO [International Organisation for Standardisation] is an international organisation that rates the health and safety of companies – it's a bit like having a Michelin star if you're a restaurant,” Laurence adds. “We had a four-day audit on both sites – and you can't get any higher than ISO 45001, which only a handful of Premier League clubs have achieved.
“But while we're delighted to have scored highly on both counts, we are always looking to improve. What COVID has shown us is that the world can change overnight. Health and safety is at the forefront of people's minds now, which is great, and for us as a football club, it's all about making sure we’re ready for the next threat that comes down the line and having systems in place to protect against it.
“The club is very proactive in that respect and has always been fantastic with the policies and procedures put in place to protect our business, our employees and our fans. It’s part of the fabric of the club; every department buys into it and understands the important of health and safety in the workplace.”