Today I received this official response from a Scottish Government spokesman regarding the state of the Ibrox roof:
“This is a matter for the local authority and Glasgow City Council are in regular dialogue with Rangers about the safety certificate for Ibrox and other issues.
“The club has a safety certificate which is valid until July – but clearly that can be reviewed at any time if serious issues emerge.
“The Safety Advisory Group has discussed this issue and its dialogue with the club is ongoing.”
In the interests of accuracy, I asked the Government spokesperson clarification on the “issue” used in the last sentence of the statement. Back came the unequivocal reply; “The Ibrox roof.”
This confirms that the Scottish Government is now aware of the issues at Ibrox and that they are monitoring the situation, although it is not their statutory function, whereas, the City Council can review the safety certificate for Ibrox AT ANY TIME.
I was reassured by the assurance from the Scottish Government that the Safety Advisory Group is in “an ongoing dialogue” with the club regarding the Ibrox roof. Those who read my article last Friday will remember I had said a number of concerned people working at Ibrox had indicated to me that SAG had not received substantive answers to questions regarding the state of three Ibrox roofs.
Perhaps the ongoing dialogue will provide definitive answers to those outstanding questions.
This statement poses several other questions.
What are the “other issues” being discussed between the club and the City Council?
How serious does a situation have to become before a safety certificate is withdrawn?
As I said last Friday:
“This is not a narrow, point-winning issue; this is not a debate about who has the best centre forward; this is not a debate about who will finish higher in the league or win a cup.”
This is about safety.
The Scottish Government has been prompt in replying to my questions, and the Chief Executive of Glasgow City Council has indicated that she will reply to me in due course…and from Ibrox the sound of silence.
Discover more from Phil Mac Giolla Bháin
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
One of the most important questions in my mind is what level of survey/inspection has been carried out on the roof connectors in order for a structural report to have been produced and how detailed it is.
I have worked on the oil rigs for years and these type of inspections are routinely carried out on an offshore structure.The nature of these surveys/inspections and the data that can be gathered can vary quite a lot.
Although not an expert in this field I know that the following procedures are used. I have listed them in ascending order
1. A visual inspection ( can basically be carried out by a guy in a suit standing at ground level using a pair of binoculars)
2. A close visual inspection would require the connectors to be needle gunned/wire brushed to remove any rust then the bolting can be inspected at close quarters.
3. UT testing (Ultrasonic) uses a device that gives thickness readings of the Steelwork and will show up any wall thinning that may have occurred.
4. Dye penetration this like a can of spray paint that is sprayed onto welded connections and will show up any defects/fractures in the welds.
5. Radiography is an X ray taken of the welds
Examples 2,3, 4 and 5 would require either rope access techniques (Royal engineers perhaps) or scaffolding to be erected.
It would be interesting to know which of the above procedures were used in compiling the survey report as the amount and detail of information gathered will vary quire a lot.
Apologies if I have went a bit tech on all of this
It’s starting to look like a case of pass the parcel.
Their is an easy way for Rangers to refute any claims of endangering fans attending matches.
Publish the structural engineers report in full, redact any financial info if necessary, and if there is nothing in the report that indicates that there is an immediate danger then fine, just get on with it, nets and all.
If nothing is amiss then that will be the end of it……….if on the other hand there are warnings of immediate danger then how was a safety certificate issued, who signed off for SAG and who signed off for the Ibrox club?
If indeed there are issues then a number of those involved have crossed the line.
I suspect that there is no immediate danger to fans indicated in the report because although the structural engineers have a duty of confidentiality to their client, they have a much greater responsibility to those who may be placed in danger if there are aspects of their report that they feel would have negated the issue of a safety certificate
I assume that this is the reason for their low ball attempt to rent Hampden a couple of months back for next season… ??
Just imagine if the bolts on the Forth Railway Bridge were dodgy I am sure for public safety they would close it down for repair. Oh they did close down a bridge for faults it was the Forth Bridge again for public safety till it was repaired. Also just imagine if a stadium does not comply to safety and authorities and owners are aware of this and a fatal accident occurred, surely that would at least be manslaughter charges for those people concerned,
Glasgow City Council are answerable to the Scottish Government and it is inconceivable that both GCC and the Holyrood Parliament would allow Ibrox Park to remain open when critical questions surrounding the safety of the Ibrox stadium are going unanswered by the Se/co Board of Directors and Glasgow City Council top officials .
Apparently now that 2nd rangers are no longer in the 2nd tier of scottish football having gained promotion at the 2nd attempt that Div. is no longer the bestest and mostest excitingest competition ever . .
That accolade now goes to the battle for ( a VERY distant ) 2nd place in the top Div.
2nd rangers are favourites as 2nd is their speciality . .
2nd most season ticket holders at the 2nd biggest club ground in scotland they will forever play 2nd fiddle to their illustrious rivals who are well on the way to a . . SECOND 9 in a row (and beyond) . . a feat 2nd rangers predecessors were 2nd to achieve after they had managed to be the 2nd scottish team to lift a european trophy . (turned out to be a 2nd rate one sadly and no longer exists) . .and around TWO thousand and TWENTY TWO they will become the “2nd MOST SUCCESSFUL DOMESTIC CLUB SIDE IN THE WORLD ! ”
I’ll second that ! !
Brilliant ……. I thought you were being serious, for a second !
2022 ? you do mean 2222
Come now, lads, this is getting too too too much!
Don’t forget they qualified for the Cup Winners Cup by being 2nd in the Scottish Cup Final, losing out to Celtic who qualified for the European Cup as Scottish Champions.
As Creedence says ‘To Do Doo, Looking out my back door’
I never realised that song was about doing a Number 2 before …
P.P.E under H.S.E rules must be worn in any area where derelict buildings are situated
Well done. You might help save some of the peoples lives…maybe one day they’ll be thanking you.
The roof is either safe… or it’s not . If it’s safe the new club should say so and provide proof of this. If it’s not safe the ground must be closed at once and not reopened until it is fixed.
Good to learn that “the grown-ups” are aware of public concern. As you correctly state, it is and ought never to be part of a point scoring campaign to seek assurances about issues of public safety. Thanks for the update.
So it has now been escalated to the main lodge in Edinburgh, strange things really do happen during the full moon…Now that cages have been rattled it might be an idea to keep an eye out for men in black buzzing the area in SUVs or the Scottish equivalent (Bakers Vans). Nice bit of journalism there Phil, shame on the Scottish daily disgrace, not a sound from them, let’s see if they pick up on it…
Phil- surely as a safety issue- would I be correct in saying that under freedom of information, all authorities should have to advise on their ” discussions” and/or ” issues”?
I’m asking this question again Phil…..
Why are they allowed to tap and borrow to see out seasons when other clubs live within their means?
thanks in advance,
Fred,
Your question should be addressed to the SFA.
Just don’t expect an answer any side of this lifetime, tho I can tell you why myself:
They’re all Freemasons who are sworn to ‘never let a ‘fellow brother’ down’.
Even if he is a glib and shameless gangster scumbag.
Hello darkness, my old friend,
I’ve come to talk with you again
A quick google comes up with this..
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/safety_cert_celtic_park?unfold=1
and it also includes the response from Glasgow SAG.
It would appear they will not release any information under a FOI request under the following assertion “the Council is of the view that the risk of information being used for malicious purposes that could realistically endanger persons outweighed the public interest in the release of this information”
So I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Keep up the good work
If you make a Pinter question about discussion with regards safety of roof and specify that you are not interested in general safety and security of stadium then surely they should answer on this point.
“……..and from Ibrox the sound of silence.”
Hello darkness my old friend.
We should be glad that it is “the sound of silence” from the stadium John Brown played for and not the sound of snapping bolts.
well there you are, when in doubt say noubt….but if Jabba has been shown his PR caird’s their next Public Statement from Je Suis Chris will be worth reading