Update on MPS health and safety performance

Report: 6
Date: 11 July 2005
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report updates the Metropolitan Police Authority with respect to the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS’s) health and safety performance.

A. Recommendation

That members note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

Performance objectives 2004/2005

1. The health and safety branch performance objectives and achievement against related targets for financial year 2004/05 are attached at Appendix 1.

Accidents

2. The number of major injuries reported on MetAir between April 2004 and March 2005 was 89 compared to 111 reported for the same period in 2003/04, representing a reduction of 20%. The MPS has achieved the branch target of a 5% reduction of major injuries in 2004/05.

3. The total number of accident reports and reportable injuries over the past twelve months has remained fairly constant overall, with just two reportable (i.e. to the Health and Safety Executive) incidents per 1000 employees. A summary is attached at Appendix 2.

Performance objectives 2005/2006

4. The Health and Safety Branch performance objectives for financial year 2005/06 are attached at Appendix 3.

5. The MPS Management Board has also endorsed the performance target for business groups to achieve a 5% reduction in accident rates and a 15% reduction in over three day injuries for financial year 2005/06. This has been incorporated into the Annual Policing Plan.

Health and Safety Executive

6. The MPS has had no improvement or prohibition notices served and no notification of notices or litigation yet to be served in the period since the last corporate governance meeting.

List of abbreviations

MPS – Metropolitan Police Service
MPA – Metropolitan Police Authority
CHASE – Name of software package
FY – Financial Year
OCU – Operational Command Unit
HMIC – Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary
AWARE – MPS Computer System
HSE – Health and Safety Executive
SMT – Senior Management Team

C. Race and equality impact

There are no direct implications on equalities and diversity arising from this report.

D. Financial implications

There are no immediate financial implications arising from this report. The costs of complying with the audit of the implementation of the health and safety policy will be met from within existing budgets.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Louis Backwell, Head of Health and Safety, MPS.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1

Health and Safety Branch sponsored performance objectives for financial year 2004/05

1. Implement the MPS/MPA new Health and Safety Policy.

• Target - 100% implementation of the new policy in the MPS by the end of June 2004.
• Performance - all local policies have been produced. The Health and Safety Branch will verify implementation of the local policies by sample audit.

2. Reduction of accidents to police officers and police staff

• Target – to reduce major accidents by 5% over the period financial year (FY) 04/05 compared to FY 03/04.
• Performance - the number of major injuries reported fell by 20%.

3. Communication strategy.

• Target – promote an effective internal and external health and safety communication strategy.
• Performance:
  • External: liaison, consultation and attendance at meetings with:
    • HSE, including high-level liaison meetings, thematic inspection planning, accident and incident reporting, proposed regulation consultation;
    • Other regulatory bodies, including HMIC and the Environment Agency;
    • Government departments, including the Home Office;
    • Other UK and international police forces;
    • Local authorities;
    • Association of Chief Police Officers;
    • Association of Police Health and Safety Advisers
  • Internal: Management Board, Strategic Health and Safety Committee, Operation Guardian, Clothing Appointment Board, Death in Custody Group, Transport and Drivers Forum, Property Services Directorate (PSD) Estates Policy Group, Diamond Risk Management Group, Corporate Risk Management Group, Fire Arms Policy Group, Less Lethal Options Working Group, PSD Technical Standards Working Group, Headwear and Carriage of Equipment Working Group, Business Group Specific Technical Committees and all (B)OCU SMTs.
  • Six monthly H&S Forum with the Police Federation, Trade Unions, Superintendents Association, Occupational Health and Property Services Department.

4. Health and safety training

• Target – co-ordinate and deliver hr-sponsored health and safety training. Provide a future H&S training strategy.
• Performance:
  • The branch is continuing to deliver HR-sponsored training courses for FY 04/05 by a contract service provider.
  • The branch is leading a review of the current provision and requirement for all MPS health and safety training.

5. H&S Guidance Manual

• Target – produce and distribute a health and safety manual.
• Performance – the branch will publish volume one of the new health and safety manual after staff association consultation.

6. Corporate risk assessments

• Target –
  • Corporate risk assessment Aware intranet site to be fully populated with all current MPS corporate risk assessments.
  • The branch will co-ordinate an annual review of corporate risk assessments on a quarterly rolling programme.
• Performance – Aware intranet site operational and ongoing.

7. Monitor lost time accidents (days lost after the day of the accident)

• Target - monitor lost time accidents over the period April 2004 – march 2005.
• Performance – analysis ongoing.

8. Monitor near miss data.

• Target - re-launch near miss system to raise awareness and encourage reporting.
• Performance – complete.

9. Monitor compliance first aid at work.

• Target – evaluate compliance with the first aid at work regulations.
• Performance – audit question set developed, thematic pilot audits completed, first aid policy reviewed.

10. H&S audit.

• Target – develop audit tool, questions, guidance verify aware compatibility by April 2004.
• Performance – this new audit system has been developed using a software tool that will facilitate analysis of the results and action tracking of recommendations. The system is compatible with Aware and fully operational on the MPS intranet. The branch has completed staff association consultation. System compatibility and operability verified.

11. Audit the health and safety management system performance.

• Target - audit health and safety performance with the new audit tool.
• Performance - pilot audits complete.

Appendix 3

Health and Safety Branch sponsored performance objectives for financial year 2005/06

1. Audit the implementation of the MPS/MPA Health and Safety Policy.

• Targets:
  • Role out CHASE software to Aware platforms.
  • Provide CHASE training and support to all users.
  • Verify the implementation of the local health and safety policies by auditing a cross section of OCUs across all business groups with CHASE.

2. Support all business groups to reduce accidents to police officers and police staff.

• Targets:
  • All business groups to reduce their major and over three day accidents by 5%, and all accidents by 15% over the period April 2005 to march 2006 compared to financial year 2004/05.
  • Conduct mid year review of accident reduction progress for November 2005 MPS Management Board.

3. Communication strategy.

• Target – promote an effective internal and external (including international) health and safety communication strategy:
• External: liaison, consultation and attendance at meetings with:
  • HSE, including high-level liaison meetings, thematic inspection planning, accident and incident reporting, proposed regulation consultation.
  • Other regulatory bodies, including HMIC and the Environment Agency
  • Government departments, including the Home Office
  • Other UK and international police forces
  • Local authorities.
  • Association of Chief Police Officers
  • Association of Police Health and Safety Advisers
• Internal: Management Board, Metropolitan Police Authority, Strategic Health and Safety Committee, Occupational Health, Operation Guardian, Clothing Appointment Board, Death in Custody Group, Transport and Drivers Forum, Property Services Directorate (PSD) Estates Policy Group, Diamond Risk Management Group, Corporate Resilience Working Group, Corporate Risk Management Group, Fire Arms Policy Group, Less Lethal Options Working Group, PSD Technical Standards Working Group, Headwear and Carriage of Equipment Working Group, Security Protection and Counter Terrorism Committee, Metcall Strategy Group, MPS Resilience and Business Continuity Working Group, business group specific technical committees and all (B)OCU SMTs.
  • Internal and external (including international): Operation Bracknell
  • Police Federation, Trade Unions, Superintendents Association, Occupational Health and Property Services Department including the Strategic Health and Safety Committee six monthly H&S forum.

4. Health and safety training

• Targets:
  • Co-ordinate and deliver Human Resources-sponsored health and safety training.
  • Provide and implement a future H&S training strategy.
  • Provide H&S representation and support to all training boards.
  • Support MPS Corporate Induction Programme.
  • Re-issue the top ten high risks aide memoire, supporting DVD and dynamic risk assessment training pack for recruit and refresher training.

5. H&S guidance manual

• Targets:
  • Update as appropriate volume 1 of the health and safety manual.
  • Produce and distribute volume 2 of the health and safety manual.

6. Corporate risk assessments

• Targets:
  • Corporate risk assessment aware intranet site to be fully populated with all current MPS corporate risk assessments.
  • Co-ordinate an annual review of corporate risk assessments on a quarterly rolling programme.

7. Monitor lost time accidents (days lost after the day of the accident)

• Targets
  • Monitor lost time accidents over the period April 2005 - March 2006.
  • Report time loss details to MPS management board and MPA for the period April 2004 – march 2005.

8. Slips, trips falls campaign.

• Target – co-ordinate and deliver a slips, trips and falls education campaign.

9. Monitor compliance of first aid at work.

• Target – audit and evaluate compliance with the first aid regulations and internal policy.

10. Annual appraisal for health and safety

• Target – issue an annual appraisal for health and safety to Management Board and the MPA for the period April 2004 – March 2005.

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