Update on MPS health and safety performance

Report: 4
Date: 14 September 2007
By: Director of Human Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

1. A summary analysis of MetAir accident data comparing two reference periods August 2005 – July 2006 against August 2006 – July 2007 is as follows:
   • Total accident rate fell by 2%;
   • Major accident rate increased by 20%;
   • Over three day accident rate fell by 6%;
   • Slip, trip and fall accident rate increased by 1%;
   • Moving vehicle accident rate fell by 1%;
   • Injuries to police officers following assault rate fell by 5%;
   • Injuries to PCSOs following assault rate fell by 33%.
2. This report also covers the outcome of legal proceedings, preparations for the Notting Hill Carnival and other issues.

A. Recommendation

That the contents of the report be noted.

B. Supporting information

Summary analysis of injuries reported on MetAIR

1. Summary analysis of the injuries reported on MetAIR between August 2005 and July 2007 has been made (due to the severe technical limitations of the MetAir system this has been achieved through labour intensive analysis). The reports compare two reference periods: August 2005 – July 2006 against August 2006 – July 2007.

Total accidents reported

2. The total accident rate per thousand staff fell by 2% over the two-year period - figure 1.

Figure 1: Total number of accidents per 1000 employees (see supporting material)

Major injuries

3. The rate of major accidents per thousand staff rose by 20% over the two year reporting period – figure 2. This represents an increase of 37 major accidents from 138 to 175. Although this number of major accidents is relatively small relative to total staff numbers and a total reported number of just under 9000 reported accidents per year, it is still a trend that causes concern. The increase in this category of accident was also noted in analysis of assault data. This trend will continue to be closely monitored.

Figure 2: Major accidents per 1000 employees (see supporting material)

Over three day injuries

4. The rate of over-three day accidents per thousand staff has decreased by nearly 6% over the reporting period, representing a decrease of 62 injuries – figure 3.

Figure 3: Over 3 day accidents per 1000 employees (see supporting material)

Slips, trips and falls

5. Slip, trips and falls has now seen a slight rise of 1% per thousand staff over the two year reporting period – figure 4. This is a reflection of an uncharacteristic rise in the number of slip, trip or fall injuries over the summer period with no obvious casual factor at this stage. This may be due to the inclement weather seen over the summer months. This trend will continue to be closely monitored. The Safety and Health Risk Management Team (SHRMT) have just completed an 18 month high profile slips, trips and falls education campaign (this may also have influenced reporting).

Figure 4: Slip, tripped or fell on the same level or from height per 1000 employees (see supporting material)

Hit by a moving vehicle

6. The rate per thousand accidents from moving vehicles fell by 1% over the two year period - figure 5.

Figure 5: Hit by a moving vehicle per 1000 employees (see supporting material)

Physical assaults on Police officers

7. The rate of physical assaults per thousand officers has decreased over the two year reporting period by 5% - figure 6. This is a continuing downward trend. A further breakdown of these injuries by accident classification (figure 7) indicates the following:

• Major accidents increased by 23%
• Over 3 day accidents increased by 1%
• Non reportable accidents fell by 6%.
• Actual number of assaults fell by 107;
• There appears to be little change in the number of assaults by gender over the two year period (note this is a total figure and is not expressed as a rate) – figure 8;
• It would appear that fewer officers are suffering injury following assault over the two year period, however, where injury occurs there appears an increase in severity of injury sustained;
• These results and assault injury data are communicated to the Officer Safety Training (OST) Unit at Hendon so they are able to review and improve their training as appropriate.

Figure 6: Physical assaults on police officers per 1000 employees (see supporting material)

Figure 7: Police officer assaults per 1000 employees by accident category (see supporting material)

Figure 8: Police officer assaults by gender (see supporting material)

Physical assaults on PCSOs

8. The overall rate of assaults on PCSOs per thousand fell by 33% over the two year period – figure 9 (this figure corrects an error noted in the June 2007 Corporate Governance Committee report). The past 12 months has seen the overall rate of assaults on PCSOs steadily decline as it has with police officers. A further breakdown of these injuries by accident category (figure 10) indicates the following:

• Major accidents increased by 7%
• Over 3 day accidents increased by 46%
• Non reportable accidents fell by 39%.
• The actual number of assaults fell by 9;
• There appears to be little change in the number of assaults by gender of the two year period (note this is a total figure and is not expressed as a rate) – figure 11;
• It would appear that fewer PCSO’s are suffering injury following assault over the two year period, however, where injury occurs there is significant increase in over 3 day absences;
• These results and assault injury data are communicated to the Officer Safety Training (OST) Unit at Hendon so they are able to review and improve their training as appropriate and to the PCSO Programme Board.
• A rise in assaults over the past two months will be closely monitored.

Figure 9: Physical assaults on PCSOs per 1000 employees (see supporting material)

Figure 10: PCSO assaults per 1000 employees by accident category (see supporting material)

Figure 11: PCSO assaults by gender (see supporting material)

Physical assaults all staff

9. In 2005, the SHRMT commissioned BOMEL consultants (BOMEL have supported the HSE since 1998 in similar accident data work) to review all major and over three day accident reports over the period Jan 2003 and June 2005. This work included analysis of over 3,500 accident reports; this was a review of the more serious accident data recorded on MetAir. The following assault data analysis was extracted from this work:

• More assaults are reported to occur between 11pm and 1am and between 3pm and 4pm than at any other time of the day;
• The most significant scenario involves being struck whilst making an arrest;
• Drink is the most frequent contributory factor to an assault followed by drugs;
• The largest number of assaults involves those personnel aged between 25 and 34;
• The majority of those injured are constables;
• Most incidents are likely to take place in a public place or on the street.

10. The data shown in table 1 is a summary of a separate piece of work reviewing the assault method (this was extracted from assault data from the period January – December 2006):

Table 1

Hendon sentencing

11. Following the tragic deaths of William Kadama and Gameli Akuklu in the Peel Centre pool in 2002, Mr Justice Bean fined the MPS £75,000 with £50,000 costs for breaches under Section 3 of the Health and Safety and Work, etc Act 1974. The co-defendant, London Borough of Barnet were fined £16,500 with £10,000 costs, charges against the MPA were dropped. Although outside the control of the MPS the judge was critical at the length of time the case had taken to come to Court.

Stockwell court case

12. SHRMT have been advised that the legal proceedings under S3 of Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 for the Stockwell shooting has been set for 1 October 2007.

Notting Hill Carnival – claims against the MPS for hearing damage

13. Accident Claims Branch has received a number of claims relating to alleged hearing damage as a result of noise exposure at Notting Hill Carnival (NHC). The claims relate to the 2004 and 2006 carnivals. The SHRMT are supporting Accident Claims Branch on this matter.

Notting Hill Carnival 2007

14. The SHRMT, as in previous years are supporting CO11 and NHC Gold in preparation for the 2007 event. A summary of the plans for managing noise at this event is as follows:

• a cohort of 30 officers/staff will be fitted with noise dosimeters at this years NHC. As in previous years, some of this selected cohort will receive a hearing test both pre and post carnival. This work is essential to monitor staff that are exposed to hazardous noise levels;
• moulded earpieces will be issued to supervisors and those requiring communications as per previous Carnivals. ‘E.A.R.’ ‘Push ins’ earplugs will be issued to all other officers/staff. These new earplugs for 2007 offer improved attenuation, easier fitting and increased hygiene, compared to those previously supplied;
• a NHC noise information leaflet will be issued to all officers/staff attending this year’s event. The noise hazard message will be reinforced by displaying noise poster wing banners at the main feeding stations;
• Gold has stipulated that all officers/staff must wear their hearing protection whenever noise is sufficiently loud to interfere with ordinary conversation with someone no further than 1 metre away;
• as with previous years the SHRMT will be deployed at NHC to support Gold. This will include three static noise assessment posts at three key points around the NHC footprint with environmental noise mapping being undertaken by advisors from SHRMT, and specialist noise consultants.

15. A full report of the results of the environmental noise mapping will be fed back into the Carnival Gold and the MPS Hearing Conservation Working Group as soon as they are available. A summary of the findings will also be presented to Management Board and the MPA Corporate Governance Committee. Increased noise at work issues are exerting an increasing strain on SHRMT resources.

Searching Safely Campaign

16. SHRMT plan to run a ‘Searching Safely campaign’ in conjunction with Officer Safety Training Branch. The intention is that the Officer Safety Trainers will enhance awareness to the hazards associated with searching as part of the 2008 syllabus. The SHRMT posters will form part of the overall package and will be distributed and displayed in early 2008. The posters will depict images of commonly found hazardous items found by officers when searching detainees, for example, edged weapons, syringes and razor blades.

First Aid Team update

17. Training Management Board approved yearly ELS training with a three-year implementation plan with effect from January 2008, in addition this revised training package will also include Automatic External Defibrillation (AED). The proposal was driven by the ACPO First Aid Forum and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as well as outcomes from research undertaken by the MPS First Aid consultancy group.

Occupational Health update

18. A blood borne virus (including hepatitis B) awareness-raising campaign has started rolling out. Posters have now been distributed to all units in the south and centre of the MPS, with ongoing work in the other areas of the Service. Individual letters are being sent out to all operational police officers and staff to highlight the issues of infection and control as well as the MPS’ emergency treatment facility at St Thomas’ Hospital.

Abbreviations

SHRMT

Safety and Health Risk Management Team

AED

Automatic External Defibrillation

C. Race and equality impact

There are no immediate implications on equality and diversity arising from this report. The team will monitor all health and safety matters, including MetAir statistics, to determine whether there is any disproportionate impact on any particular group, and, where there is, take appropriate action.

D. Financial implications

There are no immediate financial implications from this report. Although there are no direct financial implications the increasing burden of extracting and analysing data to answer specific accident data questions is placing a heavy workload on the MetAir system and analyst. This reinforces the need for greater investment in the MetAir system.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Nick Kettle, Head of Safety and Health Risk Management, MPS.

For information contact:

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

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