Health and Safety Code of practice for MPA employees participating in MPS operational duties

Report: 9
Date: 17 October 2005
By: the Chief Executive and Clerk

Summary

This report sets out a proposed Code of Practice that will impact on MPA members and officers that accompany MPS staff on operational police duties.

A. Recommendation

That the Code of Practice be approved.

B. Supporting information

1. By virtue of the Health and Safety Act Work Act 1974, the Metropolitan Police Authority is responsible for members and officers alike. From time to time MPA members will accompany MPS staff when they are working and may be exposed to the hazards associated with policing activity, ranging from slips & trips, assaults with a weapon, building fires, exposure to CS spray etc.

2. For this reason the MPA Health and Safety Policy and Plan must include suitable guidance and instruction. The proposed Code of Practice is set out below; it should be noted that the Policy defines ‘employees’ as including members and officers.

MPA employees participating in MPS operational duties

3. From time to time employees may wish to accompany police officers or police staff on operational duties. The overriding principles are that

• There is nothing in the work of MPA that necessitates employees being exposed to any significant risks associated with policing.
• Bearing in mind levels of training and equipment, in the event of being present at a scene where MPS staff are confronted with a specific hazard, MPA employees must disengage under instructions from the MPS incident commander from that situation and do whatever else is reasonably practical and appropriate to safeguard their own health and safety.
• If an individual harbours any doubt as to their health and safety then they should not accompany police officers or police staff on operational duties.

Operational duties generally fall into two categories: routine uniform patrol and pre planned operations.

Routine uniform patrol

4. MPA employees may accompany police officers or police staff on routine uniform patrols provided that a risk assessment is undertaken by the MPS in accordance with the host BOCU’s health and safety policy. It should be noted that a different level of risk might be assessed for MPA employees and MPS staff. This is because the role of MPS staff may require them to confront hazardous situations whilst that is not the case with MPA employees.

5. Before MPA employees accompany MPS staff on a routine patrol they must meet all the risk control measures identified by the MPS assessment. If they are not met, MPA employees must not participate in routine patrols.

6. If the risk rating exceeds 5 points on the scale at page 30 of the MPA Policy document, then employees must not participate in routine patrols. For example, if the risk is such that it is necessary to wear a stab proof vest in order to avoid serious injury then patrolling may not be undertaken.

Pre planned operations

7. Pre planned policing operations usually carry a higher risk than routine uniform patrols. For this reason MPA employees may only accompany such operations with the written permission of the Deputy Chief Executive of the Authority who must be satisfied that the MPS have conducted a full risk assessment and that MPA employees are able to comply with all aspects of the risk control measures. Examples would include major public order events such as Notting Hill, Mayday protests, raids on crack houses etc.’

C. Race and equality impact

There are no implications arising directly from this report.

D. Financial implications

None.

E. Background papers

• MPA Health and Safety Policy
• MPA Health and Safety Plan

F. Contact details

Report author: Keith Dickinson, MPA

For information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback