Update on MPS health and safety performance

Report: 5
Date: 16 March 2006
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report updates the Metropolitan Police Authority with respect to the MPS’s Health and Safety performance.

A. Recommendation

That members note this report.

B. Supporting information

Incidents reported on MetAir [1]

1. A summary of the injuries reported on MetAir between February 2005 and January 2006 is attached at Appendix 1. In summary:

• The number of major accidents shows a slight decrease and the number of more than 3-day injuries shows a slight increase when compared to the last month and the annual rolling average.
• Of the 11 major accidents:
  • All 11 were fractures (6 slip/trip/falls, 4 assault and 1 broken wrist, caused when opening a custody cell door).
• Of the 107 over three day accidents:
  • 23 were due to slip/trip/falls.
  • 19 were from police collision incidents.
  • 18 assaults.
  • 16 were travelling to or from work. It should be noted that this type of incident is not reportable to the Health and Safety Executive and that other organisations do not record such incidents.
  • 5 occurred during training events.
  • The remainder had a wide variety of causation.

Where appropriate learning from these incidents is captured and will be incorporated into advice to (B)OCUs across the MPS.

Reduction in accidents - target setting

2. The MPS Management Board endorsed a performance target for Business Groups to achieve a 5% reduction in accident rates and a 15% reduction in over 3-day injuries for the financial year 2005/06 as compared to 2004/05.

3. Analysis of MetAir indicates that the MPS has achieved a 2% reduction in overall accidents reported when compared to the same period as last year, however, there has been a 10% increase in over 3-day injuries. It is therefore unlikely that we will meet the target set by the end of the financial year. The rise in over three day injuries reflects increased operational activity over the majority of the reporting period in financial year 2005/06, e.g. Operation Theseus and the increased growth in the workforce and frontline operational police officers and staff (increasing the population exposed to the risk of assault, etc).

4. The comparisons of Business Group achievement against the 3-day injury reduction target are attached at Appendix 2.

5. The Safety and Health Risk Management Team (SHRMT) continue with proactive initiatives and projects to reduce all accidents including:

• Support for Safe Driver 2 Campaign.
• Delivery of HR-sponsored health and safety training.
• Recommending a future H&S training strategy and performance needs analysis.
• Issue the MPS Health and Safety Manual.
• Corporate risk assessment guidance and templates on the MPS AWARE intranet site.
• Co-ordination and delivery of a slips, trips and falls education campaign.
• Verify the implementation of the local health and safety policies by auditing a cross section of OCUs across all business groups.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) contacts

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.

7. The MPS Management Board held its annual meeting with the Regional Director (Field Operations Division London) of the Health and Safety Executive on the 18 November 2005. They were pleased to hear a positive report from the HSE about the level of progress made by the MPS in terms of:

• Overall awareness and management of health and safety
• A stronger and more robust environment of dynamic risk assessment
• Improvements in reporting arrangements
• Proactive absence management.

At the same time, they discussed the fact that whilst the number of accidents had increased, the quality of recording had also gone up and none had required further investigation or intervention from the HSE.

8. The acting Director of People Development, Senior Occupational Physician and Head of SHRMT met the HSE on 8 December 2005 to discuss the management of stress within the police service on a 'non-inspectorial' basis. The meeting was positive and the HSE are keen to draw on MPS experience and learning in this respect.

9. Ongoing enquires from the HSE include:

• Report made to the HSE by an anonymous member of the Venson Group PLC that lifting vehicles are not being appropriately inspected in accordance with The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998. Transport Services have responded to the HSE stating that all vehicles with lifting equipment are appropriately maintained under LOLER and to a further request for documented evidence proving that all vehicles with lifting equipment are appropriately maintained under LOLER. The Team awaits the HSE response.
• Two unsighted reports were made to the HSE regarding incidents at Catford police station (a sharp edge on a cigarette bin and an incident in June 2005 when officers were unable to use their Met radios across the Lewisham area). The Federation health and safety lead on radio issues is aware of the Met radio problem and content that at Service Level the matter was dealt with correctly. The Team liased with the HSE and Federation as to why these reports appear not to have followed agreed reporting protocols or were raised as matters of concern in a timely manner.
• A complaint about a broken door leading to the custody suite at Bromley Police Station. This has been rectified.
• A near miss incident involving Trident/Trojan operation officers pursuing a suspect at Streatham Leigham Rail Tunnel, Lambeth. The investigation by HSE, Network Rail, SHRMT and the relevant OCUs is ongoing. The Team will follow up any recommendations for improvement.

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.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Louis Backwell, 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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