Update on MPS health and safety performance

Report: 4
Date: 15 December 2006
By: Director of Human Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

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

The total number of major accidents and the number of more than 3-day injuries show a sharp increase for October 2006.Training Management Board has endorsed a new core health and safety training matrix.

The MPS Dynamic Risk Assessment training package has now been supplied to 33 UK forces.

A. Recommendation

That Members note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

Injuries Reported on MetAIR

2. A summary of the injuries reported on MetAIR between November 2005 and October 2006 (as at the 17 November 2006) is shown at table at Appendix 1. In summary:

• The number of major accidents and the number of more than 3-day injuries shows a sharp increase in October (figure 1). Analysis indicates that no single causational factor has been identified for this increase. This trend will be closely monitored.

Figure 1: Injuries reported to the HSE per 1000 employees (see supporting material - tables)

• The 17 major accidents comprise:
  • Four assaults (a range of fractures).
  • Five slip/trips/falls (a range of limb fractures sustained falling from a wall, chasing suspects, fall from a set of steps, fell over a tree branch and uneven paving).
  • One unconscious (PC fainted during a police dog training exercise when the dog bit her padded arm).
  • One suspect fractured rib sustained during level two public order training.
  • One suspect fractured rib during a vehicle extraction training exercise.
  • One suspect fractured rib during officer safety training (OST).
  • One suspect fractured rib sustained during controlled sparring.
  • One fractured wrist sustained pushing against a locked toilet room door.
  • One dislocated knee when an officer knelt to search a suspect.
  • One dislocation, cause and injury at this stage is unknown owing to poor reporting.
• A number of the major accidents are under investigation, which may result in the report being removed from the major injury category.
• A summary breakdown of the 108 over three day accidents is as follows:

• Of the 24 incidents involving accidents with vehicles 11 were sustained whilst travelling to or from work. These accidents are not reportable to the Health and Safety Executive.
• The total number of accidents per 1000 employees has remained fairly constant over the past five months (figure 2).

Figure 2: Total number injuries reported per 1000 employees (see supporting material - tables)

• Total number of police officer assaults has decreased between September and October and is now below the annual rolling average (figure 3).

Figure 3 Injuries caused by assaults to police officers per 1000 employees (see supporting material - tables)

• Total number of assaults (shown at figure 4) on PCSOs per month has shown sporadic peaks and troughs. Although this month has seen a decrease in reported assaults, the overall trend is noted to be rising slightly. The Safety and Health Risk Management Team (SHRMT) will continue to monitor this trend.

Figure 4 Injuries caused by assaults to PCSOs per 1000 employees (see supporting material - tables)

• The incidence of injuries from moving vehicles recorded on MetAir has remained constant over the past three months (figure 5). Despite this, the overall trend still continues to show a downward movement.

Figure 5 Injuries caused by moving vehicles per 1000 employees (see supporting material - tables)

• Slips/trips and falls overall have risen sharply in the month September to October 2006 (figure 6). The SHRMT continue to promote their slip/trips/falls awareness campaign.

Figure 6 Injuries caused by slips, trips and falls per 1000 employees (see supporting material - tables)

• The injury rate by business group per 1000 employees over the previous 12 months is shown at figure 7. The accident rate by Business Group remains constant.

Figure 7 Accident rate per 1000 employees per Business Group (see supporting material - tables)

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

Corporate manslaughter briefing

4. The Safety & Health Risk Management (SHRMT) and PSD Health & Safety departments provided an awareness seminar for 130 senior managers on Tuesday 10 October 2006 on new draft corporate manslaughter legislation. Gerard Forlin, one of the UK's most respected Barristers, provided MPS delegates with an insight to this new proposed legislation. A separate briefing was provided to Management Board Members, the MPS Solicitor and David Riddle from the MPA on 29 November.

SHRMT deployments

5 . Since the last Corporate Governance Committee report members of the SHRMT have been deployed as follows:

• Supporting SO13 officers on Exercise Bombay Finish 2-4 October 2006; providing technical advice on testing forensic capability in a CBRN environment.
• Hanover Command and CT Exercise 29 and 30 September 2006.
• Supporting SO13 officers on a joint military and multi-agency Exercise 16 and 17 November 2006; providing technical advice on operating in a CBRN environment and acting as Safety advisor to Silver.
• Hanover Command and CT Exercise 17 and 18 November 2006.
• Supporting Gold on Operation Whimbrel (the police investigation into the death of Alexander Litvinenko).

Health and Safety Executive and other enforcing authorities

6. The MPS has had no Improvement or Prohibition Notices served in this reporting period.

7. A constructive high level liaison meeting was held on 28 November 2006 between a senior official of the HSE and the Director of Human Resources.

8. The following investigations have been requested by the MPA:

• In collaboration with Operational Emerald a review of procedures following an epileptic fit of an MPA Independent Custody Visitor to Holborn Custody suite.
• Review of accidents at the Vehicles Recovery and Examination Services (VRES) compound that are associated with the operation of STRINGO lifting equipment. A detailed report by the Head of VRES for the Director of Logistical Services is currently under review by the MPA. The SHRMT intend to audit the VRES to verify that controls specified in the report are fully operational.

9. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) have been leading an investigation as to the cause of a single case of Legionnaires disease in a member of police staff (PCSO). The member of staff has been discharged from hospital and is making good recovery.

Health and Safety Manual Volume Two

10. The SHRMT is in the process of finalising the first 12 chapters of volume two of the MPS H&S manual. (Volume one was published in 2005 and revised in March 2006; this provides framework guidance for BOCUs on implementing and achieving successful H&S management). Volume two will provide detailed A-Z guidance on topical issues. It is anticipated that the first chapter of volume two will be published in early 2007.

Slips, Trips and Falls Education Campaign

11. The final phase of the slips, trips and falls poster education campaign has commenced and posters are currently being distributed to (B)OCUs. This campaign supports the Health and Safety Commission and Executive national initiatives to reduce the number of slip, trips and falls in the workplace.

Core Health and Safety Training Review

12. The SHRMT with the support of Training Support Unit (TSU) has developed a performance matrix for core health and safety training. The matrix is based on six levels of safety performance required from induction, general role (operational/non operational), supervisory, local trainer, specialist and leader. It is not intended that these six levels replace role specific safety performance and training (i.e. method of entry, firearms, working near railways etc.) rather define a generic core performance standard for all staff. The Performance Needs Analysis (PNA) defines the means to achieve an MPS strategy for core health and safety training and includes an outline migration plan for its introduction. The report was circulated to members of Training Management Board (TMB) and the performance matrix strategy was endorsed at the full October TMB meeting. TMB has now directed a range of the proposed options be immediately implemented and has also endorsed additional PNA research.

Dynamic Risk Assessment Training Package

13. The SHRMT produced a dynamic risk assessment-training package to support level 2a (Dynamic Risk Assessment Training) of operational police officers and staff. This training replaces ‘Policing Safely’ and is already incorporated into recruit training for police officers, PCSOs and MSCs. The training pack (including trainers notes, DVD film 'Red Mist', including student leaflets and training exercise scenarios) has been issued to (B)OCUs. The film has won a number of major National and Internal accolades. The Pack has now been sold to 33 UK forces. An order has also been placed by an international force. A second training day for forces to deliver this material was held on the 17 November 2006.

SHRMT Health and Safety Audits

14. The SHRMT has formally audited nine (B)OCUs since September 2005. The SHRMT (B)OCU Safety Advisor supported the (B)OCU in the two months leading up to the audit (Pre-audit phase) which was followed by a formal audit by an SHRMT team of five staff. All audits were against 119 performance standard questions arranged to mirror the five elements of HSG(65): Policy; Organisation; Arrangements; Monitoring; Audit and Review. The scores ranged from 42% to 76%. Initial review of the audit data indicates the following:

• Areas of health and safety which were assessed as strongly compliant include the development, production, communication and implementation of the H&S Policies at (B)OCU level.
• Areas for improvement were identified as; development of specific H&S objectives and targets; setting specific objectives in the form of a local H&S plan; improvement to the local risk assessment process; near miss reporting and active monitoring.
• Following each audit, BOCUs are given advice, guidance and support to develop their local safety management system. The SHRMT proactively monitors development and 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: 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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