Update on MPS health and safety performance

Report: 4
Date: 22 March 2007
By: Director of HR on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

There has been an overall increase in the total number of incidents reported on MetAIR, which has taken the figure above the annual rolling average. In terms of injuries reportable under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995), the total number of major injuries has fallen, but there has been a significant increase in the number of Over Three Day injuries reported. This has taken the number of reportable injuries over the annual rolling average. The SHRMT have not been able to identify the cause of this increase and the trend will be monitored in the coming months. The number of assaults on both Police officers and PCSOs has reduced significantly again this month, which is an encouraging continuation of the general downward trend.

A draft report reviewing MetAir data and system operation reinforces the need for investment in the operating software to address both system operating problems, data quantity, and data analysis.

The Corporate Health and Safety Policy is under review and following staff consultation a draft has been circulated to the Strategic Health and Safety Committee for comment by all stakeholders (including the MPA).

A. Recommendation

That members note the report.

B. Supporting information

Injuries Reported on MetAIR

1. A summary of the injuries reported on MetAIR between February 2006 and January 2007 (as at the 19 February 2007) is shown at Appendix 1. In summary:

Figure 1: Total number of incidents recorded (see supporting material)

2. The number of total incidents reported (Figure 1) is over 100 greater than last month, which reverses the downward shift in December 2006 and is still high in terms of over three days (RIDDOR reportable – Figure 2), which is of concern. A significant proportion of this is attributable to an increase in slips, trips and falls, and injuries from moving vehicles. The number of major injuries has reduced from 18 to 13, which is more promising, however December’s overall figure did seem unusually high given the annual rolling average. The trend of over three days injuries will be monitored in the coming months to establish whether this is a ‘blip’ and an actual trend.

3. Of the 13 major accidents in January 2007:

• 10 were fractures of which four are considered minor fractures as they are to the face or nose. All others are considered major fractures as they are to supporting limbs (four assaults, two hit something fixed of stationary, two other kinds of accident and 2 slips, trips or falls)
• There were also three dislocations (one physical assault, one slip, trip or fall and one other kind of accident).

4. Of the 110 over three day accidents:

• 25 were from incidents where members of staff were injured by a moving vehicle. Of these:
  • 10 involved police officers travelling to/from work (It should be noted that this type of incident is not reportable to the Health and Safety Executive)
  • 15 were in a police vehicle
• 16 assaults. The majority of these assaults arose during arrest or restraint of suspects, however, none of these gave rise to major injury.
• 17 were due to slip/trip/falls.
• The remainder (52) had a wide variety of causation but there was no specific trend as shown below:

Figure 2: Incidents reportable to HSE per thousand employees (see supporting material)

5. Total number of Police Officer assaults (Figure 3) has shown a reasonably significant reduction since last month and the figures are currently below the annual rolling average.

Figure 3: Police Officer Assaults Per Thousand Officers (see supporting material)

6. Total number of assaults on PCSOs (Figure 4) has shown a slight fall and remains significantly below the annual rolling average

Figure 4: PCSO assaults per thousand officers (see supporting material)

7. Injuries from moving vehicles (Figure 5) are up from 51 to 68 incidents (0.34 per 1,000 employees above average), which takes the number above the annual rolling average after seeing a drop in the figure last month (December 2006). This is a reversal of the downward trend we were hoping to see. This will be closely monitored.

Figure 5: Injuries from moving vehicles per thousand employees (see supporting material)

8. Slips/trips and falls (Figure 6) have shown a significant increase in reported incidents since last month. One likely reason could be increased awareness and reporting as a result of the slips, trips and falls education campaign during the final months of 2006. The figures will be monitored to ensure this is not an upward trend.

Figure 6: Injuries from slips, trips and falls per thousand employees (see supporting material)

Health and Safety Executive

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

(B)OCU health and safety audit

10. The schedule for the SHRMT health and safety audits has now been finalised for 2007. The OCUs to be assessed are now aware of the schedule. The visits are one week in duration during which (B)OCUs will be evaluated against 119 performance standard questions arranged to mirror the five elements of HSG(65): Policy; Organisation; Arrangements; Monitoring; Audit and Review. This new programme will build on the lesson and results from 2005/06.

METAIR BOMEL study

11. In 2005, the SHRMT commissioned BOMEL (BOMEL is an independent consultancy who 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; it is worth noting that the MetAir system has over 33,000 accident records in total, therefore this was a review of the more serious accident data recorded. The project included quantity assuring data, reorganising and creating new data fields.

12. The final report has now been received and is under review by the SHRMT and the Strategic Health and Safety Committee (SHSC). The report was subject to review and debate at the February SHSC. A summary flavour of headline issues on both the accident data and MetAir operation include:

MetAir Operation

• The current MetAIR system provides a means for collecting the data, but can only provide basic analyses, with each individual analysis requiring the database to be interrogated by specialist IT staff. Therefore, the system in its current operation does not encourage local analysis and data ownership.
• A range of data quality issues were identified which may lead to misreporting or inaccurate analysis.
• A number of key accident data fields cannot be used in any analysis, therefore potentially useful analysis that could be used to inform strategies, polices and accident prevention cannot be extracted or analysed in its current format.
• Therefore, the tool has limited capability to inform strategic and local health and safety strategies.

MetAir data

• The review reinforced aspects of previous analysis given to Management Board and was replicated in the data set. For example:
  • There is a slight seasonal variation in the accident data suggesting larger numbers of incidents are reported early in the year and during the summer months.
  • The most frequently occurring accident types:
    • ‘Hit by a moving vehicle’
    • 'Physically assaulted by a person’
    • ‘Slipped, tripped or fell on the same level’
• The reorganising of the data fields facilitated additional data extraction and analysis. For example under ‘assaults’ the following additional data was extracted:
  • 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.

13. This report reinforces the need for investment in the MetAir system to address both system operating problems, data quantity, and data analysis if this system is to be used as a foundation for informing both strategic and local accident related policies or strategies. The report will be forwarded to DoI for consideration and comment. Work is progressing with other stakeholders to develop MetAir to meet contemporary needs.

Bowel Cancer Education Campaign

14. Occupational Health (OH) with the help of the charity Beating bowel cancer are providing 30 minute awareness sessions on prevention and early detection of Bowel cancer. OH intends to provide sessions throughout the MPS through the year. The feedback so far has been extremely positive.

Back Care Audit

15. OH are at present taking part in a back care audit with Greenwich University looking at the issue of Met Vests and lower back pain. The study is scheduled to conclude in April.

16. Other OH initiatives include work on blood borne diseases (e.g. Hepatitis B) and stress management.

Corporate Health and Safety Policy

17. The policy is under review and following staff consultation a draft has been circulated to the Strategic Health and Safety Committee for comment by all stakeholders (including the MPA). Once these comments have been collated, a further iteration will be circulated to Corporate Governance Committee members. A final draft will then be circulated to the Chair of the MPA and Commissioner for formal agreement and signature.

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 in the longer term there are significant funding issues around MetAir.

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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