External independent health and safety audit

Report: 14
Date: 10 December 2009
By: Director of Human Resources on behalf of The Commissioner

Summary

Stages 1-3 of the audit are complete at the time of producing this latest report. The auditors are validating the draft report prior to its release for consultation. The auditors have indicated that the final report will include a number of recommendations which will provide a framework for defining and guiding the MPA/MPS health and safety strategy for the next 3 to 5 years.

A. Recommendation

That members receive the report.

B. Supporting information

Audit Scope

1. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) commissioned Turner and Townsend to undertake an overview evaluation of safety management across the MPS. This took the form of a top-tier audit of the implementation, by the MPS and Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), of the joint health and safety policy and its associated processes. In addition it looked at compliance against the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) guidance on “Successful Health and Safety Management”, HS(G)65. The audit included:

• a review of MPS policies and processes for health and safety risk assessment, including the effectiveness of measures implemented to secure safe working systems, both in respect of operational policing, staff/buildings and estate;
• a review of the resources and competence of the management structure inclusive of the supporting professional health and safety advisors;
• a review of any related procedures e.g. procurement, finance, infrastructure, consultation, training and plant and equipment;
• a review of the range and quality of information relating to the Health and Safety at Work Act (HASWA), with an independent view of key trends, safety cultural/behavioural and emerging issues, and a review of the methodology for benchmarking and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), internal monitoring and audit procedures.

Audit methodology

2. The audit methodology used was as follows:

• Stage 1 – Establish the Background
  • Turner and Townsend first established the background within which the safety management system must operate. This included obtaining a clear understanding of:
    • The operating environment and demands placed on the MPS;
    • the MPA/MPS structure and organisation, management hierarchy roles and responsibilities, and recent significant health and safety related incidents, drivers, issues and concerns;
    • the health and safety, legal, Home Office and MPA policy and standards framework for MPS’ operation;
    • the current MPA/MPS health and safety policy.
• Stage 2 – Review of MPS policy implementation
  • The MPA/MPS implementation of their health & safety policy, organisation and arrangements was evaluated through short (circa 1 hour) interviews with key officers and staff from across the various departments of the MPS and representatives of the MPA;
  • in total, 38 Members of the MPA and officers and staff of the MPS were interviewed.
• Stage 3 –Evaluation
  • Findings from the interviews were compared against the MPA/MPS H&S Policy and HS(G)65, in order to report on the high level effectiveness of the current H&S management system and to identify where key improvements need to be considered to achieve cost efficiency and/or compliance improvements.

Health and safety management benchmarks

3. To provide a defined baseline and allow for consistency in future audits, the MPA/MPS health and safety management system was evaluated against a clear benchmark. Turner Townsend used the Health and Safety Executive publication HS(G)65 - Successful health and safety management, on which Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guidance is based, as the benchmark for the assessment of the findings.

Audit status

4. Stages 1-3 of the audit are complete and at the time of producing this report the auditors were validating the draft report prior to its release for consultation. Once complete the report will be appropriately circulated within the MPA and MPS.

Conclusion

5. The auditors have indicated that the final report will conclude that:

• There is a good level of health and safety management and control across the MPA/MPS;
• significant progress has been made by the MPA/MPS in the past few years to embed H&S management not only into and across this organisation but also in to day-to-day and specialist policing;
• many of the health and safety management components are working very well and some are excellent;
• there are no significant immediate issues of concern identified in this audit;
• the MPA/MPS has reached a point in its health and safety development where the significant achievements to-date need to be consolidated and consideration given to how health and safety should be managed moving forward. The structures and processes that allowed the MPA/MPS to reach its current position need to be reviewed to ensure the transition to the next phase of its development and cultural maturity can be achieved;
• To achieve the necessary transition the report will contain a number of recommendations which will provide a framework for defining and guiding the MPA/MPS health and safety strategy for the next 3 to 5 years.

Consultation

6. This report was produced in consultation with the external auditors Turner Townsend and Directorate of Resources (DoR).

C. Race and equality impact

There are no immediate implications on equality and diversity arising from this report.

D. Financial implications

1. There are no immediate financial implications from this report.

2. Costs associated with any additional work arising out of the audit will be subject to a business case and submitted for consideration through the MPA/MPS approval process. Any additional costs will have to be contained within the 2010-13 budget as finally approved.

E. Legal implications

The information in this report assists the Authority in the performance of its duties under Health and Safety legislation and of its strategic oversight role as set out in the joint MPA/MPS Corporate Health and Safety Policy.

F. Background papers

• None

G. Contact details

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

For information contact:

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

Abbreviations and acronyms:

• HSE - Health and Safety Executive guidance on “Successful Health HS(G)65 - Health and Safety Executive guidance on “Successful Health and Safety Management”
• HASWA - Health and Safety at Work Act
• KPIs - Key Performance Indicators
• ACPO - Association of Chief Police Officers
• DoR – Directorate of Resources

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