At risk of going back

09 May 2011

IOSH today (9 May) warned against removing police officers from the remit of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Institution fully supports a call from the Police Federation for the proposed amendment to the legislation, made by Lord Blencathra, which proposes the repeal of sections 1, 2 and 5 of the Police Act 1997, to be withdrawn.

IOSH Past President Nick Cornwell-Smith, who is also chairman of the Association of Police Health and Safety Advisers, said: “Removing police officers from the remit of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 will take the service back to the old days of no statutory duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of police officers of all ranks.

“This is not just about operational safety, which has been debated vociferously over the last couple of years, but about general health and safety. This removal of the legislation could mean that when police officers and police staff are working in the same office, conducting joint patrols, investigating serious accidents, one party would be protected by health and safety legislation, whilst the other would not.

 “Lord Young of Graffham has already considered this matter and decided not to make any recommendations about the removal of the Health and Safety at Work Act from the police and fire service.

 “Other measures are already in place to ensure that the health and safety of police officers and police staff does not result in conflict with their duty to the public and themselves."