Current Issues - 2000

July 2000

Health and Safety - The Role of the Police Federations

The role of the Police Federations, the Staff Associations for all police officers up to and including Chief Inspectors is ever changing.

The elected representatives have an increasing role to play now that the Health and Safety legislation applies to the police service. Management representatives and the Police Federations' Representatives have a crucial role to work together to make the workplace a safer place.

The Health and Safety legislation impacts on the police service in a way that no other part of employment law has in recent years. It demands management to consult with Safety Representatives and the wider work force. It creates a role for the Police Federations' Representatives to carry out safety inspections and monitor the activities of management in the Health and Safety arena.

The video 'Lets Be Safe' has been created by the Police Federations of the United Kingdom to demonstrate their commitment in developing a safer working environment. The video and guide is the second step in developing representatives appointed as Safety representatives to carry out their role and builds upon the Safety Representative's Course that has now been running throughout the country since January 1997.

Being a good Safety representative does not depend on becoming an expert in health and safety. It is more about what to do and how to go about it. It is about using your experience of work, and having the support of your members in the workplace and if you use the right approach, some basic skills, knowledge and organisation can make you very effective. It is clear that Health and Safety is 95% common sense, good housekeeping and education of all within the working environment.

Knowing what to do will help you to ensure that your employer safeguards the health and safety of all the members you represent. It is your employer's responsibility to manage health and safety properly. Your role is to make sure that management fully complies with its obligations.

The guide is available to help you to develop, or build upon, the skills and knowledge you have already. It will steer you in the right direction, and equip you with information to help you to get organised in the workplace. You will find that you can tackle many workplace hazards without needing much technical knowledge. However, if you do need information, the handbook gives guidance on how to obtain it.

Safety Representatives have a vital job to do. Advice and assistance are always available if you need them, so do not hesitate to contact your Federation Representative in the first instance, should you have any problems.

The Police Federations considered the role of the Manager, Supervisor and "competent person" when commissioning their training package. As a result, the training package includes a video of incidents which pose questions to managers, Supervisors and "competent persons" as to how they will deal with Health and Safety issues.

It is hoped that by producing a training package to assist everyone in the workplace, it demonstrates the Police Federations' commitment to making the workplace safer and healthier.