Health & Safety

24 June 2008

We would like all Police Officers of whatever rank will be treated differently to other public servants in many respects and that police Officers are all put in dangerous situations on a daily basis. We do not however accept that Officers should be treated any differently under existing health and safety legislation. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act states that ‘it is the central duty of the employer to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare of all employees’.

The qualification “so far as is reasonable practicable” means that there should be no conflict between effective policing and compliance with health and safety legislation.

Suitable and sufficient risk assessment should ensure that, whilst dangerous activities may need to be undertaken, the risk involved should be reduced to as low as is reasonably practicable.

The bill for police injured on duty rose by more that 15 per cent last year and cost £3million, a high enough figure already; this figure would be set to balloon should the Police be exempted from the health and safety legislation and the subsequent increase in accidents and injury that would inevitably occur.

It is believed that where Health and Safety legislation seems to prevent officers from carrying out tasks, it is more frequently a misunderstanding of the regulations by supervisors and officers than the regulations themselves that cause this.

We would like

• Improved and regular health & Safety training for all ranks with a view to achieving a better understanding and removing the perceived obstructions to getting the job done.
• Police Officers to receive the best equipment available and relevant training for that equipment.

 

IECHYD A DIOGELWCH

24 Mehefin 2008

Tra hoffem i holl Swyddogion yr Heddlu o ba reng bynnag gael eu trin yn wahanol i weision cyhoeddus eraill ar lawer cyfrif gan fod Swyddogion yr Heddlu yn wynebu sefyllfaoedd peryglus yn ddyddiol, nid ydym yn derbyn y dylid trin Swyddogion yr Heddlu yn wahanol yn ôl y ddeddfwriaeth iechyd a diogelwch gyfredol. Mae adran 2(1) o Ddeddf Iechyd a Diogelwch yn y Gwaith yn nodi mai ‘dyletswydd canolog y cyflogwr ydy sicrhau iechyd, diogelwch a lles y gweithwyr mor bell ag sy’n rhesymol ymarferol’.

Disgrifiad “mor bell ag sy’n rhesymol ymarferol” ydy na ddylai fod unrhyw wrthdaro rhwng plismona effeithiol a chydymffurfio â deddfwriaeth iechyd a diogelwch.

Dylai asesiad risg addas a digonol sicrhau, er efallai bod rhaid ymgymeryd â gweithgaredd peryglus, fod y risg gysylltiedig mor isel ag sy’n rhesymol ymarferol.

Gwelwyd codiad o 15 y cant llynedd am y gost pan anafir swyddogion yr heddlu sef cfanswm o £3 miliwn, ffigwr oedd yn ddigon uchel eisoes; basai disgwyl i’r ffigwr yma gynyddu’n sylweddol petai’r Heddlu’n cael eu heithrio o ddeddfwriaeth iechyd a diogelwch a’r cynnydd dilynol mewn damweiniau ac anafiadau a fyddai’n anochel.

Credir pan fo deddfwriaeth Iechyd a Diogelwch yn rhwystro swyddogion rhag cyflawni tasgau, bod hyn yn digwydd gfan amlaf oherwydd  bod goruchwylwyr a swyddogion wedi camddeall y rheolau yn hytrach na chael ei achosi gan y rheolau eu hunain.

Hoffem
• Hyfforddiant Iechyd a Diogelwch gwell a rheolaidd i’r holl rengoedd gyda’r nod o gyflawni gwell dealltwriaeth a dileu’r rhwystr ymddangosiadol rhag cwblhau’r dasg.
• i Swyddogion yr Heddlu dderbyn y cyfarpar gorau sydd ar gael a hyfforddiant perthnasol i’r cyfarpar.