Cronin House
245 Church Street
London
N9 9HW
Telephone: 020 8803 0255
Membership enquiries: membership@poauk.org.uk
General enquiries:
general@poauk.org.uk
This is a re-issue of a POA Circular promulgated on 17 August 2022. Despite this, members are reporting difficulties obtaining Carrying Aids. Where this is the case, please follow the guidance in this circular.
With the increase in the amount of equipment that members are required to wear in the course of their duties, the Executive raised concerns with HMPPS regarding the potential for muscular skeletal injuries surrounding the use of carrying aids, in particular the utility belt. The POA pointed out that;
Optima Health were commissioned by HMPPS to undertake an ergonomic assessment which included stakeholder engagement, equipment assessments, data collection, previous research and structured interviews with Prison Staff.
Once several carrying aids were trialed HMPPS proposed a staggered intervention approach divided into immediate intervention, interim intervention and long term phased solutions.
Immediate Intervention
Those members who reported discomfort should be referred to occupational health and be reviewed by an MSK specialist and should be provided with alternate carrying aids to assist them to work and facilitate the management of their health concern within work.
Interim Intervention
Those members who report ongoing discomfort should remove some of the weight away from the utility belt and placed in another location, for example the drop leg system can be used to move the rigid-bar hand cuffs, fish knife etc to the thigh area spreading the weight.
Long Term
HMPPS longer-term aim would be to distribute weight across the body instead of one concentrated location. Considering any future uniform review replacing the drop leg system with integrated padded trouser pockets would also mean reduced conditioning and familiarisation because the location of items will remain in the same area. Also, the trouser loops should be larger to accommodate the current utility belt so that only one belt is required.
The Executive believe that this approach does not address the concerns raised regarding potential Musculo skeletal problems in the future due to long-term wearing of the utility belt. The Executive believe that cost is being put above our members’ Health and Safety.
The executive therefore advises all members required to carry equipment which they consider to be excessive and have concerns regarding discomfort and Musculo skeletal injury to;
Please bring this circular to the attention of all members.
Yours sincerely
JOE SIMPSON
Deputy General Secretary
Cronin House
245 Church Street
London
N9 9HW
Telephone: 020 8803 0255
Membership enquiries: membership@poauk.org.uk
General enquiries:
general@poauk.org.uk
Representing over 30,000 Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric Workers, the POA is the largest UK Union in this sector, able to trace its roots back more than 100 years.