Posted on 8 April 2011
More protection for rescuers in new health and safety guidance
Posted in Legal news
The government is seeking to ensure that members of the emergency services are not prosecuted under health and safety legislation when trying to protect the public.
The Crown Prosecution Service has said that it would not be in the public interest if those who risk their lives trying to save others were taken to court under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the government has said that guidance is necessary to stop the police, fire services and ambulance crews becoming risk averse.
The policing minister, Mick Herbert, said: “We are determined to do all we can to remove the obstacles that get in the way and give officers more discretion to make decisions affecting their work. This new guidance marks the end of a culture where nonsensical health and safety rules stop police officers acting in the best interest of the public and sends a clear, long-overdue message to police officers that they are trusted to make the right judgements.”