A police force has been fined after one of its trainee officers was hit by a car whilst responding to a traffic collision.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found West Mercia Police failed to manage risks.
Life-Changing Injuries
The officer, 22, was responding to traffic collision in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, on Christmas Eve 2023.
The road had no streetlighting and the national speed limit was 60mph. He had been managing traffic at the scene whilst standing on the bend when he was hit.
He sustained life-threatening and life-changing injuries.
An investigation by the HSE found West Mercia Police failed to do all that was reasonably practicable to manage the risks arising from or in connection with traffic collisions.
Insufficient Risk Assessments
The force’s risk assessments were not suitable and sufficient and it failed to provide adequate equipment for safely responding to traffic collisions.
There was also a lack of suitable information, instruction and training for its officers. As a result, employees and members of the public were exposed to unnecessary risks.
The force was fined £85,800 and ordered to pay £9,402 in costs.
Uneccessary Risks
HSE Inspector Keeley Eves said: “We recognise that police officers inevitably face significant and serious dangers as part of their normal work. The nature of policing is such that even where all reasonably practicable steps have been taken to minimise the risks, there may still be a significant risk to those engaged in such work.
“However, police officers should not be exposed to unnecessary risks while keeping the public safe.
“In this case, West Mercia Police failed to implement all reasonably practicable measures to minimise risks to its employees and members of the public in connection with road traffic collisions.
