Derbyshire Police Fined After Riot Training Exercise Caused Burns

Brief Summary

Derbyshire Constabulary was fined after several officers suffered burns during a simulated riot training exercise. The HSE found avoidable risks were not properly identified and controlled, highlighting the need for strong planning, risk assessment and equipment assurance when delivering high risk training.

What Was The Incident?

During a simulated public disorder exercise at a training facility in Rotherham on 2 February 2021, officers wearing flame retardant PPE were required to face petrol bombs thrown by other officers as part of a training drill. Four of the 13 officers sustained burns to their lower bodies after petrol bombs were thrown at them. Three required hospital treatment.

What Was The Outcome?

Derbyshire Constabulary pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The court fined the organisation £60,000 and ordered costs of £9,470. The prosecution followed an HSE investigation.

What Lessons Can Be Learnt?

Plan high risk training like any other workplace operation. Preparing officers for dangerous situations must not reduce safety. High risk training needs the same level of care and professionalism as workplace tasks that create foreseeable harm.

Provide sufficient detail and assurance for protective equipment. The officers were not given adequate information about the lifespan, care and inspection of the flame retardant PPE, so there was a failure to ensure the equipment would provide adequate protection when used in the exercise.

Do suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the full training method. Risk assessment did not properly cover both the production and deployment of petrol bombs used during the training, leaving significant avoidable risks insufficiently addressed.

Implement safe systems of work to control foreseeable risks. The constabulary failed to implement suitable safe systems of work to control foreseeable risks created during petrol reception training, contributing to officers being exposed to injury.

Use thorough controls to prevent lasting harm from training. Even where officers returned to work, the incident caused permanent scarring and psychological harm with lasting effects. Robust assessment and control measures are essential to protect those involved in operational training.

HSE Prosecution Link