Recent press articles have highlighted increases in violence in the workplace and Skills for Security, along with several other major industry associations, is hugely concerned over staff and customer safety. With reported cases of staff being attacked and customers being injured, it’s now more important than ever to consider physical Intervention training.
Case law has shown that a lack of credible physical intervention training for those responsible for dealing with non-compliant or aggressive people leaves staff, service users and employers at risk of harm, prosecution and substantial compensation claims.
Maybo, BIIAB and Skills for Security have teamed up to offer a unique physical intervention programme that provides employers and their staff, insurers and customers alike with confidence in this area of significant risk, by teaching trainers how to deliver physical Intervention training to members of staff who may find themselves having to escort people from premises. The programme provides trainers with the means of delivering training in key knowledge and safer methods of intervention for risk situations. Employers and training providers can then deliver the new programme under license through their qualified internal trainers.
The training programme is offered at two levels: disengagement with guiding skills and holding skills. Many security guarding functions do not require physical skills and some need just the lower level skills for avoiding assault. Higher risk roles ( where there may be a need to restrain) require the full programme. Examples are response teams, door supervisors and certain retail and hospital roles.
The training increases staff knowledge of the law, key medical risks and safer methods for common activities such as ejection. It helps staff to assess situations and use alternatives to physical intervention whenever possible. Feedback shows that staff trained in the Maybo model are more confident, and are now using physical intervention less often and with less force. Major organisations such as HMV, Showsec, Rock Steady and VSG have already adopted this programme.
What the main protagonists think…
Commenting on the news Bill Fox (head of Maybo) said: “The Security Industry Authority and ACPO-endorsed guidance publication on physical intervention and case law demonstrates that, where physical intervention is foreseeable, staff need to be taught legitimate and safe methods. The dilemma for employers has been where to source credible, accredited training in an area of significant risk.”
Steve Dennis, the head of business development for the BIIAB, added: “The diversity of the organisations which have taken on this training clearly demonstrates the challenges faced by those working in security and enforcement roles. We are delighted to be able to support Maybo and Skills for Security in continuing to maintain and improve standards in what is a crucial area.”
In-house courses can be arranged for groups of five or more trainers, otherwise trainers attend an open course, where they are trained to deliver the programme by one of Maybo’s specialist physical intervention tutor trainers. The next courses are being held in July and October in Worcester.
Skills for Security’s chief executive David Greer commented: “Only training programmes which meet exacting standards are eligible for inclusion in our course accreditation scheme, allowing us to recommend them to our employers. We are pleased to endorse this programme from Maybo that responds to a key area of need within security.”
For further information about the programme and to book your place, please contact the Skills for Security Customer Service Team on 08450 750 111, or send an e-mail: [email protected]
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