International
Hazard Datasheets on Occupation
Police / Law
Enforcement Officer
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/hdo/htm/offcr_police.htm
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What is a Hazard Datasheet on Occupation? |
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This
datasheet is one of the International Datasheets on Occupations. It
is intended for those professionally concerned with health and
safety at work: occupational physicians and nurses, safety
engineers, hygienists, education and Information specialists,
inspectors, employers ' representatives, workers' representatives,
safety officers and other competent persons.
This
datasheet lists, in a standard format, different hazards to which
police / law enforcement officers may be exposed in the course of
their normal work. This datasheet is a source of information rather
than advice. With the knowledge of what causes injuries and
diseases, is easier to design and implement suitable measures
towards prevention.
This
datasheet consists of four pages:
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Page 1:
Information on the most relevant hazards related to the
occupation.
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Page 2: A
more detailed and systematized presentation on the different
hazards related to the job with indicators for preventive
measures (marked
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explained on the third page).
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Page 3:
Suggestions for preventive measures for selected hazards.
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Page 4:
Specialized information, relevant primarily to occupational
safety and health professionals and including information such
as a brief job description, a list of tasks, notes and
references.
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Who is a police / law enforcement officer? |
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A worker
whose main job is to protect the public. This includes protection
against crime, the preservation of civil order, enforcement of
traffic and other regulations, prevention of alcohol and substance
abuse, prevention of neighborhood disorders, firearm and weapon
control, law enforcement and investigations as mandated by law and
requested by the relevant national or local authority.
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What is dangerous about this job? |
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Police /
law enforcement officers run a high risk of being attacked,
wounded or even killed by criminals, hoodlums and other people
whose behavior disagrees with the law and the society norms.
They may also suffer from "friendly fire".
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Many
police / law enforcement officers are involved in work-related
accidents - vehicle crashes, falls during chase, rescue and
similar operations, etc.
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Police /
law enforcement officers usually live under constant
apprehension of physical danger, work long and irregular hours,
and are exposed to unpleasant sides of life. This often results
in psychological stress, family and personality problems.
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Police /
law enforcement officers may develop health problems as a result
of spending much time outdoors, including under the sun or in
bad weather.
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Unavoidable physical contact with people who have contagious
diseases (especially HIV) is a serious health hazard.
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Hazards related to this job |
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Accident hazards
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Accidents are most likely during emergency response of
the policeman/law enforcement officer and may occur
especially while doing first aid work, patrol car
driving and riot control
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Slips, trips, and falls while ascending and descending
from roofs or while chasing suspects in a crime
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Wounds caused by knife or other object (metal rod,
baseball bat, etc.), as a result of being attacked by
persons contacted in the course of duty (suspects,
offenders, their sympathizers, etc.)
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Wounds caused by random or careless shooting by others
(incl. "friendly fire")
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Self-inflicted wounds caused during firearms cleaning,
loading, etc.
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Car or motorcycle accidents while chasing fleeing
vehicles, or while fast driving in response to emergency
calls
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Physical hazards
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Exposure to ambient environmental factors (low or high
air temperatures, rain, wind, snow, sun) resulting in
acute (common cold, heat stroke, dehydration, etc.) or
chronic (rheumatism , etc.) diseases
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Exposure to high noise levels from the emergency horn or
on the firing range
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Chemical hazards
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Exposure to lead while directing traffic, working on the
firing range, or doing finger printing work [See Note 1]
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Exposure to excessive levels of carbon monoxide while
directing traffic
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Biological hazards
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Risk of contracting a contagious disease (HIV,
infectious hepatitis, rabies, etc.) as a result of
needle stick injury, human or animal bite, or close
contact with infected/ill people (esp. members of
high-risk groups)
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Infection caused by insects or rodents while entering
polluted or abandoned places (esp. cellars, basements,
etc.) for the purpose of inspection, search,
observation, etc.
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Ergonomic, psychosocial and organizational factors
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Long periods of time spent inside vehicles may in the
course of time result in musculoskeletal disorders (esp.
low-back pains)
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Cumulative trauma disorders of lower extremities (e.g.,
flatfoot) as a result of long-time, extensive foot
patrolling assignments
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), most likely if
the incident witnessed by the policeman has resulted in
serious injury, or death to any of those involved
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Exposure to various psychological stressors (stress -
related disorders may be manifested as behavioral
problems, marital or family problems, or sometimes as
alcohol or substance abuse)
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Personal and/or family problems caused by shiftwork,
irregular work hours (incl. at night), constant state of
alertness (incl. when off duty), relations with peers
and superiors within an hierarchical system typical of
police and law-enforcement forces, and similar
psychosocial factors [See Note 2]
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Fear of being prosecuted afterward for actions which
seemed to be clearly indicated as necessary during an
event, but later not considered as such (particularly by
others) when the moments of peak stress were past [See
Note 3]
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The paperwork duties, as opposed to active law
enforcement, are often experienced as a major stressor
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When
on duty, wear the personal protective equipment provided for
the job at hand, e.g., bulletproof clothing |
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Wear
appropriate hearing protection on the firing range
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In
rescue operations or when dealing with drug addicts, take
precautions to avoid contact with body fluids; in particular
do not expose cuts or other open skin wounds to body fluids,
to avoid contamination with agents causing diseases such as
AIDS, hepatitis, etc.loves |
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Learn
relaxation exercises and perform them during long waiting
periods |
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Seek
psychological or vocational advice if experiencing
work-related stresses or burnout |
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Select
a shiftwork schedule that would have the least harmful
effect on the employee's health, family and personal life -
consult employees and specialists in shift scheduling
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Synonyms |
Policeman / woman, Law Enforcement Officer, Officer, Cop
[slang] |
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Definitions and/or description
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Protects the public from attack, mugging and robbery. Takes
prisoners under control where possible and transports them
to jail or other restraining facility. Works in traffic
control and issues tickets (court summons) to violators of
traffic laws. Disperses unruly crowds Renders first aid at
accidents if there are no others more highly qualified
(physicians, nurses, MDA) on scene. Serves warrants and
makes arrests of sought persons. Examines medical and dental
x-rays, finger prints and other information to identify
bodies held in morgue. Testifies in court to present
evidence regarding cases. Guards prisoners detained at
police station or in detention room pending hearings.
Searches all prisoners for weapons, contraband, drugs and
other harmful articles. May investigate offenders and causes
for arrest and make recommendations to magistrate concerning
disposition of the case. In most jurisdictions, whether on
or off duty, these officers are expected to exercise their
authority whenever necessary (Based on DOT [Police Officer
I, II, III] and Occ. Outlook Handbook [Police, Detectives,
and Special Agents] |
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Related and specific occupations |
Police
Officer - Identification and Records Unit; Police Officer -
Community Relations Unit; Police Officer - Traffic Unit;
Police Officer - Complaint Evaluation Unit; Police Officer -
Police Officer - Motorized / Mounted Unit; Police Officer -
Investigation Unit; Police Officer - Homicide Unit; Police
Officer - Police Academy Instructor; Police officer - Vice
Unit; Police Officer - Internal Affairs Unit, and Police
Officer - Fingerprint Unit [In addition, the name of
Detective may be connected with each of the occupations
above]; marshal; sheriff deputy; trooper; etc. |
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Tasks |
Arresting; assisting (citizens, etc.); chasing; checking;
consulting; directing traffic; driving; evaluating
(evidence, complaints, etc.); examining; impounding; issuing
(tickets, reports, etc.); fingerprinting; immobilizing a
prisoner; investigating; negotiating; patrolling;
protecting; responding (to calls, alarms, etc.); reporting;
running; shooting; tackling; testifying; training
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Primary equipment used |
Communication equipment; vehicles of different types (mostly
automobiles); weapons (incl. personal firearms); personal
protective equipment (bulletproof vests, helmets, shields,
etc.); subduing and riot-control equipment (incl. handcuffs,
clubs, smoke grenades, launchers, nets, etc.); |
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Workplaces where the occupation is common |
Administrative authorities at different levels: state,
regional, municipal, local, etc.: law-enforcement agencies
of different types: civilian, military, or paramilitary
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Notes
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Firing-range instructors must submit periodical
urine/blood tests for lead.
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The profession of a Police / Law Enforcement Officer is
rarely meeting an impartial attitude on the part of the
public: it may vary from high respect and praise to
despise and hate, depending on the social consciousness
and law-abiding practices of a certain person or group.
This, often unpredictable, emotional diversity
contributes to the development of anxiety and similar
personal traits in Police / Law Enforcement Officers.
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Such second thoughts may make actions look unnecessary
(particularly to others and at a later time when the
stress is lower) and the result of having acted may lead
to reduction in rank, possible removal from the police
force and even to loss of the pension due the officer.
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Police / Law Enforcement Officers have a 200% greater
risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack
and stroke, than the general population.
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References
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Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 4th Ed.,
ILO, Geneva, 1998, Vol.3, p.95.9 - 95.12.
Occupational Outlook Handbook , U.S. Dept. of Labor, 1996 -
1997 Ed., p. 303 - 306.
Environmental and Occupational Medicine, by William N. Rom
(Ed.), Little, Brown & Co., 1992, p.729. |
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