Navigating the Protect Duty Legislation - A Guide to Compliance

The UK government is expected to introduce the new Protect Duty legislation (also known as "Martyn’s Law") in 2023 to enhance the safety and security of public spaces and vulnerable locations. The legislation applies to venues such as music venues, arenas, sports stadiums, and even theme parks, to protect against terrorist attacks and other forms of violent crime.

However, many organisations are either unfamiliar with the legislation or unsure about how to comply with its requirements. In this blog post, we'll dive into the details of the Protect Duty legislation and provide a comprehensive guide on how to comply.

What is the Protect Duty legislation?

The Protect Duty legislation is a set of new legal obligations for public venues, aimed at enhancing public security and protection against terrorist attacks. The legislation is relevant for any organisation that runs or operates a location that is likely to draw large crowds, be of notable public interest, or contain vulnerable sites. It represents a shift in government policy and has therefore introduced a new and increased level of regulatory requirements that will need to be met.

Examples of locations affected by the new Protect Duty legislation?

Organisations or locations that will be affected by the new Protect Duty Legislation include shopping centres, sports centres, stadiums, arenas, theatres, hotels, airports, train stations, medical centres and hospitals, places of worship, schools and universities, parks, beaches, restaurants, pubs, high streets, and many more.

Why is the Government introducing Martyn’s Law?

The new legislation is being driven by Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett who was a victim of the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena in 2017. Figan attended a theatre show in 2018 and was struck by how little had changed since the tragic events of the previous year. She, therefore, started to draw up Martyn’s Law to ensure that owners and operators of publicly accessible locations (PALs) have a duty to put measures in place to ensure public safety and to protect people from terrorist attacks.

Figan Murray said: "Martyn’s Law isn’t going to stop terrorism, but common-sense security, and making sure venues are doing all they can to keep people safe, could mean fewer suffer what myself and the families of Manchester have had to endure."

What do organisations need to do to comply with Protect Duty legislation

1. Assess the public safety and terrorism risks

The first step in complying with the Protect Duty legislation is to assess risk. Venues will need to carry out a thorough risk assessment of their premises and operations to identify any vulnerabilities or areas that may be targeted by terrorists or other forms of violent crime. This should include a critical review of the physical site, access points, cybersecurity risk factors, and the operations of the venue itself. Based on this assessment, a venue will be expected as part of the Protect Duty legislation to have appropriate measures in place to mitigate any potential risk.

You may find this article helpful: Lone Worker Risk Assessments: Your Guide. You'll also find a useful template for you to download.

2. Implement clear safety and security measures

Once the risk assessment has been completed, the next step is to implement suitable protective measures.

This may include increasing the physical security of the venue, such as:

• Bag searches
• Metal detectors
• CCTV
• A greater security presence on-site
• Giving panic buttons to staff
• Blast-resistant glazing
• Bollards and fencing
• Security doors
• Intruder detection systems

Other actions may include enhanced cybersecurity measures and training for staff to identify suspicious behaviour, how to carry out pre-event checks, or how to use new safety technology such as lone worker safety solutions. It is important to note that measures implemented under the Protect Duty legislation should be appropriate, realistic, and proportionate to the level of risk identified.

3. Create an Incident Response Plan

To ensure a well-organised and prompt reaction during an emergency, it is essential to create and convey comprehensive instructions to all employees via an Incident Response Plan. Regular training should be conducted so that all staff remain up to date with the guidelines. While preparing the plan, it is crucial to consider the possible reactions that both you and your employees would take in the case of an incident happening within, outside, or in proximity to your building or site.

4. Have an ongoing review process

Organisations must remain proactive and vigilant in their ongoing efforts to comply with the Protect Duty legislation. The security situation at a venue may change, necessitating changes to be made, and new vulnerabilities may emerge, requiring additional protective measures. Therefore, it’s important that venues have an ongoing review process in place and regularly update their risk assessments and control measures.

5. Stay in the loop

The legislation also requires organisations to stay up to date on terrorist threats using information made available by the Government and the police, as well as using resources made available by these organisations.

How can a lone worker safety solution help you comply with Martyn’s Law?

If you have colleagues who may be alone at any point during their working day or shift, then implementing a lone worker safety solution can provide significant reassurance to both staff and managers, alike.

Remember: A worker could be completely surrounded by members of the public but still be classed as a “lone worker” if there are no colleagues in the vicinity to see or hear them if something happens.

Take a look at our blog: What is a lone worker?

A lone worker safety solution from SoloProtect could allow you or your colleagues to:

• Discreetly request a level 1 emergency response at the push of a button on a lone worker safety device or app, 24/7/365 (Red Alert).
• Send critical Risk Messages via our Mass Notification System to all your employees to alert them to a situation or a live incident to ensure action is taken as quickly as possible to minimise the impact.
• View a dashboard to see who has acknowledged the Risk Message and who is still unaware of an incident unfolding.
• Use Ready2Talk functionality when a significant risk is identified but before the point that an emergency response is required. This provides reassurance to staff and a much quicker escalation to an emergency Red Alert if an incident occurs.
• Following an incident, access audio recordings for legal proceedings or training purposes.

For more information about how SoloProtect’s safety solution can help your organisation comply with the new Protect Duty legislation, please contact us using the form below or request a no-obligation demo.‍

You can also find out more about Martyn’s Law on the Home Office website.