Protect Duty, known widely as ‘Martyn’s Law’, is due to be implemented in 2023. It comes in the wake of a number of terrorist attacks in public spaces across the United Kingdom most notably, the Manchester Arena bombing. Protect Duty will improve security in public spaces, protecting and enhancing the safety of both visitors, residents and staff.
Protect Duty legislation will apply to owners and/or operators of publicly accessible venues with a capacity of 100 persons or more and large organisations employing 250 staff or more that operate at publicly accessible locations, it should be used to improve security considerations and outcomes at public spaces. It also requires local authorities to plan accordingly for the threat of terrorism and put in place a counter-terrorism plan. A publicly accessible location has been defined by the Government as: “Any place which the public or any section of the public has access, on payment or otherwise, as of right or by virtue of express or implied permission” Publicly accessible locations include a wide variety of everyday settings such as:
- Public Venues – Including retail, entertainment chains, pubs and clubs
- Large Organisations – Entertainment and sports venues, tourist attractions and shopping centres
- Public Spaces – Such as public parks, beaches, town and city squares and pedestrianised areas
The Manchester bombing highlighted security failings in relation to hostile reconnaissance, venue emergency planning and response and risk assessments. Protect Duty legislation will create a more defined set of security regulations and procedures and to a uniform standard but it will not replace existing security and anti-terrorism protocols. Training will be a key component of compliance, ensuring your staff know what to do in terms of updating and executing risk mitigation measures and procedures will be fundamental to Protect Duty compliance. At Neptune P2P Group our Protective Security Services can provide you and your staff with all your training requirements, provide a detailed threat assessment and plan all aspects of your Escape Route Planning/ Evacuation procedures.
Read our report on Martyn’s Law to find out how Protect Duty will affect you and your business?
