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Wellbeing

Back to Basics: focus

on body armour

n awareness drive focusing on the absolutely be worn when it’s needed but forces of their responsibility to look after
damage body armour can potentially problems start to surface when officers wear officers’ welfare and encourage good
Acause if worn excessively has been it when it’s not needed. practice around body armour care, storage
launched by the Police Federation as part of “The human skeleton isn’t built to carry and checks after being damaged.
World Wellbeing Week. around this amount of weight long-term The committee’s body armour working
The Back to Basics campaign highlights and it could contribute to significant health group has found that there were problems
simple tweaks officers can make at home or issues.” with the weight of the plates used and also
at work to make sure their backs, necks, and The Police Federation’s national the weight caused by what officers were
shoulders are not harmed by the protective Wellbeing Sub-Committee will be working carrying on their person such as mobile
gear. with experts from Flint House, the Police units and other kit.
Officers are being urged to keep an eye Treatment Centres (Harrogate and It established that officers from across
out for social media updates and helpful Auchterarder) and the North-West Police England and Wales are being referred to
videos on the Back to Basics webpage. Benevolent Fund to examine ways to help treatment centres with back, shoulder and
West Midlands Police Federation chair ease the strain on muscles and skeleton. neck pain, which could be caused by wearing
Jon Nott said: “Body armour should The sub-committee will also remind body armour.

“ Body armour should absolutely be worn

when it’s needed but problems start to
surface when officers wear it when it’s

not needed. “

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