Quickly exit this site by pressing the Escape key Leave this site
This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.
1. Summary of Changes
1.1. This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been reviewed in June 2021 – no amendments to content have been made.
2. What this Procedure is About
2.1 The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that officers and staff recognise the heightened risk of positional asphyxia during restraint and are alert to the immediate emergency actions to be taken.
2.2. Positional asphyxia occurs when a person is placed in a posture that prevents or impedes the mechanism of normal breathing. If the person cannot escape from the position, death may occur very rapidly.
Compliance with this SOP and any governing policy is mandatory.
3. Detail the Procedure
3.1. Officers and staff must recognise the risk of positional asphyxia occurring in the following circumstances and be prepared to respond to a medical emergency:
3.2. Officers and staff should recognise the heightened risk factors:
3.3. Officers and staff should recognise the following warning signs of positional asphyxia:
3.4. Officers and staff must take the following actions to reduce the risk of positional asphyxia occurring:
3.4.1. Officers and staff must take the following actions to reduce the risk of positional asphyxia occurring in police custody:
3.5. Officers and staff must take the following emergency actions in the event that positional asphyxia is suspected:
4. Equality Impact Assessment
4.1. An equality impact assessment has been carried out and shows that the proposals in this procedure would have high potential or actual differential impact on grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, transgender, disability, age, religion or belief or sexual orientation.
5. Risk Assessment
5.1. This SOP has been assessed as high risk.
6. Consultation
7. Monitoring and Review
7.1. This SOP will be monitored by the Staff Safety Training Unit. The SOP will be reviewed to ensure accuracy with the most recent College of Policing published information and IPCC ‘learning the lessons’ Bulletins. Due to the high risk nature of this topic, this SOP will be reviewed annually with the next review scheduled for June 2022.
8. Other Source Documents
9. Security
9.1. Kent Police have measures in place to protect the security of your data in accordance with our Information Management Policy.
10. Retention and Disposal of Records
10.1. Kent Police will hold data in accordance with our Records Review, Retention and Disposal Policy.
10.2. If you require any further information or to request any documentation referenced within the policy please contact [email protected] For general enquiries you can find contact details for Kent Police on the website https://www.kent.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/.
Policy reference: |
O43j Positional Asphyxia |
Contact point: |
Head of Learning and Development |
Date last reviewed: |
June 2021 |