What is Martyn's Law

On the 22nd of May 2017 a terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena sent shock waves throughout the UK and across the world. The eventual consequence of that attack has been a new piece of legislation from the UK Government, The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, commonly known as Martyn’s Law.

But what exactly is Martyn’s Law, and what does it entail? Let’s delve into the basics to gain a clearer understanding of this important legislation.

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What is Martyn’s Law?

The Manchester Arena bombing was a suicide bomber attack that took place at the end of an Ariana Grande concert. The attack resulted in the deaths of 22 people, including children. One of the victims was a 19-year-old, Martyn Hett, who the Bill has been named after.

His mother, Figen Murray, has been campaigning tirelessly since the untimely death of her son, leading calls for enhanced safety and security of public spaces and venues.

This new legislation aims to mitigate the risks of terrorist attacks and other security threats by implementing robust security measures and preparedness in public venues and spaces where large number of people gather.

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Purpose and Scope

The primary purpose of Martyn’s Law was to improve the resilience of public spaces and venues against terrorism and other violent attacks. But since it’s first inception, the purpose and scope has evolved.

By broadening the purpose and scope of security requirements to encompass a wide range of public spaces, Martyn’s Law aims to create a safer environment for individuals to gather and engage in various activities without fear or apprehension.

Currently, the type of establishments including in the new legislation includes, but is not limited to:

Entertainment venues (e.g., theatres, cinemas, concert halls)
Sporting arenas and stadiums
Shopping centres and retail outlet
Places of worship
Transportation hubs (e.g., airports, train stations)
Educational institutions
Tourist attractions

Crucially, though, any establishment that holds a temporary event also falls within scope of Martyn’s Law. A temporary event could be classed as any short-term gathering or activity, such as:

Corporate events
Charity events/ fundraisers
Conferences
Tradeshows
Industry Body Events
Networking Events
Open Days
Best Practice Events

Tiered Approach to Compliance

To make Martyn’s Law proportionate to the level of risk faced by an establishment, the Government has introduced a tiered approach to the compliance levels. Below, we have detailed each tier, along with who it impacts and the compliance steps they are expected to take to comply with Martyn’s Law in a simply to follow format for you.

Voluntary Tier:

Applies to a business with a capacity of less than 100 and wants to put measures in place to safeguard against the threat of a terrorist attack.

Measures:

Understand the nature and impact of a terrorist threat on your business.
Ensure staff are full trained, aware, and prepared in the event of an emergency.
Understand that capacity thresholds are likely to change as UK terror threats profiles change and be prepared to respond to requirements.

Standard Tier:

Applies to any business with a capacity of 100 – 799.

Measures:

Understand the nature and impact of a terrorist threat on your business.
Create a preparedness plan and incorporates risk management activities.
Ensure staff are full trained, aware, and prepared in the event of an emergency.

Enhanced Tier:

Applies to any business with a capacity of over 800.

Measures:

Understand the nature and impact of a terrorist threat on your business.
Carry out a terrorism threat assessment to identify site specific vulnerabilities.
Develop a security plan and implement measures.
Conduct a reasonably practicable test with relevant security mitigation measures.

Conclusion

In essence, Martyn’s Law should not be a significant burden on business, particularly manufacturing organisations. But complying with the new legislation does require clear understanding of how the new legislation applies to your business along with the steps you need to take. If you would like us to support your journey, look here.

Find our next blog on the topic: Does Martyn’s Law Apply to My Business?, where we delve a little deeper into the scope of the new law.

I hope you found this article interesting.