Martyn's Law, officially the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act, was introduced following the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. It places new duties on venue operators and, by extension, security staff.

Key points:

1. Who it applies to — Any premises with a capacity of 100+ people must comply with standard duties. Enhanced duties apply to venues holding 800+ people.

2. Standard duty (100+ capacity) — Venues must have procedures to notify and evacuate in case of a terrorist attack. All staff must complete free terrorism awareness training.

3. Enhanced duty (800+ capacity) — Venues must conduct risk assessments, implement protective security measures, and develop detailed security plans.

4. What this means for security staff — You will need to:
- Complete counter-terrorism training (ACT awareness)
- Understand the venue's specific terrorism response plan
- Know invacuation vs evacuation procedures
- Recognise hostile reconnaissance
- Report suspicious behaviour effectively

5. The ACT framework — Action Counters Terrorism. Report suspicious activity via the police anti-terrorism hotline or in-person to a supervisor.

This legislation makes terrorism preparedness a legal requirement, not just best practice. As security professionals, we're on the front line of this duty.