Following the recent first conviction and hefty fine under new Corporate Manslaughter legislation, the UK’s health and safety regime has been hailed a success. Falling death and accident rates would appear to confirm an improving trend. However, with the government austerity measures we’re facing at present, the Health & Safety Executive, like most other public sector functions, is also facing a cashflow problem.
As the government proposes lighter regulation of workplaces and the Health and Safety Executive faces deep cuts, Morland Sanders of BBC Radio 4 – File on 4 program (2000hrs 08-03-2011) asked if protection for employees will be put at risk (Podcast also available). Despite the recent more robust penalties for those found guilty of contravening health & safety law, are successes like the one shown below destined to be short-lived?
SHP Online: The first company to stand trial under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 has been fined £385,000 after being found guilty by the jury at Winchester Crown Court… (Read more)
Families of some of those seriously injured and killed in workplace accidents are saying too many employers are still gettings off too lightly; even when they’ve been found responsible for serious breaches of health and safety legislation.
Many practitioners in the field are now wondering if these cuts will be retrograde and, a step too far?
Related Articles
- Will Corporate Homicide Act help? (guardian.co.uk)
- Firm guilty in manslaughter case (bbc.co.uk)
- Cotswold Geotechnical fined £385,000 in first corporate manslaughter conviction (telegraph.co.uk)
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