HSE has more of an impact

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) believes the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has had more of an impact in raising the level of workplace safety than the new corporate manslaughter act will.

Chris Macrae, global supply chain policy manager at the FTA, claims the enforcement of current legislation by the HSE has helped to improve the health and safety standards currently found in the industry.

The corporate manslaughter act, he believes, is unlikely to have a major impact on how companies view health and safety and does not expect it to spark a major drive to improve the working environment for employees.

Mr Macrae added the haulage industry has adopted a more conscious approach to workplace safety as a result of the rise in civil litigation cases and no-win-no-fee claims.

"I am not certain that standards will be affected by the corporate manslaughter legislation…what has had more of an impact over the last ten years is the enforcement by the Health and Safety Executive of the legislation that we already have," he said.

The new act came into force on April 6th this year.