Manslaughter law marks 'a new dawn' for health and safety responsibility
April 10, 2008
A new manslaughter law, which came into force last weekend, will ensure that "organisations can more easily be held to account" for health and safety failings, according to one expert.
Ray Hurst, the president of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), welcomed the additional powers given to courts as a result of the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act.
These include potentially imposing heavy fines on guilty firms and ordering publication of their convictions.
Courts will also be able to impose wide-ranging remedial orders designed to help ensure companies introduce and maintain improvements in workplace safety. In cases of exceptional collective failure this could lead to the suspension of all or part of the board.
Hurst said: "This should serve as a deterrent to the minority of organisations that would otherwise disregard health and safety and by increasing corporate accountability, lead to overall improvements in workplace standards."
He noted that 241 workers were killed in Britain last year, with many more deaths as a result of work-related road traffic crashes and occupational cancers.
Find out more about Corporate Manslaughter
Ray Hurst, the president of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), welcomed the additional powers given to courts as a result of the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act.
These include potentially imposing heavy fines on guilty firms and ordering publication of their convictions.
Courts will also be able to impose wide-ranging remedial orders designed to help ensure companies introduce and maintain improvements in workplace safety. In cases of exceptional collective failure this could lead to the suspension of all or part of the board.
Hurst said: "This should serve as a deterrent to the minority of organisations that would otherwise disregard health and safety and by increasing corporate accountability, lead to overall improvements in workplace standards."
He noted that 241 workers were killed in Britain last year, with many more deaths as a result of work-related road traffic crashes and occupational cancers.
Find out more about Corporate Manslaughter
More Corporate manslaughter news:
Essex councils join HSE in 'myth busting' - October 15, 2008Good leadership 'required for workplace safety' - September 25, 2008
Firework death case adjourned - September 2, 2008
Equity fines for corporate accountability - August 26, 2008
Employee health and safety 'must move up firms' priority list' - August 22, 2008
