Health & Safety Prosecutions

These allegations often raise complex technical issues. Our lawyers have considerable experience of these cases and have successfully defended health and safety prosecutions brought by both the Health and Safety Executive and the police.

Call us to speak directly to a solicitor about defence against a health and safety allegation.

Under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act (aka “the Act”) all employers are duty bound to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their staff and non employees visitors to their premises.

It is a criminal offence to breach the regulations and obligations outlined within the act. If failings in health and safety result in or cause death then those responsible may also face prosecution for individual gross negligence manslaughter or corporate manslaughter.

The amount companies were fined for health and safety breaches has risen by 43 per cent in a year under tougher sentencing guidelines. In 2016/7, total fines rose to £54 million. Fines of up to £2 million were imposed for health and safety breaches. This trend is likely to continue.

If you or your company finds yourself under investigation, or facing prosecution, we can help.

For example in one recent case we successfully defended an engineer in connection with the allegedly defective design of a children’s fairground ride. In another we secured the acquittal of a civil engineer who found himself accused of manslaughter, following a workplace accident.

Find yourself under investigation by the HSE or police? We can help.

Freephone:

0808 231 7107