A few days ago, the Financial Times reported that the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted more than three times as many companies for health and safety offences in the year ending 31 March 2016 as in the preceding year. During that period, the HSE took a total of 46 company directors and managers to court over safety breaches (most involving the injury or death of an employee), whereas the total for the year before was just 15.
So does this mean that the UK's health and safety standards are slipping? Possibly - we did learn a few months ago that UK workplace deaths are on the rise. However, this latest stat is probably indicative of a more positive trend: companies who violate health and safety rules are increasingly likely to be prosecuted and brought to justice. The Financial Times article contains the following quote from Chris Morrison, the UK Head of Safety, Health & Environment at international law firm Clyde & Co:
"The data confirms what we have been seeing in practice, with the HSE displaying an incrased zeal to prosecure the most senior individuals. By making senior management responsible for the health and safety failings of their business and their staff, the increased enforcement is a serious boardroom issue."
And that, we feel, is a very good thing. Prosecuting and putting pressure on the people at the very top of businesses with poor safety records will force those company heads to make H&S a priority throughout the whole organisation, rather than just a concern for the people on the factory floor. Recent changes to UK law enable the HSE to issue fines exceeding £20 million in some cases, so hopefully we are now approaching a point where all company owners realise that taking a relaxed approach to workplace health and safety simply isn't worth the risk.
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