Manslaughter window closing, firms told
May 1st 2009 Businesses have a "window of opportunity" to get their health and safety systems and cultures right before the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act really starts to bite, according to a panel of top lawyers.
Speaking at the IOSH 09 conference, the panel said the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act was leading to changes in the way offences were investigated, with the police being very thorough and causing immense disruption.
They warned that businesses should expect investigations to be longrunning, and that many managers could find themselves being quizzed, and even arrested, as part of the police inquiry. Nathan Peacey, a partner at Bond Pearce, said: "The police seem to be struggling with how they should be investigating this offence. They seem to be arresting everyone down to low level management in the two cases I'm involved in."
Steffan Groch, partner and head of regulatory at DWF, said that businesses that weren’t yet prepared for the impact of the law, still had opportunity to do so, but the window is closing:
"You have this window of opportunity to do something to avoid being prosecuted for corporate manslaughter, so I'd look at the culture of your business. You have a few years to do this, so get your systems in place in case the unforeseen happens."
As to when the first prosecution for Corporate Manslaughter will take place, most of the panel felt it would still be a number of years. More articles from IOSH: | 
