Justice Taking Priority in Health and Safety Cases

Until now it has always been a rather long process for cases to go through the courts after someone has been injured or killed in the work place.

After the incident there needed to be an investigation and an inquest to discover exactly what happened, which was then followed by the prosecution of the firm by the Health and Safety Executive. However, times are changing and the HSE is looking at ways to speed up the process so that justice is achieved more rapidly.

Years of Anxiety Reduced as Families Find Justice Sooner Rather than Later
It often takes years to achieve justice, and only in rare circumstances have court cases taken place before the inquest has been completed. Now the path to justice will be a lot smoother after an agreement has been reached between the people who investigate and prosecute.  If there is a death on your business premises, and there are no charges of manslaughter or homicide, it is now possible to go ahead with the prosecution before the inquest.

It often takes years to achieve justice, and only in rare circumstances have court cases taken place before the inquest has been completed. Now the path to justice will be a lot smoother after an agreement has been reached between the people who investigate and prosecute.  If there is a death on your business premises, and there are no charges of manslaughter or homicide, it is now possible to go ahead with the prosecution before the inquest.

Work Related Death Protocol Given an Overhaul
This is due to the recent changes in the Work-Related Death Protocol. The aim is to speed up the process for the families who have lost a loved one. This will help them to grieve and reduce the stress which is added by the prospect of a court case in the distant future.   These changes have been given the support of the Coroners Society and are due to be announced by the Work Related Deaths National Liaison Committee, although the changes have already been introduced as of October 1st 2011.

Health and Safety in the Workplace

As a business owner it is your responsibility to do everything within reason to ensure the safety of your workers. It doesn’t matter if the industry you work in is considered to be high or low risk. Should one of your workers die as a result of the injuries caused by a work related accident which could have been avoided then you will be taken to court and face a possible fine or even a prison sentence.

To help you to understand the laws and regulations that are in place to prevent such accidents from occurring you can hire health and safety consultants to work with you. There are numerous health and safety services which can be of huge help to any business.  By doing everything possible to protect your workers you can prevent prosecution by the HSE and more importantly help to reduce the risks which are constantly present.

If you are unsure of what you need to be doing it is a good idea to request a health and safety audit. This will look at the policies and procedures that you have in place and highlight the areas of weakness which are putting lives, and your business, at risk.

Global Compliance Solutions specialise in finding cost effective ways that can help you to comply with HSE law, make your workplace a user friendly and productive environment  and achieve the legal coverage required without breaking the bank.

Call us now on 08450 950 960

PMC.