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Protecting You & Your Business |
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UK insurance market conditions are at times hard when some trades and businesses can find it difficult to obtain cover or meet escalating premium costs.
In our increasingly litigious society 'no win no fee' compensation claims are common and the frequency of successful enforcing authority prosecutions, often with severe penalties, is increasing. New legislation appears regularly and proposed changes toughening the law on corporate manslaughter are under consideration.
Recently publicised prosecutions include:
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A construction company ordered to pay £150,000 plus £40,000 costs after an agency labourer was killed by a falling concrete lintel during an unsafe lifting operation. |
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A cardboard manufacturer was fined £13,000 plus costs of £2,147 after an employee's foot had to be amputated when it was caught in an unguarded conveyor. |
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A pedestrian was run over and killed by a reversing lorry while trying to cross a busy road at an area where paving work was being undertaken. The principal contractor was fined £25,000 with costs of £12,770 and a subcontractor £12,500 with £10,000 costs. |
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Two construction companies were each fined £15,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,514 after a piling rig toppled onto a busy railway line bringing down 25,000 volt overhead cables and closing the line for 3 days. In sentencing magistrates took account of the fact that the companies had already paid Network Rail £0.75 million compensation for downtime on the line. |
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A rubber manufacturing company was fined £175,000 plus £20,000 costs after an employee died when struck by the heavy door of a rubber mixing machine only weeks after another worker was injured in similar circumstances. |
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A potato packing firm was fined £3,000 plus £2,100 costs after an employee accidentally drank pesticide from a plastic milk carton. A director was separately fined £750 plus costs of £528. |
In this setting it has never been more important to take all practical steps to manage risks and ensure compliance with applicable legislation and relevant standards. For further details of how we can help to protect you and your business please contact us .
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