Locations
The fines and costs which may flow from a safety related incident can be significant, not to mention the reputational stigma which the company will suffer. We set out below examples of recent prosecutions which give a flavour of the sentences handed down following conviction. For further information on any of these cases please do not hesitate to contact Rhys Griffiths of our Corporate Risk Management Group.
| Hospital Trust’s basic failures led to patient’s death | |
| Injury: | Death |
| Fine: | £200,000 |
| Company: | Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust |
| Legislation: | Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 |
| Costs: | £27,049 |
| Source: | HSE, 28 April 2014 |
|
Care provider prosecuted after death of patient during restraint |
|
|
Injury: |
Death |
|
Fine: |
£100,000 |
|
Company: |
Castlebeck Care (Teesdale) Ltd, now in administration |
|
Legislation: |
Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
|
Costs: |
n/a |
|
Source: |
HSE, 29 April 2014 |
|
Injury: |
Compound fracture to the left leg and three fractured vertebrae to lower spine |
|
Fine: |
£35,000 |
|
Company: |
Freedom Group of Companies Ltd |
|
Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
|
Costs: |
£11,272 |
|
Source: |
HSE, 25 April 2014 |
|
Injury: |
Three workers injured |
|
Fines: |
£33,000 (Belmont) £9,000 (Waymac) |
|
Companies: |
Belmont Homes (Cheshire) Ltd Waymac Ltd |
|
Legislation: |
Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Regulation 28(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 |
|
Costs: |
£15,000 (Belmont) £15,000 (Waymac) |
|
Source: |
HSE, 17 April 2014 |
|
Injury: |
Broken back |
|
Fines: |
£30,000 (company) £7,300 (Mr Black) |
|
Company: Director: |
Alternative Energy Installations Limited Ian Black |
|
Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
|
Costs: |
£27,000 (company) £6,700 (Mr Black) |
|
Source: |
HSE, 22 April 2014 |
|
Council sentenced after lives of workers and the public put at risk |
|
|
Injury: |
No injuries but members of the public were put at risk of injury or death |
|
Fine: |
£24,000 |
|
Company: |
Fife Council |
|
Legislation: |
Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
|
Costs: |
n/a |
|
Source: |
HSE, 1 May 2014 |
|
Injury: |
Extensive head injuries including a hole in the bridge of nose, shattered eye sockets, a large gash to head, a badly-damaged jaw, a bleed on the brain and fracture to temple |
|
Fine: |
£10,000 |
|
Company: |
Springvale EPS Ltd |
|
Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
|
Costs: |
£1,244.40 |
|
Source: |
HSE, 29 April 2014 |
|
Injury: |
Crush injuries to legs |
|
Fine: |
£10,000 |
|
Company: |
Specialised Castings Limited |
|
Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 |
|
Costs: |
n/a |
|
Source: |
HSE, 23 April 2014 |
|
Monmouthshire firm ignored safety warning at excavation site |
|
|
Injury: |
None – fine for ignoring Prohibition Notice |
|
Fine: |
£8,000 |
|
Company: |
Eastlake Developments Ltd |
|
Legislation: |
Section 3(1) and Section 33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 |
|
Costs: |
£1,187 |
|
Source: |
HSE, 25 April 2014 |
|
Manchester care home in court over vulnerable resident’s injuries |
|
|
Injury: |
Fractures to leg, knee and back |
|
Fine: |
£8,000 |
|
Company: |
Nada Residential and Nursing Home |
|
Legislation: |
Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Regulation 3(1)(b) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 |
|
Costs: |
£597 |
|
Source: |
HSE, 2 May 2014 |
|
County Durham firm in court after worker’s hand severely injured |
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|
Injury: |
Some of skin from hand was stripped by moving machinery; also sustained damage to the carpal tunnel in wrist and muscle damage to thumb. |
|
Fine: |
£6,000 |
|
Company: |
Elite Composite Products Ltd |
|
Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
|
Costs: |
£3,188.50 |
|
Source: |
HSE, 6 May 2014 |
|
Employee in court after striking co-worker’s head with digger bucket |
|
|
Injury: |
Multiple fractures to jaw as well as a punctured and collapsed lung |
|
Fine: |
Compensation of £2,500 |
|
Employee: |
Gary Draper |
|
Legislation: |
Section 7(a) of Health and Safety at Work Act |
|
Costs: |
£1,554 |
|
Source: |
HSE, 25 April 2014 |