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. 

Costain sentenced for Parkway telehandler death

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£525,000

Company:

Costain Limited

Legislation:

Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Costs:

£90,577

Source:  

HSE, 23 July 2014

Airbus fined £200,000 over worker's death

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£200,000

Company:

Airbus Operations Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Costs:

£58,891

Source:  

HSE, 17 July 2014

Haulage companies in court after driver paralysed

Injury:  

Paralysed   from chest down

Fine:

£150,000 (H&M)

£100,000 (HE Payne)

Company:

H & M Distribution Ltd

H E Payne Transport Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (H&M)

Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HE Payne)

Costs:

£13,996 for each company

Source:  

HSE, 29 July 2014

Engineering firm in court after workers suffer nerve damage

Injury:  

Employees diagnosed with hand arm vibration syndrome

Fine:

£125,000

Company:

SPS Aerostructures Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Costs:

£65,805

Source:  

HSE, 21 July 2014

Essex farming company fined after trailer death

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£100,000

Company:

Dengie Crops Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

Regulation 5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Costs:

£28,437

Source:  

HSE, 25 July 2014

Farmer fined £100,000 after worker was killed by reversing trailer

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£100,000

Company:

M Baker (Produce) Ltd

Legislation:

Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Costs:

£18,477

Source:  

HSE, 21 July 2014

East Yorkshire firm to pay £100,000 over worker's tragic death

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£67,000

Company:

Turfgrass Services International Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

Costs:

£33,000

Source:  

HSE, 9 July 2014

Kent firm in court after decade of ignoring risks to workers

Injury:  

Severe long term disability

Fine:

£49,149

Company:

Cummins Power Generation Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Costs:

£49,149

Source:  

HSE, 22 July 2014

Five in court for multiple safety failings

Injury:  

None; workers caught on roof without safety precautions

Fines:

£9,000 (GW Padley)

£30,000 (Harlow Bros)

£1,000 (K&M)

Companies:

GW Padley Poultry Ltd

Harlow Brothers Ltd

K&M Tomlinson Ltd

Legislation:

Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (GW Padley)

Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (Harlow Bros)

Sections 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (K&M)

Costs:

£15,000 (GW Padley)

£15,000 (Harlow Bros)

Source:  

HSE, 24 July 2014

Salad grower fined after employee fall

Injury:  

Fractured skull, suffered brain haemorrhage, and broken heel

Fine:

£22,000

Company:

Valley Grown Nurseries Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Costs:

£8,830

Source:  

HSE, 11 July 2014

Herefordshire company fined after employee injured by falling sheet of metal

Injury:  

Fractured three toes

Fine:

£12,000

Company:

Frank H Dale Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Costs:

£11,631.40

Source:  

HSE, 16 July 2014

Tata in court after worker's serious burns

Injury:  

Serious burns to face, left arm and back

Fine:

£10,000

Company:

Tata Steel UK Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

Costs:

£2,384

Source:  

HSE, 21 July 2014

Property firm fined after ignoring woodworking risks

Injury:  

None. Failed to comply with enforcement notice

Fine:

£8,000

Company:

High Peak Remedial Services Ltd

Legislation:

Section 33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

Costs:

£1,662

Source:  

HSE, 18 July 2014

Worker's jaw shattered after Kent firm neglects safety

Injury:  

Shattered jaw

Fine:

£7,000

Company:

Kingsnorth Waste Management Ltd

Legislation:

Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

Costs:

£3,000

Source:  

HSE, 25 July 2014

Safety failings at M25 construction site led to worker's death

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£2,000 – company in liquidation. If company still trading, fine would have been   £200,000

Six month (suspended) prison sentence for individual

Company:

Individual:

J McArdle Contracts Ltd

Stephen Blackmore

Legislation:

Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (company)

Regulation   37(3)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007   (individual)

Costs:

£2,500 (individual)

Source:  

HSE, 11   July 2014

Company and director prosecuted for stone dust failings

Injury:  

None; employees exposed to harmful stone dust. Improvement notices ignored

Fine:

None – company subject to winding up order (would have been £50,000). The director received a suspended 10 month prison sentence.

Company:

Director:

Redmist International Ltd

Ghausal Islam

Legislation:

Sections 2(1), 21, 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

Costs:

£9,000 (for director)

Source:  

HSE, 18 July 2014

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.