Improvements promised on work deaths law
Improvements promised on work deaths law
A draft law to make companies more accountable for workplace deaths passed its latest procedural hurdle this week, with the government pledging to change the bill to make it easier to prosecute companies following fatal accidents.
After passing its crucial second reading stage on 10 October, the Corporate Liability and Corporate Homicide bill will now be debated in committees where amendments can be made, before being voted on again later this year or early in 2007. Union and workplace safety campaigners, who lobbied MPs ahead of the vote, believe it does not go far enough and will not deter irresponsible employers, given it does not carry the threat of imprisonment for gross negligence. Home Secretary John Reid acknowledged the bill 'was not perfect', but told parliament: 'It will enshrine a more effective offence of corporate manslaughter, one which properly targets corporate failures.' In a concession to critics of the bill, he told MPs the government would bring forward amendments to change the test of liability. Many critics 'felt this test of liability too narrowly drawn', Mr Reid acknowledged. He stressed it was 'critical that the new offence has public confidence', so the government would seek to change the bill at the committee stage to take account of the way the fatal activity had been managed generally within the organisation. Many critics, however, argue the bill must go further. Speaking ahead of the vote, Tony Woodley, TGWU general secretary, said the bill 'hands negligent directors a 'get out of jail free' card and will not deliver justice or safer workplaces.' He added: 'Labour Party conference voted overwhelmingly for directors' duties to include health and safety, carrying a custodial sentence in the most severe cases, and Labour MPs and the government should listen' (Risks 277). Alan Ritchie, general secretary of construction union UCATT, said: 'Hundreds of workers are losing their lives every year, and will continue to do so unless government acts to change workplace health and safety culture by making negligent bosses responsible.'
- TGWU/UCATT news release. STUC news release. The Scotsman. The Herald. Reuters. Financial Times. The Guardian. Personnel Today.
- House of Commons debate, Hansard, 10 October 2006.
- Hazards deadly business campaign. Centre for Corporate Accountability briefing on corporate manslaughter [pdf].
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