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. -

In decreasing fine order

Recycling   firm sentenced over forklift death

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£180,000

Company:

Recresco   Ltd

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£38,693

Source:  

HSE, 18   December 2014

Hospital   trust fined £180,000 after patient suffers debilitating burns from   super-heated mattress

Injury:  

Third   degree burns to hip and buttock

Fine:

£180,000

Company:

Maidstone   and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£14,970

Source:  

HSE, 18   December 2014

Waste   company fined over worker's life-changing injuries

Injury:  

Life-threatening   injuries including having all ribs broken; back and shoulder injuries;   injuries to the top of left leg; a chip to the back of skull and a number of   cuts and bruises

Fine:

£160,000

Company:

Kier MG   Ltd

Legislation:

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

Regulation   17(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

Costs:

£9,809

Source:  

HSE, 8   January 2015

Recycling   giant fined £150k for worker's death

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£150,000

Company:

European   Metal Recycling Ltd

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£80,000

Source:  

HSE, 19   December 2014

£150,000   fine for Chessington over youngster's severe injuries

Injury:  

Fractured   skull, bleeding to the brain and broken ribs

Fine:

£150,000

Company:

Chessington   World of Adventures Operations Ltd

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£21,614

Source:  

HSE, 12   January 2015

Firms   in court after worker killed in quarry

Injury:  

Death

Fines:

£85,000   (for Ward Bros)

£60,000   (for CEMEX)

Companies:

Ward Bros   (Plant Hire) Ltd

CEMEX UK   Materials Ltd

Legislation:

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

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

Costs:

£55,000   (for Ward Bros)

£37,500   (for CEMEX)

Source:  

HSE, 23   December 2014

Life-changing   injuries of two employees lead to court for Newport company

Injury:  

One   worker: severe internal and external injuries. Broke knees, left wrist, right   thigh and suffered trauma to head. Second worker: amputation of left arm and   scarring to face

Fine:

£70,000

Company:

Moonsys   Technology Ltd

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£20,710

Source:  

HSE, 13   January 2015

Recycling   company in court after worker fell from conveyor belt

Injury:  

Multiple   rib fractures

Fine:

£70,000

Company:

BW Riddle

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£18,000

Source:  

HSE, 23   December 2014

Manufacturing   firm fined over worker's death

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£66,000

Company:

Gardiner   Colours Ltd

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£50,000

Source:  

HSE, 7   January 2015

DHL   in court after employee suffered life-changing injuries

Injury:  

Life-changing   injuries including five fractures to pelvis

Fine:

£50,000

Company:

DHL   Express (UK) Ltd

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£15,698

Source:  

HSE, 12   January 2015

Lothian   Health Board in court after death of pensioner

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£40,000

Company:

Lothian   Health Board

Legislation:

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

Costs:

n/a

Source:  

HSE, 19   December 2014

Barnet's   housing firm fined for safety failings

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£37,000

Company:

Barnet   Homes Ltd

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£75,000

Source:  

HSE, 18   December 2014

Bournemouth   aerospace firm in court for worker's serious injuries

Injury:  

Multiple   breakages and injuries to arm

Fine:

£24,000

Company:

Magellan   Aerospace

Legislation:

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

Regulation   11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

Costs:

£10,157

Source:  

HSE, 17   December 2014

Farmer   in court over driver's electrocution

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£20,000

Individual:

Tony   Slade

Legislation:

Section   3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Costs:

£5,609

Source:  

HSE, 12   January 2015

Seat   belt could have saved life of estate worker

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

£20,000

Individual:

Malcolm   John Reeve

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£1,681

Source:  

HSE, 17   December 2014

Ebbw   Vale packaging firm in court over worker's injuries

Injury:  

Double   fracture to left ankle and damage to leg

Fine:

£10,000

Company:

Platt   Packaging Limited

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£4,663

Source:  

HSE, 19   December 2014

Court   for chocolate maker over worker's injury

Injury:  

Loss of   thumb

Fine:

£7,000

Company:

Pecan   Candy Deluxe (Europe) Ltd

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£627

Source:  

HSE, 7   January 2015

Essex   construction firm in court for health and safety breach

Injury:  

None;   fine for failing to provide adequate sanitation facilities for workers

Fine:

£ 2,000

Company:

Dantel   Construction Limited

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£1,940

Source:  

HSE, 7   January 2015

Dangerous   scaffold costs Portsmouth firm owner

Injury:  

None;   fine for putting lives at risk

Fine:

£1,600

Company:

Graham   Pedaltey, trading as Graham's Scaffolds

Legislation:

Section   3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Regulation   5 of the Work at Height Regulations 1995

Costs:

£600

Source:  

HSE, 7   January 2015

Directors   fined after young worker crushed by dumper

Injury:  

Death

Fine:

None; 12   month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, and 180 hours of community   service for each director

Directors:

William   Friend

Robert   Plume

Legislation:

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

Costs:

£25,000   for each director

Source:  

HSE, 23   December 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.