Deaths at work Accidents or corporate crime - the defects of inquests and the criminal justice system Price 63.50 Reviewed by Patrick Baker MANSLELCHTER INQUIRIES Pa0 :t COMPANY directors in Berai am work pace der. 5,000 workplace deaths in the last decade, only one has been the subject of a police investigation.
Deaths at work is the subject of a new booklet produced jointly by Inquest, the camMign investigating deaths in police custody, the Londor Hazards Centre, and the Workers Educational Association. It shows that companies are immune from prosecution for the hundreds of deaths that take place cach year in the workplace.
In the minority of cases where a prosecution does take place, directors and executives are naraty ever nela personaly responsible. And comthan E2000, the maximum possible in a Magistrates Court.
Jasmin Zimnowodski, sister of a building worker killed in Central London life. I fust couldn't believe it.
which admitted in court that it had a tumover than one billion pounds This second time a worker had fallen down an unit shaft on the site, but of course you never heard anything about Kakkel calce Why was this case not referted to the Crown Court? Why did the HSE .eave the prosecution to an inspector and not an experienced lawver just tell me what unishment this is?
Nhat deterrence is this? What justice is this?' Now a campaign is ported by Labour MPs leaders, to ensure ade quate investsanon and prosecution of such cases, It calis for a criminal police investigation of the conduct of company officers after every death at work, and clearer health and safety of companies is made simpler They point out that under the current system, prosecution tor mans auehter is never considered, since there is no criminal investigation. And the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not, as they claim, pass cases on to the ponce. Ins s despite the fact that HSE reports show that 70% workplace deaths are the direct ault ot senior management But individual managers or directors are oniy prosecuted in less than o of caspe Fiona Murie of the London Hazards Centre said "The entrenched bias of the criminal justice system is clear from this report. Pundamental changes are required before the public vne oneco thathe law is applied equally to all, and companies and their senior officers are brought to acAvilable London Mazaris Centre, 308 Grays Inn Road, London WCIX 8DS or 9 Upper Berkeley Street, London WIH 8BY.
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