New Act: applies to small companies, too
The legislation governing corporate manslaughter law changed on 6 April 2008.
The new law is the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.
The new corporate manslaughter act makes it easier to prosecute companies and organisations when a gross corporate failure in health and safety causes death.
The corporate manslaughter act covers failures in the “management” of health and safety, not just health and safety violations.
It applies to all companies, including the smallest start-up enterprise, but not individuals.
However, the 2007 act works alongside older legislation, which makes provision for prosecuting directors and senior managers in exceptional circumstances.
Under the 2007 act, guilty corporations face an unlimited fine. So it
