RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

September 7, 2006
FLEETS MUST BE READY FOR CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER LAW

RoSPA is to brief fleet bosses on the new corporate manslaughter law, which will cover road deaths caused by an organisation’s lack of care as well as fatalities in the workplace.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, in conjunction with TRL, will stage the seminar Road Deaths and Corporate Manslaughter – Fleet Impact at Loughborough University, Leicestershire, on October 18.

Charles Davis, RoSPA Head of Driver and Fleet Solutions, said: “Companies that pay scant regard to managing health and safety are on notice. The corporate manslaughter law will mean that, where safety failure has been particularly bad, corporations can be successfully prosecuted following work-related deaths due to their recklessness.

“Such cases will not be limited to fatal accidents in fixed workplaces, but will include cases of death on the road.

“Driving as part of the job is the most dangerous work-related activity performed by most people in the UK. Employers have a duty of care to their employees. They can’t just abdicate responsibility and blame crashes on the driver.

“Our seminar will help organisations to check out their arrangements for health and safety risk management and to learn about new developments.

“Those with the correct people, policies and procedures in place to manage occupational road risk need have nothing to fear. Indeed, they will be reaping the major business benefits that are available by addressing this as part of mainstream health and safety management. ”

At the seminar, barrister Gerard Forlin will outline the Corporate Manslaughter Bill, including its effect on fleets.

Chief Inspector Ian Brooks of the Metropolitan Police will explain how the Road Death Investigation Manual is applied and how the police liaise with the Health and Safety Executive and investigate corporate and organisational failings.

Other speakers include: Saul Jeavons, Head of Investigations and Risk Management at TRL; Professor Andrew Parkes, Chief Research Scientist, TRL; and Roger Bibbings, RoSPA Occupational Safety Adviser. There will also be a presentation on how decisions are made to prosecute in corporate manslaughter and health and safety cases.

For more details, e-mail events@rospa.com, ring 0121 248 2120 or see http://www.rospa.com/cmseminar/ .