The Government has announced that the
The Health and Safety Offences Act 2008 received Royal Assent on 16 October 2008 and will come into force in January 2009. The act increases health and safety penalties and provide courts with greater sentencing powers for those who flout health and safety legislation. The Act raises the maximum penalties that can be imposed for breaching health and safety regulations in the lower courts from £5,000 to £20,000 and the range of offences for which an individual can be imprisoned has also been broadened.
Lawyers in the accident and disasters department at leading personal injury law firm Leigh Day & Co welcome this new legislation. The firm has acted for many individuals and families who have suffered bereavements or serious injuries following workplace accidents that could have been avoided if basic health and safety procedure had been followed.
Daniel Easton, a partner in the department, says of the new law:
"Health and Safety law is there for a purpose and it is of paramount important that employers are held to account where they fail to abide by it. At the end of the day it is the employees who stand to suffer where an employer is neglectful so any effort to ensure health and safety is adhered to must be welcomed. Hopefully this new legislation will prove a bigger deterrent to companies who think they can get away with cutting corners on safety."
For a free initial consultation with one of our lawyers please contact
Daniel Easton,
Sally Moore or
Rebecca Smith on 020 7650 1200.
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