'Bringing the message home'

摘要

In January, the Court of Appeal handed down a judgment that is likely to increase the size of fines imposed on larger organisations for health and safety offences and increase the pressure on boards and shareholders to play a meaningful role in these issues. The judgment in R and Sellafield Ltd; R and Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd involved appeals from two prosecutions that had resulted in 2013 in fines of: 1. ￡500,000 imposed on Network Rail for an offence arising out of a collision at an unmanned level crossing, causing very serious injuries to a child; and 2. ￡700,000 imposed on Sellafield for offences arising out of the disposal of radioactive waste.