Section 2 of the Health & Safety At Work Act 1974 charges employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all its employees, in particular -

• safe plant and systems of work
• the safe use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances
• the provision of any necessary information, instruction, training & supervision
• a safe place of work with safe means of access and egress
• a safe working environment

An employer (with more than four employees) must also -

• prepare a written statement of his general health and safety policy
• set down the organisation and arrangements for carrying out the policy
• revise and update as necessary
• bring the policy and arrangements to the notice of all employees
• acknowledge the appointment by recognised trade unions of employee safety representatives (SR) and consult on the arrangements for co-operation on safety measures and means of monitoring those safety measures
• when requested, establish safety committees.

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The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 is a landmark in law. For the first time, companies and organisations can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of serious management failures resulting in a gross breach of a duty of care.

The Act, which will came into force on 6 April 2008, clarifies the criminal liabilities of companies including large organisations where serious failures in the management of health and safety result in a fatality.