Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act in England, Wales And NI

The Corporate Manslaughter Act Explained

Written By Helen Griffiths | Jun 25th, 2008 | | | Category: Ask An Expert

When did the new Corporate Manslaughter act came into force?

The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act was given Royal assent on 26 July 2007. The offence came into force on 6 April 2008 and is called corporate manslaughter in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and corporate homicide in Scotland.

Are there any new duties or obligations under the Corporate Manslaughter Act?

There are no new duties or obligations under the Act, nor is the new offence part of health and safety law. It is, however, specifically linked to existing health and safety requirements.

What do companies and organisations need to do to comply with the Corporate Manslaughter Act?

Companies and organisations that take their obligations under health and safety law seriously are not likely to be in breach of the new provisions. Nonetheless, companies and organisations should keep their health and safety management systems under review, in particular, the way in which their activities are managed or organised by senior management.

Where does health and safety legislation come in with the Corporate Manslaughter Act?

Under the Act, health and safety legislation means “any statutory provision dealing with health and safety matters” so it will include transport (road, rail, river, sea, air) food safety and workplace safety as enforced by HSE and local authorities.

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