This month's SHP reports on the conviction of a company for breaches of safety law which led to an explosion, the death of one worker and seriously injured three others. The Company Aintree based North West Aerosols was fined £2 in Liverpool Crown Court on June 8 2008 (not 1808). The reason for the "low" fine was that after the accident the company directors put the business into voluntary administration. Despite the fact that the Prosecution reported that the explosion was "both “foreseeable and preventable" and that the Judge said it was “an accident waiting to happen” no action was taken against the former directors responsible for the company. The HSE did investigate and found that there was not enough evidence under existing laws to take action against anyone.
Families Against Corporate Killers (FACK) held a vigil outside the court. FACK campaign for company directors to be given positive legal duties over health & safety and to be held accountable for this.
A director of a company may be sent to prison for fiddling the accounts but not for inadequate health and safety polices which result in people being killed. This is not justice.
Check out the BBC report and video of the explosion (and the fire-ball)
I almost forgot - the firm also had to “pay” another £1 in costs!
