Corporate Manslaughter & Beyond: Why Directors Must Prioritise Health & Safety Training

Recent UK prosecutions—Southern Asphalt Ltd’s corporate manslaughter conviction after a trench collapse, Higgins Homes’ £3 million fine for a fatal fall, and Total Contractors Ltd charged over PPE failures—demonstrate that directors cannot delegate health & safety (H&S) responsibility. Under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, companies face unlimited fines and remedial orders; directors risk prison for gross leadership failures.

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Directors’ Legal Duties in UK Law

• HSWA 1974 §2: Ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, employees’ health, safety & welfare.
• HSWA 1974 §37: Directors personally liable for consent or negligence in breaches.
• Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007: Gross breach = unlimited fines, remedial orders, reputational damage.

Why Director-Level Training Matters

Formal courses like IOSH Leading Safely and NEBOSH National Diploma (Director’s Module) provide due diligence defence by showing proactive leadership. Well-trained boards embed safety culture—allocating budgets, conducting audits, and championing H&S alongside finance.

Essential Director & Team Training

• IOSH Leading Safely (1 day) – Core H&S duties for non-specialists
• NEBOSH Diploma (Director’s Module) – Strategic safety leadership
• SSSTS (2 days) – Supervisory CDM, risk assessments
• SMSTS (5 days) – Advanced site management & legal frameworks

Our bespoke Director & Team Safety workshops combine online theory with practical site exercises.

Embedding a Robust Safety Culture

Directors can implement:

• External safety audits
• Quarterly RAMS reviews & incident analyses
• Anonymous near-miss reporting
• H&S KPIs alongside financial metrics
• Mandatory refresher training and toolbox talks

HIGGINS HOMES introduced weekly “Safety Hour” and monthly drills, cutting site accidents by 40% in one year.

Practical Steps for Directors Today

• Enrol in IOSH or NEBOSH this quarter
• Mandate annual refresher training for all staff
• Conduct unannounced site visits with checklists
• Include H&S metrics in every board pack
• Commission external H&S audits
• Fund SSSTS for supervisors and SMSTS for managers
• Hold quarterly Director Safety Forums

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