This months SHP magazine reports on a row about how to fine offenders under the new “Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act”. The Sentencing Advisory panel have suggested that the fine should be 2.5-10% of an offending company’s annual turnover. The IOSH think this is fair since it is in line with the fines that can be levied on companies for infringing European competition law. Surprise, surprise the CBI (the “Voice of Business”) think that fines running into “hundreds of millions of pounds...unfair”. While the CCA thinks even 10% is too low.
The CBI seems to forget that this is about companies being punished for killing people. While competition laws are important surely committing manslaughter should attract a higher penalty. Better still a custodial sentence?
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