What is the new corporate manslaughter and corporate homicide bill?
The bill is a new piece of criminal legislation, which came into effect on 6th April 2008. It applies to work related deaths that have arisen from gross negligence in the management and implementation of the company’s health and safety policy. Is there a difference between Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide? No. The act will be called Corporate Homicide in Scotland and Corporate Manslaughter in England, Wales and Northern Ireland but under both names it relates to the same piece of legislation. What counts as Manslaughter? The legislation is based upon the principle that a company has a duty of care to the people it employs and to those who use its property, products and services. Should a work related fatality occur, the company will be guilty of an offence if it is proved that the death was caused by a gross breach in the relevant duty of care or if the way in which the health and safety policy was managed amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the or
