31 October 2006 For immediate release
STUC Emphasises Need for Effective Corporate Killing Legislation Following Network Rail Guilty Plea
The STUC has emphasised the need for effective legislation to ensure companies and individual directors, who place the lives of workers and members of the public at risk, are held fully accountable for their failures that result in death. The call follows the guilty plea lodged by Network Rail in relation to health and safety breaches that led to 31 deaths in the Ladbroke Grove disaster in 1999.
Ian Tasker, STUC Health and Safety Officer, said:
“It is now seven years since this terrible tragedy that injured 523, in addition to the 31 fatalities; it is the latest example of companies being let off lightly and families feeling cheated and let down by an ineffective justice system and accusing the company of prevarication.
“This guilty plea may well attract a substantial financial penalty but this will not bring much consolation to families who face a life of agony and heartache following the actions of this company and yet no charges of manslaughter were brought.
“It is unacceptable that the families of those killed in this tragedy have had to wait seven years after their losses to reach this stage in the justice process. Furthermore, once again, we see families having to speak out publicly on their unhappiness at the lack of justice in our society.
“The HSE estimate that 70% of workplace accidents are preventable. This one certainly was and the families of those who died or were injured have every right to be annoyed and aggrieved at the company and the justice system. Companies and individual directors have to be held to account for failing to take proper precautions to protect workers and members of the public.”
ENDS
For further information contact:
Ian Tasker
0141 337 8100
07974 966 227