Pressure for Corporate Killing Law Mounts

Following the HSE report last week stating that corporate killing legislation would provide a "powerful deterrence" and significantly cut workplace deaths, the pressure on the government is set to increase further.

Thousands of postcards will arrive on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street in the next few weeks asking why Tony Blair and his government have delayed enacting a new offence of Corporate Killing, and "bring to justice corporate criminals".

The Postcard campaign – which has been organised by the Hazards Campaign, the Hazards Magazine and the Centre for Corporate Accountability - will distribute the postcards to trade unions, safety groups, and bereaved families.

Hilda Palmer of the Hazards Campaign said: "The postcard campaign is intended to remind the Government and MPs the strength of feeling throughout the country about its failure both to enact a new offence of Corporate Killing - which had been promised five years ago - as well as to impose safety duties upon company directors."

Since Labour came into power in May 1997 over 2000 workers and members of the public have died in work-related incidents, as well as the Southall, Paddington, Hatfield and Potter's Bar disasters.

Many of these deaths would have resulted in a company or organisation being prosecuted for ‘Corporate Killing’ had the Government acted on its promise. The postcards' text asks the question of why the government has taken so long to introduce legislation since its commitment to do so in the strategy statement, 'Revitalising Health and Safety', published in 2000.

If you would like to send your own electronic postcard by e-mail, follow the link to the right of the screen.
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