Amicus welcomes politicians’ demands for tighter legislation.
The trade union Amicus has welcomed a joint report by the House of Commons home affairs and work and pensions committees demanding changes to the planned legislation on corporate manslaughter. It has urged the government to accept the report – which suggests that the current draft could actually leave victims of accidents in the workplace worse off – and bring an amended bill before parliament as soon as possible.
Amicus general secretary Derek Simpson, said: “this report provides even more evidence, if it is needed, that the liability for companies health and safety is imperative in raising standards.”
The trade union welcomed many of the report’s recommendations, including the need to cover contractors and agency workers, and the inclusion of death from occupational diseases as well as accidents.
Corporate manslaughter legislation was first promised by the Labour party before it came to power in 1997, but was only published in draft form this year. Between 1992 and 2005, at least 3,452 workers were killed in industrial accidents in the UK.
