When the police are investigating major traffic accidents and the driver is employed by a firm, the police are looking into the firm’s driver safety procedures more than ever and will prosecute the firm alongside the driver if their procedures are not up to scratch.

EP Risk Consultancy can assist by offering support and assistance in reviewing your current procedures including a review your Driving at Work Policy. Please contact us for further details.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have been able to earn money from fees for intervention for a number of years now, which can be quite significant in some cases. This means that they can recover their costs without having to prosecute a company and go to court for less serious cases. They will also take into account actions a company takes to fix their risk management procedures following an incident. They will still obviously prosecute the more serious breaches but are prepared to have a more collaborative approach when it is called for.

Furthermore, there has been a 1500% increase in individuals being prosecuted by the HSE. In certain cases, the prosecutor has offered no evidence against the company but concentrated on the individual who was supervising the injured party. Most of these prosecutions come about because people are turning a blind eye and therefore condoning dangerous behaviour. If found guilty, a fine and significant costs can be incurred.