New Health & Safety Sentencing Guidelines One Year On – Lessons Learned

On 1 February 2016 the Sentencing Council introduced new Health and Safety Sentencing Guidelines representing the biggest shake up to health and safety since the 1970s. Violation of the Guidelines means that corporates now face fines on a par with offences such as bribery and anti-competitive behaviour. This seminar addressed lessons learned a year on since the Guidelines came into force. Materials from this event can be downloaded below, and our latest thinking on this topic can also be found here.

Speakers/panelists included:

• Philip White, Head of Operational Strategy, HSE
  Philip joined HSE as a Factory Inspector in 1985 and has broad experience of regulating a number of industries. He took up his current post as Head of Operational Strategy in April 2013 after four years as Chief Inspector of Construction. Prior to that he was seconded to the Department for Work and Pensions to head up the Health and Safety Sponsorship Team, advising ministers on health and safety policy and the work of the Health and Safety Executive
• Christine Braamskamp, Partner, K&L Gates (Chair)
  Christine leads the Corporate Crime and Regulatory Team in the firm’s London office. She concentrates her practice on multi-jurisdictional white collar crime, internal investigations, ethics and governance, crisis management and health & safety.
• Dylan Moses, Senior Associate, K&L Gates 
  Dylan is a senior associate in the firm's London office in the Government Enforcement/Anti-Corruption practice group. He concentrates his practice on multi-jurisdictional white collar crime and regulatory matters as well as being an associate in the Health & Safety practice group. He has wide-ranging health and safety experience and is currently acting on a number of high profile health and safety prosecutions. In addition, he advises on health and safety compliance programs, as well as regulatory interventions.
• Prashant Popat QC, Henderson Chambers
  Prashant is a leading specialist in the areas of product liability and health and safety. He combines his work in these areas with inquests and inquiries and a broad commercial litigation practice. Prashant’s experience encompasses trials, appeals, inquests and public inquiries, litigation and regulatory advice and drafting of contracts, pleadings and regulations. Over the past two decades Prashant has been retained in some of the largest and most significant cases in his fields of expertise, instructed on behalf of companies, individuals, insurers and public authorities. His work sector experience includes healthcare and life sciences, cosmetic surgery, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, transport, oil and gas, construction and demolition, mining, telecommunications, manufacturing, fire and rescue and policing.
• Stephen Walsh QC, 3 Raymond Buildings
  Stephen is a leading practitioner in the interrelated fields of regulatory crime, coronial and licensing law. He has been recommended in the legal directories for a number of years in the fields of Health and Safety and Licensing in which he is ranked as a “Star” in Chambers UK 2015.