Changes in Sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences are starting to have an impact with health and safety fines totalling £20.6 million being served between February 2016 and August 2016 compared to £14.4 million between February 2015 and August 2015 – a 40% increase.

There has also been an impact on individual prosecutions particularly against senior managers and Directors.  In the year to March 2015, 15 company Directors were prosecuted by the HSE, this had jumped substantially to 43 Directors in the year to March 2016. Of the 43 prosecuted 34 were found guilty with 12 being given prison sentences. The longest sentence given was 2 years.

Health and safety must be taken seriously on all sites. For any queries please contact the FMB safety helpline.