Firms fined £654,000 in health and safety cases

ALMOST 30 Scottish firms have been successfully prosecuted for serious breaches of health and safety laws in the first year of a new dedicated unit within the prosecution service.

The Health and Safety Division of the Crown Office Prosecution Service was established last July to allow specialist prosecutors to lead the investigation and prosecution of health and safety cases across Scotland.

Yesterday, Frank Mulholland, QC, the Solicitor General, said the speedy resolution of the case load had made a "real difference" to the victims of health and safety breaches and their families.

Mr Mulholland announced that 27 cases had been brought to court in the first year. Every prosecution resulted in pleas of guilty. The total amount of fines imposed was 654,000.

The cases brought to court ranged from the prosecution of Dundee Leisure following the death of seven-year-old Luke Hutton at the Olympia Leisure Centre in September 2007 to a case in which a restoration company was fined after workers were taken to hospital with lead poisoning while restoring a baronial mansion in Perthshire.

Mr Mulholland said the speedy resolution of the often complicated cases meant victims and witnesses were spared the need to give evidence in court.

He said: "By building on our existing expertise and through enhanced working relationships with the HSE and other enforcing authorities, the division has been more able to deal with the complex issues that can arise in health and safety investigations.

"This approach, using dedicated, specialist prosecutors, has also enabled us to resolve a number of cases at an early stage, bringing benefits to victims and witnesses alike."

The Solicitor General said he hoped the new service was already encouraging companies to invest in health and safety.

Mr Mulholland said: "We will continue to work hard to build on this success to further enhance the service that communities across Scotland expect and deserve."