Shropshire company bosses to be educated in health and safety laws during spoof trial
A Shropshire company director is to be charged under health and safety laws when an imaginary firm is put under the spotlight in a “spoof” trial due to be held at a Shropshire magistrates’ court.
The aim is to get over the serious message of what the consequences can be when an employee is injured on a construction site.
Real life company directors and people involved in the Shropshire and Staffordshire construction industry will play out a legal scenario in front of ex-magistrates and lawyers in a hard hitting reconstruction at Telford Magistrates Court on October 21 from 9am to 1.30pm.
The jury and court gallery will be filled with construction bosses from companies in Shropshire and Staffordshire aimed at educating them about the chances of their companies and directors ending up on trial after a worker is injured.
“A construction worker dies every week in the UK and a high proportion of these are from small companies,” said Barbara Cliff, of the Health and Safety Executive, who is organising the mock trial on behalf of the Staffordshire & Shropshire Working Well Together Group.
“This is an innovative way of showing people in the construction industry what can and does happen when a worker is killed or seriously injured. The company director and the company itself can both face charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act if they are deemed to be at fault.”
John Butler, Director of Shropshire’s Company of the Year, McPhillips (Wellington) Ltd, of Hortonwood, Telford, who is in charge of health and safety at the county firm, is the director in the dock who plays the part of the accused.
Lawyers Tina Chander and Rebecca Littleford, from Martin Kaye Solicitors, of Telford, are the advocates prosecuting and defending the case while retired colonel and former Telford magistrate Rodger Davy, is the chair of the bench.
“This mock trial aims to explain what can happen when things do go wrong and a worker is injured. In this case it is a young apprentice who falls from a scaffold and is seriously injured,” said Mr Butler.
“The HSE have decided to prosecute not only the employer but also the Managing Director. We plan to make everything as realistic as we can as in a normal court case when both a director and the firm involved can end up in the dock.
“As in reality, the magistrates will judge the case on the facts and arguments presented to them by prosecution and defence lawyers. But unlike a real court the audience will discuss and make a decision of “Guilty or Not Guilty.”
The event closes with a discussion of the verdict and its implications with the audience invited to question the legal team.
Limited places are available at £25 per head which includes buffet lunch, a delegate pack and an attendance certificate.To book your place please contact Barbara Cliff at barbara.cliff@hse.gsi.gov.uk or phone 01782 602306.
