Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings is the first company convicted under new corporate manslaughter legislation. An employee was crushed to death when the sides of an excavated pit collapsed as he collected soil samples. Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings had denied killing the employee in the accident in September 2008.
Winchester Crown Court found the company guilty of failing to ensure the employees safety. Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings will be sentenced on Thursday, February 17. The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 came into force in April 2008.
Mike Reed Marketing Director at Licence Bureau says “This has been a drawn out but interesting case as it has tested the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and will act as a precedent for future prosecution, leading no doubt to businesses having to be even more vigilant in their employee duty of care compliancy.”
