Trinity Regulatory and Health and Safety barrister, Rosalind Scott Bell, recently acted on behalf of Middlesbrough Borough Council in a Health and Safety at Work Act prosecution. Local business, Cleveland Cable Company, was prosecuted for breaches of Health and Safety Regulations in respect of two incidents resulting in injuries to workers investigated by the Local Authority's Environmental Health Officers. Each incident resulted in injury from falling or out of control cable drums.
The sentencing District Judge stated, in relation to the second incident, that “this was an accident waiting to happen”. He fined the Company the maximum permitted amount. The Company was also ordered to pay all of Middlesbrough Borough Council's costs. The case demonstrates that Local Authorities can recover full costs from companies which breach Health and Safety, and Trading Standards Regulations.
Ros is a member of Trinity Chambers' Regulatory Practice Group, whilst operating from chambers in Newcastle and Middlesbrough members of the team deal with health and safety, trading standards, licensing, professional discipline and other regulatory instructions from across the North of England. Trinity regulatory barristers James Kemp and Joan Smith have recently been appointed to the list of specialist Regulatory Advocates in Health and Safety and Environmental law providing advisory and advocacy services in prosecution cases undertaken by the Environment Agency, Health & Safety Executive and Office of Rail Regulation.