Call for tougher work safety laws

Relatives of rail crash victims want safety reforms

Relatives of victims of the Southall train crash are among campaigners calling for tougher workplace safety regulations.

A union-led coalition made a series of demands on the government on Wednesday to introduce new legislation and reform existing laws.

It came as figures show the number of deaths at work or from work-related activities increased by nearly a third in the last year.

The campaigners want legally-binding duties imposed on company directors.

Accident record

The launch was led by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the advisory group the Centre for Corporate Accountability.

TUC general secretary John Monks unveiled a map showing where 1,500 people have been killed at work over the past five years.

"Two hundred years after the first health and safety law was introduced in Britain, we need those laws more than ever to protect the vulnerable and prevent cowboys from dragging standards down to the lowest or cheapest level."

Courts should have the option of jailing company directors convicted of safety-related offences, he said.

Currently company directors have no legal obligation to comply with health and safety laws.

Other measures include proposals for a new offence of corporate killing as well as tougher fines for breaches of existing laws.

Families joining the launch included Maureen Kavanagh whose son Peter was among seven people killed in the Southall train disaster in 1997.

Also Anne Jones, whose son Simon was killed on his first day at work at Shoreham Docks, in Sussex is supporting the campaign.