Chris Baranowski

Chris Baranowski leads the Leeds SHE (Safety, Health and Environment) team and provides advice and defence services to individuals and organisations across a range of sectors, primarily in relation to corporate manslaughter and health and safety investigations by the Police and HSE. His services include providing initial advice and support in the immediate aftermath of a major adverse incident, legal representation at interviews under caution, advocacy work at Court and representation at inquests. Chris also provides regular training to directors and health and safety managers on the impact of health and safety prosecutions and the application of the Corporate Manslaughter Act.

His experience includes advising clients subject to criminal investigations or prosecutions arising out of the following types of incidents:

• Falls from height during construction work leading to fatal injuries;
• Fire to premises resulting in fatal injuries leading to investigations of an organisation's fire safety procedures;
• Advising a product supplier in respect of a prosecution by HSE following multi-million pound property damage to buildings due to fire resulting from a product supplied;
• Successfully defending a company charged with health and safety offences following a fatal crushing injury during a piling operation;
• Employees crushed by machinery in manufacturing plants;
• Workplace transport accidents including forklift truck fatalities and road traffic accidents during the course of a driver's employment.

In addition, Chris regularly advises organisations served with improvements notices and notices of contravention under the HSE's Fee For Intervention Scheme and chairs DAC Beachcroft's annual SHE conference panel discussion.

Endorsements

"Chris Baranowski is highly proficient in advising on HSE and corporate manslaughter investigations. Clients say that he is "very responsive and very available." Chambers and Partners UK 2019 Edition, Health and Safety, UK Wide.

"The 'extensively experienced' Chris Baranowski is 'confident and assured and thorough in his approach' and is particularly known for handling corporate manslaughter matters and health and safety investigations by the Police and HSE." Legal 500, 2018.