Safety, Health and Environment

In the climate of increased regulatory scrutiny of Safety, Health and Environmental risks and greater penalties when things go wrong, organisations want tailored, pragmatic advice and solutions.

In the highly-charged atmosphere that follows a serious incident, it is critical that your advisers help you restore order and preserve your reputation.

A major incident requires a rapid response and careful, coordinated management from the start.

It is imperative that legal advice and guidance is sought in the hours, days and weeks that follow to ensure the legal rights, reputation and brand of organisations and individuals are protected.

Our dedicated national team represents clients across a range of industry sectors investigated by regulators including the police, Health and Safety Executive, local authority, Environment Agency, Trading Standards and many more.

What we do

Whilst you may be in unfamiliar territory, investigations, interviews, court hearings and inquests are an everyday experience for us.

Our team of 22 specialist SHE lawyers will lead you through the challenges you face, ensuring you are informed, prepared and properly advised every step of the way whatever the size of the crisis

We are also best placed to advise on compliance issues and changes that can be made to your policies and procedures to help you try to avoid incidents, investigations and prosecutions in the future.

• Tailored advice and training: Managing SHE risks helping you reduce the possibility of incidents and regulatory scrutiny;
• Reviewing policies and procedures: The implementation of them and the adequacy of monitoring and audit functions;
• Advice on typical compliance pitfalls: Based on our experience of defending those who have been subject to enforcement action;
• Bespoke practical training sessions: Exploring relevant scenarios and demonstrating the implications of failing to achieve compliance;
• Our approach: Encourages discussion and understanding, and ensures key messages are delivered with impact.

What we are known for

Our extensive experience ensures we can support you and your organisation in dealing with any health and safety, environmental and regulatory incident or challenge. Our lawyers are responsive to ensure you obtain advice when it suits you. We provide pragmatic advice and commercial solutions that works for your business.

We work alongside insurers as an integral part of their team, ensuring that the essential liability investigations are completed to enable an early assessment of liability to be taken, and evidence preserved to enable civil claims to be defended or settled.

The locations of our regional offices mean that we can provide essential early advice and attendance when required, day and night.

Our Major Incident Hotline enables businesses to obtain urgent support following incidents to ensure the situation on-site is controlled, and the necessary steps are taken to protect the business and its reputation.

Our market leading expertise means that the SHE team is regularly invited to present at conferences and seminars, such as HEFMA (Health Estates Facilities Management Association) Conference, ROSPA Legal Conference, SHP Conference. The team has also provided frequent regulatory update seminars and workshops to clients across all its locations.

Detailed elements of our service

• Investigating incidents in the workplace to advise on legal implications;
• Advising and supporting you during investigations by regulators;
• Representing clients during interviews under caution;
• Defending organisations and individuals in regulatory investigations and prosecutions;
• Representing organisations and individuals at Inquests and Fatal Accident Inquiries;
• Appealing against enforcement notices;
• Challenging FFI Invoices;
• Providing compliance advice;
• Due diligence on acquisition and sale of businesses;
• Training and learning development.

Our experience

R v Tangerine Confectionery Limited and Veolia ES (UK) Limited

R v Princes Sporting Club Limited et al 2013

R v Huntley Mount Engineering Limited et al 2015

Rotary Yorkshire v Hague 2015

R v Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 2016