Steven Harrison

Steven specialises in providing advice and defence services to individuals and organisations in relation to corporate manslaughter and health and safety investigations by the Police and Health & Safety Executive (HSE). He also handles cases investigated by local authorities, the CQC and Environment Agency.

He has over 20 years’ experience advising clients across a range of sectors including health and social care, manufacturing, construction, retail and leisure, and transport and logistics.

Steven provides proactive advice to organisations and individuals in relation to compliance with health and safety legislation and potential criminal liability. His practice also extends to representing organisations and individuals in complex inquest proceedings, with the outcome of those proceedings often influencing the course of the regulatory investigation. He has represented organisations in relation to a number of fatalities arising out of workplace transport, falls from height, machine entrapment and demolition. Steven has a background of acting in disease cases including asbestos, hand-arm vibration and carbon monoxide poisoning.

He regularly provides initial advice and support in the immediate aftermath of a major adverse incident, including incident investigation, legal representation at interviews under caution and advocacy work at Magistrates' Court.

Relevant experience includes:

• Secured the acquittal of a large brickwork company, Winchmore Brickwork Limited, after an allegation of breaching s.3 of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. At the trial the Health and Safety Executive offered no further evidence and a not guilty verdict was ordered by the judge. The prosecution followed allegations that Winchmore were responsible for the disturbance and damage of a number of boiler flues at a residential building resulting in residents being exposed to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, including one resident requiring hospital treatment.
• Representing WEG Limited during a four year HSE investigation following a fatal accident to an employee when a vehicle being worked on in the workshop fell from a two post lift. Submissions were successful in persuading the HSE to take no further action on the basis that the risk in the case was created by issues in relation to design, manufacture and supply rather than the actions of the client. He successfully challenged Fee For Intervention costs and invoices totalling £33,000. The decision not to prosecute potentially avoided a six figure fine.
• Representing The Care Division in relation to Article 2 Inquest proceedings arising out of the murder of Phillip Nicholson. The Inquest proceedings were complex, considering the multi-agency involvement in the care of Phillip and the causative relevance of a number of incidents over a significant period.  

Steven is recognised by The Legal 500 as a Rising Star for Health and Safety in the West Midlands and client testimonials refer to him as “a diligent and clever lawyer”.