Health and Safety

Farrar’s Building has been involved in a number of high profile cases in this area. The Health & Safety team works closely with our Personal Injury team and we are often instructed in both the criminal prosecution and the civil proceedings arising out of the same accident.

Jonathan Watt-Pringle QC and Lee Evans are both on the Attorney General’s list of prosecuting counsel and along with other members of this team are regularly instructed for defendants.

Members of chambers regularly appear in cases the both the Crown Court and Magistrates Court, as well as being involved in Public Inquiries arising out of serious accidents.

Recent cases include:

Hatfield Rail Disaster (manslaughter prosecution, representing Balfour Beatty Rail Maintenance Ltd), part of prosecution case on manslaughter dismissed before main trial after argument (2004); company acquitted of manslaughter on direction of judge (7th month of trial, 2005); advice in the case criminal and civil (2004-2006).

Ladbroke Grove Rail Disaster: Members of Farrar’s Building appeared in the Public Inquiry.

R v Barton (2006) defence at trial (2005) then retrial of CORGI engineer in joint prosecution by Health and Safety and CPS for double manslaughter. After jury failed to agree at each trial no further evidence offered;

R v Barr (2005) Defence of a structural engineer, charged in connection with a workplace death.

Lewis v. Avidan (2006) PIQR P6 (CA) Responding to an appeal concerning the interpretation and application of Reg 5 Workplace (HS&W) Regs 1992 in the context of an unexpected flood.

Kings Cross Underground Fire Public Inquiry.

Members of chambers have written chapters for various workplace accident textbooks, including Munkman on Employers’ Liability and Kemp and Kemp.