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Embargoed:
00.01 am, Thursday, 3 March 2005
Directors Duties:
"Law, Not Charity" says CCA to MPs
The
CCA is calling on MPs to support the Health and Safety
(Directors Duties) Bill which has its second reading
on Friday 4th March 2005.
It
has written to all MPs setting out why they should
support the private members bill - arguing that the
bill will have a very positive impact upon the safety
of companies, without being too onerous on directors.
David
Bergman said:
"It
is all very well trying to persuade directors to
take safety seriously - which is the current approach
- but what is important is to ensure that they all
take reasonable steps to ensure that their company
complies with health and safety law. And that is
what the bill asks directors to do. It is not asking
too much from those individuals within the company
with the most power and control over its affairs"
The
briefing likens the current 'voluntary guidance' to
'charitable giving' in which some directors are 'kind
enough' to take some action on safety, where what
is required is clear obligations upon all directors
to take safety as seriously as they take the finances
of the company."
The
Bill has the support of trade unions (in particular
the T&G and UCATT), safety charities and campaign
groups and bereaved families
The
Centre for Corporate Accountability is a human rights
charity advising those bereaved from work-related
deaths, and working on issues of safety, law enforcement
and corporate accountability.
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