:Forest Folk

Peter Eaton, the Director of Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings Ltd appeared before the Bristol Crown Court today under the charges of gross negligence. He along with his company is the first to be collectively held under the Corporate Manslaughter Act.

The suit against the company was put forward by the Crown Prosecution Service and it comes after the death of one of the company’s worker Mr. Alexander Wright, a geologist, when the trench where he was collecting soil samples caved in killing him instantly.

According to the court report, Mr Eaton appeared before the court to testify his name. The. Judge Thomas Crowther QC, has issued him an unconditional bail till the next trial in the Bristol Crown Court, which is scheduled for 19th August.

Mr. Eaton, the Director of the company has been booked for gross negligence manslaughter under Sec 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act , 1974 .

According to Sec 37 of HSWA, legal proceedings can be brought against any person holding a senior position if he is found to have consented to or neglected an act, which results in harm to an employee. IOSH courses from Workplace Law Training are designed to give managers and supervisors all they need to know to help handle health and safety in their teams; click on IOSH Managing Safely for more information.

The company has also been accused with the violation of Sec 2 of HSWA for failing to provide sufficient safety to its workers.