New Law Of 'Corporate Killing'

Two-thirds of the British public (65%) support the introduction of a new law of 'corporate killing' with directors being made personally responsible for breaking health and safety laws, according to new research from MORI's Social Research Institute. One-fifth (19%) oppose the introduction of such a law. The research also provides some wider context into public attitudes towards and experiences in the workplace today.

20 June 2003

Employment

Technical details

A nationally representative quota sample of 1,010 British adults aged 16+ were interviewed throughout Great Britain on the MORI Telephone Omnibus. Interviews were carried out by telephone using CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) between 23-25 May 2003. Data have been weighted to reflect the known national population profile. Results are based on all unless otherwise stated.

Topline Results

Q1-2 Do you think the current laws on health and safety in the workplace offer too much protection, too little protection, or about the right amount of protection for ...

	Too much protection	Too little protection	About the right amount of protection	Don't know
	%	%	%	%
...members of the public?	8	23	57	12
...employees?	10	22	56	12

Now I'd like you to think about your own personal employment history, and the companies and organisations you may have worked for over the last ten years.

Q3 As far as you can remember, have any of the employers you have worked for broken any of the laws concerned with health and safety at work?

	%
Yes	25
No	60
Don't know	2
Have not worked in the last ten years	13

Q4 And as far as you can recall, was anybody injured or killed as a result?

Base: All who say they have worked for an employer who has broken health and safety laws (249)

	%
Yes -- self injured	10
Yes -- other person injured	29
Yes -- other person killed	6
No	60
Don't know	0

Q5 It has been suggested that an offence of 'corporate killing' should be introduced. This would make it easier to prosecute companies and other organisations for a 'manslaughter-like' offence with directors being made personally responsible for breaking health and safety laws. How strongly would you support or oppose the introduction of this law?

	%
Strongly support	40
Tend to support	25
Neither support nor oppose	10
Tend to oppose	10
Strongly oppose	9
Don't know	6

Q6-7 I am now going to read out some statements, and I'd like you to tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree, if at all, with each one.

	Strongly agree	Tend to agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Tend to disagree	Strongly disagree	Don't know
	%	%	%	%	%	%
Workplace safety will only improve if company directors can be prosecuted for a serious criminal offence like manslaughter.	37	28	5	16	11	3
It will be bad for the economy if company directors can be prosecuted for offences concerned with death or injury at the workplace.	12	19	6	30	27	7

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