Housebuilders have been warned to ensure their health and safety practices are squeaky clean, as the introduction of the corporate manslaughter and homicide Act from April 6 threatens fines of up to 10% of annual turnover where a company has been found to be negligent. The Act ushers in a much harsher approach to on-site health and safety breaches, said Joe Griffiths of legal firm Manches. <br><br>“It will make it easier to bring prosecutions for corporate manslaughter than it has been in the past. “Under the Act, an organisation (which includes UK or foreign corporations) will be guilty of the offence of corporate manslaughter (corporate homicide in Scotland) if the way in which its activities are organised and managed causes a person’s death and amounts to gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by that organisation to the deceased. The organisation will be guilty if the way in which its activities are managed or organised by its senior management is a substantial element of the gross breach. <br><br>“Previously, work related deaths were investigated by the Health and Safety Executive. Now, it will become a matter for the police.” Fines could be massive for large scale plcs, said Griffiths. …