Health & Safety

Henderson Chambers is widely recognised for its expertise in all aspects of health and safety law and practice, and is consistently ranked as one of the leading sets for health and safety by the legal directories.

Members of Chambers have been instructed in many of the highest profile and most important cases of recent years including, for example, the prosecutions arising out of the Hatfield and Ladbroke Grove train disasters, the prosecutions and claims arising out of the Buncefield oil depot explosion, the Sellafield sentencing appeal, the Marks and Spencer asbestos prosecution, and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

Henderson Chambers’ Health and Safety group has been awarded Health and Safety Set of the Year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards. Members of chambers have also won individual awards at the Chambers UK Bar Awards.

The work of our health and safety group covers the full range of health and safety cases from high-profile corporate manslaughter prosecutions, to prosecutions under the HSWA, prosecutions of directors, and appeals against improvement and prohibition notices.

As well as advising and representing parties in all forms of criminal prosecution, enforcement proceedings and appeals in all courts and tribunals, our advisory and advocacy work covers private and public law proceedings, non-litigious policy issues, best practice guidance and parliamentary committees.

We provide expert representation for all areas of industry and have particular expertise in transport, agriculture, construction, business, sport and entertainment, healthcare, food and drink, pharmaceutical and the energy sectors.

We regularly advise businesses on corporate structures to ensure they comply with health and safety obligations.

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Contact the Health & Safety clerking team.

If you require help or advice please contact our clerking team.

Call - +44 (0)20 7583 9020
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Representative cases

grid list

Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2017-)

A number of members of chambers, are instructed by parties involved in the Inquiry.

Including as part of the Counsel to the Inquiry team, and on behalf of other Core Participants.
British Cycling Trial (2018)

Represented British Cycling and the Event Organiser in the first prosecution of its kind brought against a sporting governing body for alleged health and safety breaches following a fatal accident at a downhill mountain bike event where a spectator was killed. Both found not guilty by a jury following a 5 week trial.

Link to news item and press coverage here.
R v Paramount and eReco (2018)

Prosecution arising from a massive explosion at a plant for recycling toner cartridges, which led to multiple injuries. Separately representing each Defendant. the inquest concluded with a conclusion of accidental death.

Link to press coverage here
ORR v Network Rail (2018)

Acted for Network Rail in a 3-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court following an incident in which one of its signallers was seriously injured operating a gated level crossing.

Link to press coverage here.
HSE v Haynes Park Science of the Soul (2018)

HSE prosecution arising out of a fatal accident suffered by a volunteer at a spiritual charity.

Link to press coverage here
HSE Judicial Review

HSE Judicial Review

Successfully represented the Health and Safety Executive (the HSE) in a judicial review challenge to a decision that the HSE was entitled to take into account proprietary research data belonging to one manufacturer (constituting testing of veterbrates) in deciding whether any applicant manufacturers of slug pellets should have regulatory authorisation
R v Foodles (2017)

Sentencing Guidelines.

Instructed in a high-profile health and safety prosecution arising out of the injuries suffered by Harrison Ford while filming ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, when he was struck by a fast-closing door on a set constructed to appear as the Millennium Falcon.