Those convicted of offences under the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act that comes into force on 6 April should face wide ranging penalties, according to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Europe’s leading body for health and safety professionals.

Courts should be able to issue far-reaching improvement orders, substantial fines, court-ordered publicity and, in the worst cases, suspension of all or part of the board of directors, it says.

IOSH president Ray Hurst says: "Our focus here is on prevention and protecting lives. We’re keen that those organisations found guilty of this grave offence are required to make the fundamental changes needed to improve their leadership, systems and cultures…

"Where failings of senior management have led to deaths, we must all look very closely at what went wrong and learn lessons. Sentencing can be a useful tool for achieving improvements far wider than in just the convicted organisation itself."

IOSH is supportive of fines up to and beyond 10% of annual turnover, as well as a minimum fine level, of 2.5% of annual turnover.