Case Law
Case Law and other recent health and safety court cases
Chapter 9 of our publication Managing Visitor Safety in the Countryside looks in detail at the legislation and court judgements that affect visitor safety and outlines your responsibilities under the law. The book also contains summaries of all the important cases. One example, the Brereton Heath Country Park Case, is included here. Otherwise this section of our website does not repeat the cases and information that are in the publication.
The summaries of decisions and court judgements that follow were not included in the book or have been made since it was last published.
- Tree safety management – civil law judgements
If you manage trees in public places you must have a carefully considered system in place for inspection, remedial work and record keeping.
- Rother Valley Country Park – decision not to prosecute
Following the conclusion of the inquest into the death of a young girl killed whilst sledging in a country park, HSE and police decided to take no further action.
- Manchester Hole – HSE prosecution
Unsuccessful prosecution of a local authority following a fatal accident to a teenager during a supervised caving expedition by an activity centre.
- Stamford Park – HSE prosecution
Successful prosecution of local authority and day nursery following an accident to child in an urban park.
- Aonach Mor Skiing Case
You do not need to protect against obvious and natural features of the landscape. You can take into account the adverse impact signs would have on natural beauty.
- Brereton Heath Country Park Case
Helps to define your responsibilities to visitors under the Occupiers’ Liability Acts. In particular it considers people’s freedom to choose to participate in hazardous activities.
