Corporate Manslaughter: Lessons from the UK for Safer Workplaces in Australia

In 2008, the United Kingdom introduced the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act (CMCHA) to hold companies criminally accountable for preventable workplace deaths. Over a decade later, this legislation has fallen short of expectations. In their 2025 study, Phelps et al. (2025) critically examine the CMCHA’s effectiveness and draw key lessons for Australia, which has recently enacted similar industrial manslaughter laws across most states and territories.