HSE criminal conviction: what the check means
What a health and safety conviction against a company means, why it is the most serious outcome of an HSE investigation, and what to ask before you proceed.
- Severity
- Critical
- Category
- Operational
- Plan
- Free and above
- Test code
- OPS-011
- Source
- Health and Safety Executive public register of convictions · check it yourself
What this test checks
Looks for criminal convictions of the company for health and safety offences, prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive.
Prosecution is reserved for the most serious failings, and fines under the sentencing guidelines scale with the company's size, its culpability and the harm risked or caused. More than one conviction lowers the result further.
What a fail looks like
The company has at least one health and safety conviction. A court found that it broke the law in a way that put people at risk.
Harmless explanations
- A conviction can be several years old and followed by a complete overhaul of safety management, sometimes under new ownership.
- In a large organisation it may relate to one site or division.
What to do
- Read the conviction details: what happened, when, and the size of the fine.
- Ask what changed afterwards, and for evidence such as accredited safety management certification.
- Weigh it heavily for work on your premises or involving your people.
Background: Environmental and social risk.
Related tests
- OPS-013HSE Fatality-Related Conviction
- OPS-012HSE Conviction Fine Severity
- OPS-005HSE Notice Non-Compliance
- OPS-004HSE Prohibition Notice Issued
Part of the test catalogue. Every check Senserity runs, with its severity and the plan it is available on.
Last reviewed .