Health and Safety

Valerie has extensive experience prosecuting and defending large and small organisations and individuals (including directors and trustees) that are alleged to have breached health and safety law.

Her experience includes cases involving gas and chemical explosions, falls from height, electrocution, exposure to asbestos and basement collapse. Her clients have included NHS trusts, local authorities, the energy sector, the Health and Safety Executive and the Office of Rail and Road. She has been instructed in cases involving fatalities or serious injury on construction sites, in care homes, hospitals, factories, railways, shops and a bus station.

Recently Valerie has been involved with several cases involving retailers. She has advised and defended a large high street retailer in relation to food safety and other offences. She has also acted in a case concerning the death of a child in a retail setting.