Under guidelines that came into effect on 15 February 2010, companies and organisations convicted of corporate manslaughter could face massive fines.

The Sentencing Guidelines Council (SGC), have issued guidance, stating that those found guilty of corporate manslaughter should rarely face fines under £500,000.

Other health and safety offences that cause death should command fines which start at £100,000, it said.

The guidelines say the levels of fines should not be influenced by the impact on shareholders and directors, nor consider the cost of complying with other sanctions.

However, the financial circumstances of the offending firm should be taking into account when deciding the level of fine, as should the effect on the firm’s employees and provision of services to the public, the SGC said.

Factors such as the forseeability of serious injury, whether non-compliance was common and widespread in the firm, and how high up the company responsibility for the breach went, could increase the seriousness of the offence, it said.