One of the rare cases was heard at Hull Crown Court in February this year. Teglgaard Hardwood (UK) Ltd and one of its directors, John Horner, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Christopher Longrigg. The 18-year-old died when timber fell on him. Judge Tom Cracknell told Horner: "Your callous indifference was the direct cause of this young lad's death." Horner received a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
The firm was fined 25,000.
The Government admits the number of manslaughter cases in relation to deaths at work is low. It blames shortcomings in the law. That's why it is announcing new legislation on corporate killing.
That should be good news for the friends of Simon Jones. He died, aged 24, in April 1998 on his first day at work at Shoreham Docks. His friends ran a hard-hitting and long-running campaign for an investigation into the death and to bring those responsible to court.
The whole story is told at www.simonjones.org.uk.
Colin Chalmers, a campaigner and friend of Simon Jones, is sceptical about the new law on two counts. First, he says it has been much talked about but hasn't happened yet. Second, he fears it will fail to punish individuals. "The problem will be if they introduce it almost as a tax on killing people - and companies will just take that into account."
Being rude about the Germans is on the agenda again. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made a Nazi concentration camp jibe at a German member of the European Parliament. Then an Italian government minister responsible for tourism called German tourists "uniform hyper-nationalistic blonds".
Meanwhile, in a classroom in Wales four 13-year-olds made a "Hitler salute" at their German supply teacher. Punishment was swift and merciless. All were suspended from school for a day. That was despite a request from the teacher for no further action. The penalty will no doubt teach them a lesson. But what lesson? That being mindlessly offensive about another nation is the strict preserve of adults.
