Prosecutions for death or injury at work have almost doubled in Scotland in a year, new figures show.
The Health and Safety Statistics annual report revealed that in the last year the Crown Office prosecuted 72 cases in Scottish courts, a 49 per cent rise on the previous year and including a 97 per cent successful conviction rate.
One litigation expert said the huge rise in the number of health and safety court cases in Scotland could signal a further increase in such actions.
John Yuill, 28, died in the crash and Lamara Bell, 25, died four days after they were found when a second call was made to police.
The case is currently the subject of an inquiry by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner.
It is claimed that once the initial call was made the duty of responsibility by the police was established.
Laura Cameron, head of litigation at Pinsent Masons, told the Scottish Legal News that the 2014-15 statistics released this week showed companies and organisations are unable to shirk responsibilities related to duty of care.
She said: “The rise in prosecutions brought in Scotland is remarkable and demonstrates the commitment of the Crown Office to tackling such crime.
“Health and safety is clearly a priority for the authorities and a further increase over the next year in the number of cases being prosecuted would not be unexpected.
"Board rooms across the country should be taking note, and if they are not already doing so, should be pushing health and safety issues to the top of their agenda.”
It is also claimed the introduction of new sentencing guidelines in England and Wales could have an impact in Scotland.
Ms Cameron said: "These (sentencing guidelines) are expected in February 2016 and they are set to increase penalties to a maximum of £20 million for corporate manslaughter cases.
"Organisations should ignore health and safety at their peril.”
In the past year, health and safety cases dealt with include the imprisonment of skipper Guthrie Melville after the death of diver James Irvine in Largo Bay, a £30,000 fine imposed on auction firm Lawrie and Symington over the death of an employee, and a £200,000 fine against SW Global Resourcing after a worker fell to his death from a cherry-picker.
Cases involving police under health and safety law south of the Border have been raised when members of the public and police staff have been alleged to have been put at risk.
In 2007 the Metropolitan Police force was found guilty of endangering the public and fined £175,000 with £385,000 costs over the fatal shooting of a man officers mistook for a suicide bomber.
The force broke health and safety laws when officers pursued Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes to a Tube station and shot him seven times.
Ms Cameron added: “As yet there has been no corporate homicide case brought in Scotland but the Crown Office will be casting a sharp eye over incidents which match the criteria for a potential prosecution."
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