Defence of reasonable practicability

When criminal proceedings were brought against an employer under sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 it was sufficient for the prosecution to prove merely a risk of injury arising from a state of affairs at work, and it was not necessary to identify, allege and prove specific breaches of duty by the employer. Once that was done a prima facie case of breach was established. The onus then passed to the employer to make good the defence of reasonable practicability.