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Liability minefield
Page 7
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■ CCORDING to a recent British Safety :ottncil survey British industry is in an larming state of ignorance over pening legislation and the latest develop :tents in the product liability field. • Because of this situation James Tye, irector general of the British Safety :ouncil and Bowes Egan, safety and onsumer law expert have just lunched a new book Management :uide to Product Liability.
Speaking at a press conference, the uthors described how essential diferences between the American and tritish legal systems mean that product ability developments in the United ;tates over the last 20 years are only mlikely to be mirrored in the UK if ompanies are prepared to learn from he American experience and prepare in .dvance for the introduction of strict .ability for defective products.
Mr Tye explained how many Amerian companies had ceased trading either through substantial court awards or crippling insurance premiums. He claimed that the best product liability insurance was, in fact, to produce and supply safer products and set up systems to monitor product histories and consumer experience.
Mr Egan explained how many industrialists claimed that the strict liability will mean steep price increases for consumers, which could place British companies at a commercial disadvantage in competitive world mar-, kets.
The book is aimed at assisting UK manufacturers, designers and importers to minimise the effects of product 'liability in this country and even convert it to commercial advantage.
Summing up, James Tye said that the publication is the first definite European book on product liability and it is "a detailed credit system which represents more than 350 safety steps."