Professor Richard Booth PhD, FIMechE, CEng, CFIOSH
Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner
After a mechanical engineering apprenticeship at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA), Richard Booth was promoted to Research Engineer in 1964 studying vehicle safety and durability. He was appointed as a Lecturer in Safety and Health at Aston University in 1972 and received his Chair in 1978. He was elected Professor Emeritus in 2007.
Richard was for many years a part-time safety adviser to a small construction (refractory engineering) company, also Group Safety Adviser for Smith & Nephew (Europe) and the Unilever Group (world-wide). He was, until 2006, one of two Independent Safety, Health and Environment Advisers to Transport for London and a member of the TfL Board's Safety, Health and Environment Committee. He has published about 150 scientific papers, articles and book chapters and presented in 17 countries world-wide. He has been awarded the Viscount Weir Prize from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers for research on metal fatigue, and the Distinguished Service Award of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
He has carried out extensive research covering, for example, machinery safety, component and structural integrity, construction safety, safety culture, human factors, design, development and effectiveness of health & safety management systems including a review of safety audit systems, regulatory compliance regimes, accident investigation methodologies, safety and health practitioner competencies, and accident costing (embracing the criteria for reasonable practicability).
Richard has acted as an expert witness in many cases both here and in the United States, including:
- Bond Pearce acting for HSE: prosecution of Corus UK Ltd following the explosion of Port Talbot Blast Furnace No 5, a COMAH site, in 2001. HAZOP and related risk assessments were relevant, though the case mainly engaged on issues such as plant maintenance and forward planning (2004-2006);
- Frisby's acting for HSE: prosecution of Shell and AMEC following a fatal accident on an offshore gas installation. The deceased fell while carrying out maintenance work at height. The assignment touched on procedures for major accident hazards (2007-2008);
- The claimants: a civil case involving the failure of the new owners of a warehouse, containing flammable and toxic substances, to comply with the terms of purchase. The defendants as a counter-claim argued that safety arrangements were at the time of sale wholly inadequate (2008);
- DLA Piper acting for Total UK Ltd: HSW Act, and COMAH prosecutions by the Competent Authority (HSE) following the explosion at the Buncefield Oil Storage Depot in December 2005 (2009-2010);
- Berryman, acting for the defendant: prosecution under PUWER of a food company following a major-injury accident when a person was trapped by moving machinery (2009);
- DLA Piper acting for Biolab UK Ltd: Water Resources Act and COMAH prosecution by the Competent Authority (Environment Agency) following the explosion at Biolab's swimming pool treatment premises in 2006. The explosion led to pollution of the adjacent river. The prosecution, following defence expert evidence, withdrew three out of their four COMAH charges (2010);
- Shoosmiths acting for a food refinery: a civil case concerning the respective responsibilities of the client and a contractor for an explosion (2010).