Health & Safety
Since joining the team in 2010 Mark has developed into one of the country’s leading health and safety practitioners, with the vast majority of his work on the defence side. Clients have included:
The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, Crest Nicholson, BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial Agroman, Kier Infrastructure & Overseas Ltd, B&M Retail, GEA, Jaguar Land Rover, British Airways, Siemens, Galliford Try, Birse Civils, Sheffield Forgemasters, Metroline, Warburtons, Iceland, Sainsburys, Booths Supermarkets, Homebargains (TJ Morris), B&Q, New Look, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
Selected Cases
- HSE v Metroline Ltd – Client, a London bus operator, charged with s.3 HSWA after cleaning company employer seriously injured and crushed between two buses. Client acquitted by the jury. Case prosecuted by James Maxwell- Scott.
- HSE v Francis Brown Ltd – Client charged with breaching electrical regulations after the death by electrocution of an employee. Client acquitted by the jury on the direction of the trial judge.
- HSE v G & AM Lawson Ltd – Client charged with breaching s.2 HSWA and regulation 3 MHSWR after the death of an employee. Client acquitted by the jury on the direction of the trial judge.
- HSE v CE Davidson Ltd – Client charged with breach of s.2 HSWA after building collapsed onto young employee during demolition, causing life changing serious injuries. Client acquitted by the jury.
- HSE v Sheppard Building Services Ltd – Client charged with breaching CDM regulations after the collapse of a partly constructed fourth storey floor in a construction project, causing a worker to plummet to the ground and suffer serious injury. Client acquitted. Co-defended with Simon Antrobus.
- HSE v Enterprise Liverpool Ltd, Tarmac Trading Limited & Liverpool City Council – Fatality trial. Acting for principle contractor Enterprise. Member of the public seriously injured at start of works to Liverpool ring road. One month later another member of the public was killed. Listed five weeks. After four weeks of trial co-defendants pleaded and prosecution made client offer which could not be refused. Enterprise fined £25,000 as compared to the Tarmac fine of £1.3 million.
- SE v Willmott Dixon Ltd [2012] EWCA Crim 1226 – Prosecution counsel at trial. Leading case on meaning of risk in asbestos cases. John Cooper QC appeared on behalf of the company.
- HSE v Tangerine Confectionary Ltd [2011] EWCA Crim 2015 – Prosecution counsel at trial and on appeal. Leading case on risk and approach to health and safety cases generally. John Cooper QC appeared on behalf of the company.
Awards
News
Events
- Mark Balysz speaking at the HSLA event on 28th March 2018
- Criminal Regulatory & Environmental Manchester Drinks Party
Qualifications
- Criminal Bar Association
- Health & Safety Lawyers Association
Recommendations
“A great junior with solid criminal knowledge and an impressive manner in court.”
Legal 500 2018
“An utterly reliable advocate with a great understanding of the law.”
Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2018
“He has excellent technical skills and a real ability to read clients’ expectations.”
Legal 500 2017
“Health & Safety Junior of the Year”
Chambers & Partners 2017