Prior to being called to the Bar Dr. Stoton worked as a consulting engineer. As a result of which he has a strong interest in health and safety, and environmental matters. He was one of the lead engineers responsible for the design, specification, procurement, installation and commissioning of Wyeth Biopharma, the world's largest Biopharmaceutical facility. He has extensive engineering experience having worked on both pharmaceutical and oil and gas projects in Europe, Africa and the Americas. He has significant practical experience to draw on in Health and Safety matters from both an engineering and legal perspective having drafted, reviewed and authorised a wide range of engineering documents written to capture the health and safety approach taken in many different design and construction projects.
Health and Safety Enforcement
Austin deals with all aspects of health and safety law and enforcement, with a particular emphasis placed on the construction, process and healthcare industries. As a dual qualified chartered engineer and barrister he is able to quickly understand the most technically complex cases. He has detailed knowledge of the legislation which is most relevant to those industries in particular: The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.
Austin was instructed in the "Buncefield Case" in the high profile prosecution by The Health and Safety Executive and The Environment Agency of Total UK Limited, and Others. The case involved the largest explosion in peacetime Europe, measured 2.4 on the Richter Scale, the smoke could be seen from space. The case turned on expert evidence. Dr. Stoton was instructed specifically to deal with the expert evidence in the case.
Previous cases have included fatalities on railway lines, fatalities in open water, fatalities in swimming pools, construction related deaths and cases generally based on the practice and competence of operators. Especially where a practical insight into the working practices of contractors and operating companies is required.
He is instructed to advise and appear in matters relating to improvement and prohibition orders in the Employment Tribunal.
Austin accepts instructions for urgent advice at short notice, particularly in cases where there is a great deal of technical engineering content involved.
He has appeared and advised in fire safety cases under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
