Workplace health and safety is the lowest priority of small businesses

20/01/06

Workplace health and safety is the lowest priority of small businesses, a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) opinion survey has found. The poll, part of HSE's 'better business' campaign, found new year's resolutions in small firms prioritised better financial systems and more effective marketing, followed by staff training and improving IT systems. 'With so many things to focus on, health and safety gets pushed to the bottom of the list of priorities,' HSE said. 'However, up to 600,000 people were injured or became ill because of work last year, costing their employers an average of about ?1,200 each time. For small businesses especially it can add up to a serious dent in profits.' Safety minister Lord Hunt said: 'It really is a false economy for any business to overlook health and safety measures. But small businesses stand to lose far more if they do neglect this vital area, as accidents could have a detrimental effect on their employees' health and that of the business as a whole. I would urge them to put health and safety at the top of their new year's resolutions.'
HSE says its better business campaign is a national initiative to raise awareness about the financial and personal costs and causes of workplace incidents. It also shows the real bottom-line benefits of managing health and safety effectively, it says.
HSE news release
better business campaign.
BBC News Online.


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