Health and safety reforms set to save small business £300 million
September 5th 2008 Better advice and support on health and safety could save small businesses up to £300 million a year, according to, Improving outcomes from health and safety, a new report from the Better Regulation Executive (BRE).
The report examines how health and safety regulation affects low-risk and small businesses and sets out recommendations to save them time and money, while improving working environments and general understanding of health and safety.
Recommendations include:
• Improved web-based and telephone support, offering advice as well as information, for low-risk businesses
• Better advice to help small businesses know when to buy-in the help of consultants
• Maximising the limited resources of Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and local authority inspectors, making inspection and enforcement more efficient, focusing on higher-risk workplaces
• Developing a new, single assurance scheme so small businesses can have just one inspection to deal with a range of requirements, including health and safety, fire, food safety regulations
• Improving the perception and understanding of health and safety issues.
The average company spends around 20 hours a year, or more than £350, on administration meeting health and safety requirements, but it is estimated cutting the time spent by just five hours per company would save businesses £150 million a year.
The full report can be found at: www.berr.gov.uk More articles from HSM News Desk: | 
