Health and safety ‘should be a priority for businesses’

Posted 29/07/2009

Businesses have been advised to make health and safety a top concern by one risk management company.

Firms were told by Aviva that looking to cut costs by reducing the amount of health and safety provision would cost them more in the long run.

The organisation also warned that such a policy would increase the risk of employees suffering a personal injury.

Kevin Chicken, training consultancy manager at Aviva, said: “Businesses must recognise that cutting their health and safety budget is a false economy.

“It should remain a top priority to ensure the safety of employees and the reputation of the business itself.”

Aviva was speaking after a survey by the Forum of Private Business revealed that one-quarter of small businesses are concerned that they may be prosecuted over poor standards through the introduction of a new Health and Safety Executive (HSE) workplace strategy.

The HSE recently announced that it will make some 250 health and safety guidance documents available free online to help businesses prevent issues such as personal injury.