Business faces new health and safety penalties

Date: 21st January 2009

Small businesses will be obliged to implement more stringent health and safety measures following the introduction of new legislation.

Under the Health and Safety (Offences) Act - which was introduced on Friday (January 16th) - company managers will face steeper fines and potential prison sentences for breaching regulations.

According to the Forum for Private Business (FPB), the law will ensure the small number of non-complying firms will begin taking health and safety far more seriously.

Martin Mulholland, health and safety advisor for the FPB, commented: "For those companies which are already committing sufficient resources to ensuring their operations are undertaken in ways that are safe … there should be no concern over the impact that the new act will have on their businesses."

He added that those firms looking to implement a "cost-effective" health and safety scheme should consider consulting the forum's own published guide.

Aside from this new legislation, small businesses should also remember the upcoming deadline for self-assessment tax returns, as all submissions are due online by January 31st.