Health and safety paramount despite downturn

Date: 16th January 2009

Healthy and safety remains a paramount concern for small businesses, despite the economic downturn.

That's according to the British Safety Council (BSC), which has urged companies not to make cutbacks on their occupational health spend.

The comments come on the back of the introduction of the Health and Safety (Offences) Act, which promises tougher penalties on those firms which breach the law.

Chief executive of the BSC, Brian Nimick, commented: "Risks including accidents, illness and even deaths among the workforce could cost far more in the long-term than the short-term savings gained from cutting back on training."

He added that the risk of higher fines and imprisonment would likely be a deterrent for the minority of small firms which flaunt the law.

Aside from changes to health and safety legislation, small businesses - including limited companies - should keep in the mind the upcoming deadline for self-assessment tax returns, with all submissions being due online by January 31st.