NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY TOOLS FOR THE BUSINESS SUPPORT NETWORK

HSE press release E070:03 - 6 May 2003

A new package of health and safety tools for business advisers and their clients is to be launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The tools will be unveiled by Health and Safety Commission (HSC) member for small businesses, Judith Donovan CBE, at the RoSPA Safety and Health at Work Congress on 19 May 2003.

These new health and safety tools join the already established suite of management best practice programmes called "CONNECT, Benchmark Index and Inside UK Enterprise" run by the Small Business Service (SBS). The package has been developed around HSE's Priority Programme areas and includes:

• An interactive CONNECT CD-ROM on health and safety to help businesses learn from the experience of others, and uses real life documentary case studies to set the business case why small businesses should have appropriate and sustainable health and safety management systems in place;
• A benchmarking tool (Benchmark Index), to help businesses improve their health and safety performance, accessible by a business adviser with their client and offering an objective view of how they are currently performing and, as a result, helping to identify where future improvement activities should be focused;
• A managed visit programme, to support the interactive tools, called Inside UK Enterprise, which enables small businesses to visit larger host companies who have tackled a wide range of health and safety issues, thereby sharing and promoting good practice.

HSE is also developing by the end of the year a hazard identifier tool on the HSE website to support the best practice approach. Users will be able to identify key hazards within their sector and will be directed to appropriate information.

HSE has worked in partnership with the Small Business Service (SBS), using fund from HM Treasury's Invest to Save Budget, to develop these tools, capitalising on their experience in working with the business support network and reaching small businesses. The approach will be implemented initially by Business Link operators via the SBS with the intention that it gradually becomes widely accessible throughout the business support network.

Outlining the benefits of the tools Judith Donovan, CBE, Health and Safety Commissioner for Small Businesses said "The main benefits are that business advisers will have the tools to help them provide assistance to small businesses on health and safety and small businesses, particularly those who do not have in-house health and safety expertise, will benefit from the help the advisers can give them."

"These tools will be a useful resource and will help small businesses to understand that health and safety should be an integral part of running a business, just like income tax or VAT. I would encourage small businesses, particularly those thinking of starting a business or those who have no in-house knowledge of health and safety to seek advice and help from the Business Link operator network.

"Health and safety doesn't have to get in the way of what you need to do in your business and it doesn't have to be expensive, time consuming or complicated but you do need to understand your health and safety responsibilities and take action. Investing in appropriate health and safety measures can actually save small businesses money".

Notes for editors

1. The international award winning CONNECT series of best practice programmes has been run by the Small Business Service for 3 years. The new Health and Safety CONNECT module helps businesses learn from the experience of others. As well as 'real-life' documentary case study material the CD-ROM also contains a Resource Library and a Self Assessment tool.

2. The Benchmark Index is an extensive benchmarking resource for small and medium sized businesses. The Health and Safety module has been specifically developed to allow the measurement and comparison of key health and safety procedures. For further information http://www.benchmarkindex.com/

3. The Inside UK Enterprise Health and Safety visit programme launched its Health and Safety brochure in December 2002 and visits started in February 2003. Hosts have been selected from a variety of industry sectors and each host holds a number of one day visits, at their premises, throughout the year.

4. The HSE's Priority Programme includes the Construction, Agriculture and Health Service Sectors and the following topics; Slips and Trips, Workplace Transport, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Stress and Falls from a Height.

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