Small businesses can check the effectiveness of their health and safety management with a free online tool from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

The Health & Safety Performance Indicator is a self-assessment tool that aims to help businesses identify health and safety issues and provides guidance on ways of improving health and safety management.

It also enables users to compare themselves to other businesses using the benchmarking feature and, perhaps most importantly, it can help get better terms on liability insurance by demonstrating good practice to insurance brokers.

The Indicator works by asking the user to state how often their employees perform tasks involving manual handling, hazardous materials, machines or stress. It also bases its conclusions on the frequency and scale of past incidents in the workplace.

To register for the Indicator, click here.

The HSE is also warning small firms to be on the lookout for letters from bogus agencies purporting to be part of the HSE.

One firm, the Health and Safety Registration Enforcement Division (HSRED), using a Bradford address, has been writing to companies all over the country demanding between £199 and £249 to ensure they comply with health and safety laws.

Similarly, the Health and Safety Enforcement Agency (HSEA) has been asking for £125 for a compliance pack. Small businesses are advised that they should ignore any literature from these companies and contact the HSE on 08701 545500.

(27/1/05)