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Bosses do not see health and safety as an important issue, according to a survey.



Only 37 per cent of managers say staff welfare and safety is a concern, compared with 86 per cent who cite profit growth as important, finds insurance company Premierline Direct.

Chris Little, managing director of the firm, says health and safety needs to be taken more seriously: ‘Adopting a responsible approach to the welfare of staff and customers can not only help remove many potential hindrances affecting productivity, but will undoubtedly protect lives.

‘In addition, it is not always recognised that failure to prove the business is complying with health and safety legislation could also invalidate insurance policies, leaving the company exposed to prosecution.’

Of the 800 businesses polled, 61 per cent of SMEs say they don’t have a formal health and safety policy and of those that do, 78 per cent say they haven’t amended it within the last year.

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