ACCOUNTANTS are warning that the scale of fines imposed for work-related health and safety breaches has increased by 40 per cent in the past year.

ACCA, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, says all employers, particularly small businesses, should take this dramatic rise as a warning not to be complacent about health and safety issues.

Advice can be found onthe Health and Safety Executive's website, at www.hse.gov.uk, on their infoline, on tel. 08701 545500, e-mail: hseinformationservices@na tbrit.com

ACCA has produced this basic checklist to help small businesses take necessary precautions.

If you are an employer, ensure that you have taken out employer's

liability insurance.

If you have members of the public coming to your place of business, take

out public liability insurance.

Conduct a health and safety audit of your premises, to include assessment

of any threats to your staff's workplaces and any fire hazards.

Ilyas Patel, ACCA's spokesperson for the North West, said: "The annual cost

to businesses in breach of health and safety legislation is now over £10

million, and the average fine is over £12,000.

"Coupled with the fact that the Health & Safety Executive now wins 84 per cent of cases which go to court, this

startling increase makes it essential that business owners take all the

necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their employees and customers."

Advice on health and safety issues for businesses can be found on

the Health and Safety Executive's website, at www.hse.gov.uk, or by

contacting their infoline, on tel. 08701 545500, e-mail: hseinformationservices@natbrit.com