Occupational health and safety is a cross-disciplinary field which considers the health and wider welfare of employees and their families.

Writing in Occupational Health magazine, consultant occupational physician Richard Preece warns that many SMEs spend nothing on occupational health, believing it to be too expensive relative to the benefits.

Preece writes: ‘While they might feel it would be a good idea, it is too difficult, and perceived as bureaucratic and expensive.’

However, he goes on: ‘Caring employers can be reassured about the costs of OH services. Exemplar services cost about 10p per day. Lesser provision is presumably much cheaper.’

As well as the obvious benefits of reducing legal risks from workplace accidents, SMEs can expect to benefit from reduced absenteeism, better morale and staff retention.

Moreover, the costs of not spending on OH in higher taxes has a real effect on SMEs, Preece claims.

He says: ‘UK employers as a whole can be reassured that an exemplary OH service for all of working age could be provided for about one twentieth of the cost of either incapacity benefit or sickness absence.’