The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is launching an initiative to reduce health and safety 'red tape' that can hinder small and medium-sized businesses.

Many such companies face unnecessary problems in securing contracts because of the wide variety of schemes being used by clients or training providers wanting proof they can meet health and safety standards.

Following a report from its National Occupational Safety and Health Committee, RoSPA is calling for a more uniform approach which would mean less paperwork, more efficiency and better help for companies that need to raise standards. The report has already been sent to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in response to the Better Regulation Executive’s call for evidence on how to improve health and safety performance in small “low risk” firms.

The committee’s steering group - chaired by Paul Reeve, Health, Safety and Environment Adviser to the Electrical Contractors Association - is carrying out an 18-month inquiry into ways of helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It believes the bureaucracy involved in contract pre-qualification could be reduced greatly and is holding a meeting with interested parties on 30 January to examine ways of doing this.