In his most strident attack yet on health and safety David Cameron has pledged to cut back the “monster” he says it has become, free business from the “stranglehold” of red tape it creates, and reduce the “pointless time-wasting” it causes for the economy.

The Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC) is concerned by the prospect of an “increasing disconnect” between the HSE and businesses operating in lower or medium-risk sectors, but still wants lighter-touch regulation of such companies.

The deputy prime minister wants small businesses to be subject to no more than two inspections a year by all regulators.

The burden on businesses – particularly those recognised as low-risk – to comply with health and safety laws must be reduced and regulations made more industry-specific, according to a major employers’ group.

Reinforcing understanding of the positive link between health and work is the focus of one of five ‘Responsibility Deal’ voluntary networks, established by the Department of Health (DH), to tackle current and future public-health challenges.

Agriculture, quarries and health and social care are to be excluded from proactive HSE inspections, despite acknowledgement that they remain comparatively high-risk sectors, the Government confirmed today (21 March).

Helping small firms manage their employees’ mental health and well-being in the workplace is the focus of new guidance from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and mental-health charity, Mind.

The number of safety inspections on Irish farms will more than double this year in response to the “horrific” total of deaths recorded in 2010.

Many small-business owners have serious misgivings about the Government’s ability to liberate them from the burden of red tape, a new study suggests.

The HSE has signed an agreement with the Building Control Alliance (BCA) to help it spread the health and safety message in the construction industry, especially to hard-to-reach small sites.