Many companies throughout the UK understand the real business benefits that can be gained from actively looking after the health and safety of employees. Here are just two:

Freshbake Foods is a frozen food manufacturer which employs 150 people in Glasgow, a city that is bottom of the league for nutrition, smoking, exercise and heart disease. Working through Scotland's Health at Work Scheme, the company has introduced a series of healthrelated programmes including a slimming club and healthy choices in the canteen which have proved very popular. There are also swimming clubs, ladies' and men's football teams; and an agreed policy on tobacco and alcohol consumption has also been introduced.

The Results
Absenteeism is down from 6% to 2% and safety rates have been greatly improved. Activities like sponsored football, a cyclethon and a family day have all contributed to staff morale and raised money for charity. The company has received an award from Scotland's Health at Work scheme.

Central High Rise Limited is a small steeplejack company which won the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) Occupational Health & Safety Award (for small businesses) in 2003. The company lost a business partner in a fatal fall soon after it was established and the remaining partner Keith Turney promised to push for improved safety standards in the industry.

The Results
Nineteen years later the company has won seven prestigious ROSPA awards for safety. Improvements began with a change in attitude from top management. Safety back up systems, training and an improving culture have also improved levels of health and safety for all employees. Keith Turney describes the benefits in two significant ways; "Firstly I can point to our prestigious client base, but even more importantly I am relaxed about my son, who now works with me, being at height".

• In 1999/2000, about 1.03 million workers suffered a work-related injury and there were 218 fatal injuries at work. Source: Health and Safety Executive
• Avoidable work-related injuries and ill health account for some 33 million days off work every year in the UK. Source: Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
• Work-related stress costs society between £3.7 billion and £3.8 billion every year (1995/96 prices). Up to five million people in the UK feel "very" or "extremely" stressed by their work. Source: Health and Safety Executive
• 57% of SMEs have been asked by a large company customer for details of health and safety working practices. Source: Small Business Consortium / DTI Research, May 2002