Business insurance customers would rather cut their bosses' bonuses than reduce health and safety coverage, according to a new survey.
Research from the British Safety Council (BSC) states over half of companies which are planning to cutback this year will chop incentives before reducing health and safety management budgets.
The survey of UK companies found 95 per cent are confident that they can do what they are legally required to, but, conversely, over 25 per cent did not know the three main pieces of health and safety law.
Research of employees also found one in 12 feel under pressure from bosses to take risks, which may affect business insurance cover.
Brian Nimick, chief executive at the BSC, said: "Even in the current challenging financial climate facing industry, now is not the time to make health and safety costs a casualty of cut backs."
He added that no employees should fear for their safety in the workplace.
It follows comments from the Forum for Private Businesses, which stated that adhering to health and safety legislation is both time consuming and costly for small business insurance customers.
