Health and safety management in UK and Spanish SMEs: A comparative study

This paper reports on a survey carried out among United Kingdom (UK) and Sp anish small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to establish their approach to he alth and safety management and determine views on participating in voluntar y management accreditation schemes. The study revealed some key differences between the responding UK and Spanish SklEs. There was (a) an enhanced lev el of awareness of health and safety legislation; (b) a higher prevalence o f safety and quality management systems, and (c) greater involvement of sen ior managers in managing health and safety in UK enterprises. Interest was expressed in a voluntary management accreditation scheme for health and saf ety by over half the UK and Spanish sample. Furthermore, those enterprises participating in a voluntary quality management accreditation scheme were m ore likely to be interested in a voluntary scheme for health and safety man agement. (C) 2000 National Safety Council and Elsevier Science Ltd.