NOT enough companies are making use of available government funding towards staff training in health and safety, it has been claimed.

Jennifer Swain, workforce development adviser for Business Link Kent, was speaking at a recent award ceremony for employees passing the National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health.

She said: "More companies need to be aware of the grants available. As long as they match the required criteria, firms can benefit from as much as 50 per cent towards the costs involved."

The courses, run by Personnel Health and Safety Consultants (PHSC), Aylesford, are aimed at helping companies raise the standards of occupational health, safety and environmental management in the workplace.

Nicola Coote, PHSC director, said: "The government has recently been putting pressure on companies to publish health and safety performance statistics in their annual accounts.

“At present approximately 80 per cent of FTSE 100 companies do this. The certificate is seen as a major route towards companies meeting the health and safety targets."

Terry Denyer, manager of the Slade Green depot and one of those receiving a certificate, said: "I found the course quite intensive as there was a lot of material to get through, but the methods they used made it a lot easier to absorb.

“By regularly sending staff onto courses such as these, we can maintain a high and current level of knowledge as to the rules and regulations."