An alarming trend of companies ignoring health and safety in an attempt to reduce costs during the recession could result in transport managers facing jail.

Training company Pivotal Performance is warning firms to keep health and safety a top priority, even when times are tough.

The warning is in response to a survey by the National Accident Helpline, which found that 62% of employees thought their boss was placing less emphasis on health and safety.

A new law came in a few weeks ago which could see managers and directors jailed if one of their employees is hurt at work.

The Health and Safety Offences Act 2008 started in January and makes transport employers personally accountable for the safety of their employees.

Breaches could see managers or directors jailed, or face magistrates’ fines of up to £20,000.

Willie Bell, regional manager of Pivotal Performance, said: “If this survey is to be believed, then companies are putting their managers and directors at risk of jail for the sake of cost savings.

"That’s not a clever thing to do, even in a recession.

“The safety of staff must be the number one priority for all companies, no matter how badly they are doing. One accident is all it can take to wipe a business out.

“Thirty four million days are lost a year due to a work-related injury or accident. Reducing the focus on health and safety is not a risk that any company can afford to take.”