BOLTON businesses are being encouraged to apply for a share of almost £4m of European money to improve health and safety in the workplace.

This money is available to businesses with less than 250 employees, to spend on projects that contribute to the reduction of health and safety risks in the workplace.

During 2001-2002 more than 5,500 employees in Greater Manchester suffered injuries at work.

These cases ranged from accidents causing employees to take a few days off work, to major incidents and even fatalities.

Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Chris Davies is keen for local businesses to apply for the funding.

"The EU has a major role to play in encouraging good health and safety practices, so that industries in one country are not competing unfairly in another by putting their employees at risk. These grants offer businesses the opportunity to make necessary improvements for the benefit of their workers in a relatively painless way," he said.

Types of activities that may qualify for funding include schemes aimed at providing effective good practices that reduce health and safety risks.

Last year in the UK an award was granted for a series of interactive seminars aimed at encouraging safe practice for woodworkers.

The construction industry also benefited with interactive workshops on how to prevent building site accidents and illness, as an alternative to written instructions and paperwork.

Up to 60 per cent of the cost of a project will be funded with grants ranging from £25,000 to £100,000.

The deadline for applying for funding is June 23, 2003.

Businesses can find further information on these grants at http://europe.osha.eu.int/sme