AN occupational health group said it was misleading to focus on health and safety laws hampering business after the Government said it will overhaul 3,000 red tape regulations.

From next April, the Government wants to make it law that firms will only face health and safety inspections if they are operating in high-risk areas such as construction or if they have track record of poor performance.

But Richard Jones, at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said only 21 of the 3,000 regulations being considered relate to health and safety.