Half of companies believe health and safety regulations are now a 'burden' on business, according to a report today.

The British Chambers of Commerce described health and safety as 'yellow tape' despite its importance in the workplace, warning that the cost to industry was now more than £4bn.

A survey of 6,000 employers found that half complained that regulation covering health and safety was a burden, while one in five sole traders said it was a barrier to taking on their first employee.

BCC director general David Frost said: "Health and safety regulation in the workplace is important, but it must be made more industry-specific. The UK has a good record on health and safety and preventing accidents at work. However, employers are dealing with a multitude of regulations that do not necessarily add to the safety of workers.

"The sheer volume of rules causes confusion for employers, particularly among smaller firms without the resource to tackle this.

"Time and again we hear of unnecessary and unreasonable examples of health and safety. For example, home workers are treated in the same way as those working onsite, with the employer forced to conduct ever-more elaborate and costly assessments of the employee's home environment."

The Government has launched a 'red tape challenge' aimed at scrapping unnecessary or outdated regulations.

Employment minister Chris Grayling said: "I'm determined to stop Britain's health and safety culture stifling business and holding back economic growth. That's why responsible employers in low-risk businesses will no longer face automatic inspections."