The battle against back injury has been taken into the workplace by York safety experts.

Muscular and skeletal disorders, particularly back pain, are the biggest cause of work-related ill health in Britain.

City of York Council officers focused on local small to medium-sized businesses, in a move coinciding with the start today of European Safety and Health at Work Week.

They made unannounced inspections of 27 premises, looking particularly at ones where employees might be moving heavy objects, like furniture or equipment.

Senior environmental health officer Jackie Mills said they found that most small businesses surveyed had failed to assess manual handling risks in line with the regulations, and levels of training were often poor in smaller firms.

But they had received a positive response from employers and were offering ongoing help, with a seminar in Leeds today they had organised with the Health and Safety Executive, and a free drop-in advice surgery at their offices at 9 St Leonard's Place, York.

Principal environmental health officer Steve Adamthwaite said there was a mass of legislation that was difficult for employers.

"They can feel assured that if they come in and tell us they haven't done anything we aren't going to leap on them," he said.

Jackie added: "We have been in there now, and we are working with them to try and negotiate those problems and put them right."

One firm surveyed which already makes preventing injuries a priority is Dean's Garden Centre in Stockton-on-the-Forest.

Health and safety manager Andy Suggitt said one of their initiatives had been to reduce the size and weight of some of their stock, to benefit both staff and customers.

But he added: "You can pick up the lightest things, and if you do it the wrong way, twisting and bending, something can give. You've got to use the correct technique all the time."

Partner in the business Helen Jones said a number of their staff had gone on "train the trainers" courses which qualified them to pass on skills to colleagues.

She welcomed the council initiative, and the fact that businesses could contact it for advice, adding: "It's best to check it out rather than letting it become a problem."

*For more information about the council's advice surgery contact 01904-551522.