"Health and safety" is often given as an excuse why something cannot be done - it is today's bete noir, with safety regulations seen as unnecessarily restrictive and burdensome.

Both businesses and members of the public find this subject an example of how regulations seem to dominate whatever they undertake these days.

The opposite is true maintains Steve Gerring, founder of health and safety training and consultancy firm Medway Safety Ltd.

He said: "Safety is really common sense. The aim of our company is to give sound, practical and cost-effective advice on health and safety issues, using jargon-free plain English. We endeavour to help people to find the best solution when all relevant factors have been considered."

This approach can best be illustrated in a course developed by Chatham-based Medway Safety for a local government initiative to support local residents and active citizens within their communities. Organised by Medway Council and Medway Voice, with the support of SEREP (South East Regional Empowerment Partnership) and Kent Police, these "Community Champions" workshops are aimed at local groups and clubs, as well as individual residents.

Six different topics covering key skills are covered by the programme including fundraising, organising successful events, sharing the workload, wheeling and dealing, tools to build your community, as well as health and safety. And, unlike the customised courses developed by Medway Safety for businesses and organisations, the audience for this course was to be members of the public.

The organisers knew that health and safety needed to be covered but that the mere mention of those words could be a complete turn-off, however necessary the subject. The intended audience was likely to include those running community organisations which employ people, a diverse range of volunteers such as residents associations that organise activities such as rubbish clearances and also individuals arranging small-scale fundraising events. It would be a challenge to engage them.

Mr Gerring said: "We worked hard to avoid the words 'health' and 'safety', in devising the course and developed modules such as 'eliminate and avoid' where we covered everyday hazards and how to avoid them - commonly known as 'risk assessment'. Other modules dealt with common first aid issues (blood and gore), lone working (alone in the dark) and organising an event (failing to plan).

The programme started in May and will continue throughout the summer. Feedback has been positive so far and Medway Council and Medway Voice are expecting interest to increase as word gets out about these workshops.

n Medway Voice is a free membership-led organisation open to the community and voluntary sectors in Medway. More information on www.medwayvoice.org.uk

Contact Medway Voice on 01634 814146 or at admin@medwayvoice.org.uk for more information about the health and safety workshop, or the wider Community Champions programme.

n Medway Safety Ltd is an award-winning health and safety training and consultancy company based in Chatham. More information on www.medwaysafety.co.uk

Contact Medway Safety on 0845 269 5550 or info@medwaysafety.co.uk