Nearly two-thirds of Hawke's Bay businesses are struggling to understand their health and safety requirements.
Many businesses in Hawke's Bay and around the country do not fully understand the Health and Safety at Work Act, even though it came into effect more than a year ago.
Hastings City Business Association (HCBA) general manager Susan McDade said she was aware of many businesses that needed help to understand their requirements.
However, there were several companies that offered services and resources to help businesses with their health and safety regulations, she said.
"I do recommend that businesses invest in getting some professional help in health and safety."
HCBA is refreshing its website, which will be released in about two weeks, and has created a business tool box with health and safety information and resources.
Health and safety company Securo, in association with Omni Risk, launched an online audit tool to highlight red flags last week.
Hawke's Bay Securo consultant Lewis Thompson said an estimated two-thirds of Hawke's Bay businesses still had no idea how their health and safety system was performing.
"We've seen a lot of businesses step up their activity since the new Health and Safety Act came into force . . . but the majority of businesses need to go much further, otherwise they risk exposing themselves to substantial fines or even imprisonment under the new law."
He said Securo's new tool helped businesses identify their strengths and weaknesses in health and safety by assessing information provided such as hazard registers and training records.
The audit, which has taken 18 months to put together, will throw up red flags to help companies prioritise improvements.