A new e-learning course that helps company directors and senior managers to understand their duties under health and safety law, and identify ways of improving their organisation's health and safety performance, has been launched by the British Safety Council.

Aimed at directors, senior managers, board members and HR professionals, the Health and Safety for Directors e-learning course provides delegates with an understanding of how to adopt best practice in health and safety management, which can improve productivity and prevent financial losses. Designed to take two to three hours to complete, the course also creates a unique personal action plan – based on the learner's responses to assessment questions – suggesting ways of raising health and safety standards within an organisation.

John Phillips, director of qualifications and standards at the British Safety Council, said: "This e-learning course is ideal for directors and managers who cannot afford to take vital time away from the workplace to attend formal classroom training, since learners can study at a time and place that suits them using a computer with internet access.

"The course is interactive and engaging, and quizzes are used throughout to test the learner's knowledge and understanding. The course covers personal and organisational duties under health and safety law, the business benefits of good health and safety and the essentials of effective risk management.

"Upon completion of the course, learners will understand the benefits of adopting formal health and safety management systems and be provided with a management action plan setting out suggested health and safety improvements relevant to their business."