NEWS
BSIF ISSUES WARNING ON NON-COMPLIANT PPE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT
The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) is warning those in charge of PPE and safety product procurement to be vigilant about substandard products, as their latest non-member product tests highlight the availability of high levels of non- compliant products.
Between December 2021 and December 2022, the BSIF completed tests on 127 non-member products which included checking their compliance with relevant standards and testing whether they perform as advertised. Only 18 (15%) of these products were fully compliant. This means 108 products (85%) failed to meet the regulatory criteria, many of which are still available and being sold to unsuspecting users.
Just a few examples of substandard products the BSIF came across for sale in 2022 include:
• An 'indestructible safety trainer' that failed the midsole penetration test.
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'Cut-resistant gloves' that didn't pass the relevant cut test.
• A 'safety harness and lanyard' provided without any user instructions or documentation.
The findings around non-member products are in contrast with the results of tests carried out on products supplied by BSIF Registered Safety
UK BUSINESSES NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT LOWER SAFETY STANDARDS
UK businesses strongly support health and safety regulations, with seven in 10 (69%) businesses not willing to accept lower health and safety standards as part of the Retained EU Law Bill, according to new research.
A poll of 2,000 UK business owners run by Unchecked UK and supported by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and other leading organisations, showed that health and safety remains a priority, with just 7% saying they are willing to accept lower standards. Fewer than a fifth quizzed cited excessive government regulation as the toughest issue facing them right now, with concerns around energy costs (70%), inflation (65%) and labour shortages (45%) coming top of the worry list.
When asked about government regulation of UK businesses, survey participants identified several of advantages. The most important reason identified is to create a level playing field for businesses preventing firms from being undercut by businesses using poor corporate practices (34%).
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Suppliers who are committed to only selling certified PPE and trading honestly and ethically.
Registered Safety Supplier’s products are tested annually as part of the scheme’s audit process and if products fail to meet the test’s strict criteria any issues must be addressed and rectified immediately for members to remain part of the scheme. Of 387 tests completed on Registered Safety Supplier’s products between December 2021 and December 2022, 332 products (86%) passed immediately and of the 55 (14%) that initially didn’t meet the test criteria, all issues have now been resolved.
BSIF CEO Alan Murray said: “Our latest findings are very concerning and reinforce the importance of only using a BSIF Registered Safety Supplier when procuring PPE and safety equipment.
“The reality is that selling PPE and safety equipment comes with complex responsibilities and it can be hard for even the most diligent suppliers to keep up with the rules and regulations. That’s why at the BSIF we maintain that even though anyone can sell safety, you shouldn’t buy safety from just anyone.
"We urge all buyers and specifiers to review their current processes and consider what assurances they have that the PPE and safety equipment they are being supplied with is fit for purpose.
“Specifying a Registered Safety Supplier is the easiest way to ensure you are only dealing with compliant, competent and trustworthy suppliers."
www.registeredsafetysupplierscheme.co.uk
The second most important reason given on the importance of regulation is its role in ensuring public trust in businesses and the products they sell (27%), while others stated that regulation provides certainty for businesses (23%), and helps UK businesses to trade in Europe and the rest of the world (22%). Only one in twenty businesses (5%) think that there are no advantages of government regulation of UK businesses.
Nathan Davies, Head of Policy at RoSPA, said: “As it stands, the health and safety of Britain’s 32 million strong workforce is under threat with the way the Retained EU Law Bill proposes to deal with vital legislation – and given that almost 80% of UK businesses are not willing to accept lower health and safety standards, it demonstrates how woefully out of touch the government really is.
www.rospa.com/campaigns-and-fundraising/current-campaigns/protect-our-people
www.rospa.com
www.tomorrowshs.com
“We want reassurance that UK will remain a beacon of health and safety, and believe every piece of health and safety legislation should be treated with the care, attention and evidence-based approach it deserves.” RoSPA is spearheading a campaign to change the government’s approach to health and safety legislation as part of the Bill, for further information please visit their campaign page below.
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