PPE
many years ago, meaning the impact of the decisions we make today may not become fully apparent for a generation. That makes continuous improvement essential. Every step taken to improve awareness, competence and communication has the potential to reduce future disease.
MAKING RESPIRATORY PROTECTION COUNT For BSIF, the priority has always been helping employers and wearers ensure that when respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is required, it delivers the protection it is designed to provide.
Modern respirators are capable of providing exceptionally high levels of protection, but only when they are appropriate for the hazard, fit the wearer correctly and are used as intended. Too often, failures in respiratory protection are not caused by the product itself, but by inappropriate product selection, poor face fit, inadequate training or incorrect use. Helping employers understand these requirements, and giving wearers the confidence to use RPE correctly, has been central to BSIF’s work for many years. That philosophy underpins the refreshed Clean Air? Take Care! campaign.
Originally launched 15 years ago, the campaign was created to promote good practice in respiratory protection. Its core message remains as relevant today as it was then: selecting the right equipment is only the first step. Ensuring it is correctly fitted, properly maintained and used correctly is what ultimately protects workers from hazardous airborne contaminants.
REACHING PEOPLE WHERE THEY WORK The latest refresh of Clean Air? Take Care! recognises that while the principles of respiratory protection remain the same, the way people access information has changed. Health and safety information is becoming increasingly digital, and rightly so. Online resources are easier to update, can provide greater depth and are available whenever they are needed. However, in the drive to digitalise, we should not lose sight of the value of well- designed printed guidance.
Many of the people who rely on respiratory protection every day work on construction sites, in workshops, factories and engineering environments. They are focused on the job in hand rather than sitting behind a desk. For them, simple, visual guidance that can be kept in a pocket, toolbox or site office remain an effective way of reinforcing key messages at the point of use.
That thinking influenced the development of the campaign’s new printed guide. It distils the essential principles of respiratory protection into an easy-to-follow visual format that workers can refer to quickly throughout the working day. QR codes then provide direct access to more detailed online guidance for those who want to explore specific topics in greater depth. The aim is simple: get the right information into the hands of the people who need it, at the moment they need it.
SUPPORTING BETTER DECISIONS
Providing practical guidance is only one part of helping employers improve respiratory protection. Through its Duty Holder Membership scheme, BSIF supports employers, health and safety professionals, procurement specialists and others with responsibility for selecting and managing PPE. Members have access to expert advice, technical guidance, webinars, qualifications and the BSIF PPE Helpline, helping them navigate changing legislation, understand relevant standards and make informed decisions about protecting their workforce.
This sits alongside BSIF’s wider work to raise occupational health and safety standards across industry. The Fit2Fit accreditation scheme has helped establish competence in face fit testing as an integral part of effective respiratory protection and is now attracting growing international interest. BSIF’s collaboration with HSE on the updated FaceFit Respirator Demonstrator (FFRED) video has also provided employers and wearers with a practical demonstration of why achieving an effective face seal is fundamental to respiratory protection. Although each initiative addresses a different aspect of respiratory protection, they all share the same objective which is to improve understanding, increase competence and help employers ensure that respiratory protective equipment performs as intended.
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
The UK has developed an international reputation for its approach to respiratory protection through collaboration between regulators, manufacturers, distributors and safety professionals. Maintaining that position depends on continuing to share knowledge, improve competence and provide practical support for those responsible for protecting workers. Whether the risk comes from silica dust, welding fume, wood dust or other hazardous airborne contaminants, the objective remains the same: ensuring every worker who relies on respiratory protective equipment has the right product, correctly selected, correctly fitted and used correctly.
Occupational respiratory disease remains one of the UK’s most significant workplace health challenges, but it is also one of the most preventable. The statistics that demonstrate the success of today’s efforts may not be available for many years. That should never prevent us from acting today.
Every employer who strengthens their respiratory protection programme, every duty holder who is better equipped to make informed decisions and every worker who understands how to protect themselves contributes to healthier working lives for future generations. That is the ambition behind the refreshed Clean Air? Take Care! campaign, and it continues to drive BSIF’s commitment to improving respiratory protection across the UK.
British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF)
www.bsif.co.uk
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HEAT STRESS IS THE NEXT MAJOR PPE CHALLENGE, SAYS DUPONT
uPont is calling for greater awareness of heat stress as a growing workplace safety challenge, particularly in physically demanding industries where personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential. More frequent heatwaves are increasing the risks of occupational heat exposure across the UK and Europe. For workers operating in hot environments or wearing protective clothing for extended periods, heat stress can not only affect comfort but also concentration, decision-making, and overall safety. “Heat stress doesn’t just make work more uncomfortable – it can compromise the ability to work safely,” says Chloé Caux-Wetherell, EMEA marketing manager, DuPont Personal Protection. “Safety professionals are facing a complex challenge: protecting workers from exposure to hazardous particles and liquids while also helping to reduce the physiological strain associated with heat. If PPE is perceived as too hot or restrictive, workers may adjust it incorrectly or remove it altogether, creating additional compliance and safety risks.”
While heat stress management has traditionally focused on hydration, ventilation, and work- rest cycles, DuPont believes the role of PPE itself is becoming increasingly important. Protective garments can restrict airflow, limit moisture evaporation, and trap heat close to the body, increasing thermal burden during prolonged wear. To support health and safety professionals, DuPont has published a new e-guide: Heat Stress in the Workplace: Rethinking Comfort as a Measurable Safety Factor. The guide explores how advances in materials science and testing methodologies are changing the way PPE comfort and breathability are evaluated. The e-guide is free to download.
DuPont
www.dupont.co.uk INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE |SUMMER/AUTUMN 2026 21
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