Alan Murray, CEO of the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF), explains why it’s important to check the credentials of your supplier when buying PPE and safety equipment and highlights some examples of non-compliant products recently found for sale in the UK…
Alan Murray, CEO of the British Safety Industry Federation
The UK has one of the best combined safety and health records in the world and access to high quality PPE and safety equipment plays an important role in supporting this record. It can therefore be a surprise to find that PPE and safety equipment offered for sale isn’t always fit for purpose.
Why are there substandard and non-compliant products on the market?
Unfortunately, not all safety products are created equal. For example, the law states that PPE must be correctly tested and certified to comply with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations, but not every supplier of PPE follows the rules.
A lack of market surveillance and enforcement in the UK means it can be difficult to distinguish responsible suppliers from less responsible ones. This has led to an increase in the quantity of substandard products for sale.
Employers must ensure that they only provide fully compliant PPE for their workforce otherwise they will be contravening safety legislation. A number of items are available that claim UKCA and or CE approvals but, in reality, they have not all been appropriately tested and certified. In our experience these products often do not perform as they should, putting lives at risk and, in doing so, exposing businesses and individuals to prosecution for failing to protect staff.
What are some examples of substandard products?
The COVID pandemic shone a light on how easily substandard products can find their way onto the market with reports suggesting hundreds of millions of pounds were wasted on poor quality and unusable PPE during the global health crisis. While these kind of statistics grab headlines, substandard PPE and safety equipment is an issue we deal with at the BSIF day in/day out. A few examples of products we have come across for sale recently include:
This product is advertised widely on Social Media channels and purports to be ‘indestructible’ – claims are made that the toecap can be run over by a vehicle and the wearer can stamp on nails without any sign of injury.
The product was provided in an unmarked box and does not carry any CE/UKCA markings, no details of the manufacturer and no information on the levels of protection offered (slip resistant, Midsole penetration resistance etc.). When tested the Toe Cap did pass the compression testing, however the midsole penetration resistance failed miserably, with the nail used in the test puncturing the midsole repeatedly in different locations along the midsole and at much lower than the required resistance (1100 kN) to pass the test.
No user instructions or declaration of conformity were provided either.
The gloves in question were advertised online with images of people appearing to slide a knife blade across their palm while wearing the gloves – not a recommended way to test a cut resistant gloves efficacy!
While the bag they were supplied in has a CE sticker on it and has the address details of the manufacturer, it also claims ‘Approved by PPE (EU) 2016/425’ – The PPE Regulation in Europe is Regulation 2016/425(EU) on Personal Protective Equipment. It is a piece of legislation, not a body that can approve products.
The glove itself does not carry the correct markings – it does reference the relevant Glove standard (BS EN 388:2016), but does not do this correctly. It also does not show the correct required pictograms to show the type of protection and level offered by the product against aspects such as Abrasion, Puncture, Tear, and Cut. It does state ‘Cut Level 5’ – however when tested it fell well short of the requirements of a Cut 5 glove
No User Instructions or Declaration of Conformity were provided with the product.
This was purchased online and supplied from China. The product arrived in a bag claiming it was ‘climbing equipment’ – something that was in conflict with how it was advertised on the website, where it was clearly designated as PPE
The markings on the product are not compliant with the PPE Regulation – no CE or UKCA marking, No details of which BS EN standard it conforms to and the majority of text on the product label and attached swing ticket were in Chinese.
The product did not come with the required accompanying documentation and the QR code on the swing ticket only took you to a ‘sales’ website – again primarily in Chinese
What can you do about it?
As a buyer or specifier of PPE you are responsible for ensuring that the products you buy are properly certified and approved but often you will not have the knowledge and resources to validate suppliers’ claims. However, the BSIF offers a supplier verification scheme – The Registered Safety Supplier (RSS) scheme – to help. Just look for the Shield.
Companies displaying the shield are audited annually to ensure they comply with obligations and responsibilities of the legislation and have signed a binding declaration that the PPE and safety equipment they offer meets the correct standards, fully complies with the regulations and is UKCA and or CE marked. This means that by using a Registered Safety Supplier you can be confident you will receive genuine products that are fit for purpose as well as genuine information and guidance.
Benefits of specifying a Registered Safety Supplier
Verifying that your supplier is a Registered Safety Supplier gives you reassurance that the necessary checks have been performed and you know your supplier is committed to high standards. Members of the RSS scheme must fulfil the following criteria in order to gain admittance and carry the shield: sell only certified PPE; meet all responsibilities of the PPE Regulations; submit their products for random independent performance testing; train public facing staff in the BSIF’s Safe Supply Course (a publicly recognised qualification to educate those selling PPE and safety products); maintain a quality policy; hold necessary authorisation for service provision; have the capability to carry out any necessary product recalls and trade honestly and ethically.
All Registered Safety Suppliers are audited to confirm compliance with the scheme’s requirements. A full list of registered suppliers is available to view here.
Remember, when buying PPE: CHECK-SELECT-PROTECT
We, at the British Safety Industry Federation, are urging PPE buyers and end users to follow this simple three-step process when buying PPE to ensure that the products you buy are fit for purpose:
CHECK your supplier is BSIF registered. BSIF Audited suppliers are compliant, competent and trustworthy. Don’t settle for less.
SELECT appropriate, certified and compliant products. Registered Safety Suppliers can support the product selection process through their competence, capability and knowledge.
PROTECT your workforce and your business. Registered Safety Suppliers go above and beyond, helping to keep your people safe and helping your business to thrive.
