The key points when buying eye PPE are to ensure it meets the standard for its intended use and its suitability, i.e. whether it will be worn. This is often an area that is not given as much consideration during the purchasing process. The fundamental question is: will the product not only protect the wearer, but will it be suitable for the worker, the task and the environment in which it must be worn? This goes beyond understanding the technical specification of the product and ventures into the world of appreciating the product’s effectiveness in use. If this area is overlooked, it can lead to a reduction in products being worn and hence workers that are not protected as they are intended.

 

Non-compliant PPE is still a serious problem in 2024 – according to the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF).

The Federation is now urging British workers who use PPE and safety equipment to check the quality of the goods.

Alan Murray, BSIF CEO comments: “Unfortunately there is a significant volume of substandard and poor quality PPE and safety products finding their way onto the market in the UK potentially leaving workers and workplaces unprotected. 

“We urge anyone responsible for buying these goods to make 2024 the year they take the risk out of buying PPE and safety equipment and always check for the shield.”  

It comes after the Office for Product Safety and Standards tested products during 2023 and found 80% of those from online marketplaces failed safety tests. 

The Federation carried out its own tests and found just 18 of 127 non-BSIF member products tested between December 2021 and December 2022 were fully compliant.

Which means 85% failed to meet regulatory criteria.

The tests included checking compliance with relevant standards and testing whether they perform as advertised. 

By contrast, 86% of 387 tests carried out by the BSIF on products supplied by members of the BSIF’s Registered Safety Supplier Scheme (RSSS) passed immediately.

Statistics for BSIF testing in 2023 are currently being finalised but it is believed the failure rate of products from non-BSIF members will remain around 80%. 

The Federation is urging specifiers and buyers of PPE and safety equipment to ensure they check for the BSIF Registered Suppliers shield when buying PPE and safety equipment in the year ahead.

Always ensure that the eye protection issued is fit for purpose and purchased from a reliable, accredited source, such as Infield Safety UK.

 

Infield Safety UK is an accredited supplier of protective eyewear and is registered under the BSIF’s Registered Safety Supplier Scheme (RSSS)