The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has warned against the use of substandard PPE, and highlighted its wide availability in the UK market
The BSIF notes that that a recent recall of safety shoes sold via TikTok highlights this issue, where the recalled product claimed to offer protection despite failing to meet essential safety requirements. Similar footwear remains on sale on other platforms.
The shoes in question have now been recalled by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) thanks to the work of Lewis Collantine, a product safety consultant specialising in trading standards.
According to the OPSS the product, “presents a serious risk of injuries because although advertised as ‘anti-smash’ and ‘anti-puncture,’ there is no evidence it has undergone conformity assessment as PPE and it is not CE or UKCA marked.”
“The product does not meet the requirements of the Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on Personal Protective Equipment or the Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018.”
No surprises
Alan Murray, BSIF chief executive officer, said, “No surprises here. The BSIF has been aware of a burgeoning volume of substandard footwear available on platforms such as TikTok for some time, but we are pleased to see Trading Standards take action and we must applaud the work of Lewis Collantine, who has been instrumental in bringing this example to light.
“This is exactly why the new Product Safety and Metrology Bill needs to ensure there are real ramifications for online suppliers who fail to provide properly certified products. Employers and users deserve confidence that PPE described as protective genuinely meets standards and offers the protection it claims.”
The BSIF warns that many of these products are unwittingly purchased by individuals who have been given budgets to buy their own PPE but may not fully understand the rules, regulations, and certification requirements surrounding safety products.
Murray stresses that substandard PPE claiming to be protective does not protect workers, and can put lives at risk.
Roy Wilders, BSIF Registered Safety Supplier Scheme manager, said that the BSIF’s latest statistics show a 90% failure rate for products bought and tested from non-registered suppliers, compared to products from BSIF Registered Safety Suppliers, where almost 90% of products passed all the test criteria and where issues arose, they were immediately rectified.
The BSIF reiterates the importance of buying PPE only from BSIF Registered Safety Suppliers, who are committed to supplying certified and compliant products that keep workers safe.
