Europe

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Europe
• Date: 5 November, 2025
• Year: 2025

Responding to the evolving needs of workers and ensuring they have the right tools for their jobsite continues to inspire innovation at MSA Safety, Inc..

This week, the global safety equipment leader unveiled its latest detection solution, the ALTAIR io 6 Multigas Detector, making its European debut at the 2025 A+A International Trade Fair & Congress (A+A) in Düsseldorf, Germany.

The ALTAIR io 6 Multigas Detector will become the newest addition to the MSA Connected Work Platform. Designed for confined space monitoring and sampling applications, this six-gas detector is MSA’s first cellular-connected device featuring an integrated pump. Compact and versatile, it includes MSA’s XCell sensors, a large, highly visible screen, and a removable, rechargeable external battery, making it suitable for both handheld use and wearable operation.

Joining the ALTAIR io 4 Gas Detection Wearable on the Connected Work Platform, the new device expands MSA’s connected safety ecosystem. While the ALTAIR io 4 serves as a personal, continuous monitoring device, the ALTAIR io 6 is designed for sampling confined spaces and pre-entry checks on job sites. Both detectors are widely used in the construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, and utilities sectors.

Sharing similar technology, both detectors offer the same intuitive interface and are powered by MSA Grid software, enabling seamless integration within a fleet of gas monitors. This connected framework provides a powerful digital safety ecosystem, enhancing real-time worksite monitoring and safety management. MSA Grid delivers live device location and alert data, along with instant access to individual or fleet-wide information. The ALTAIR io 6 is expected to be available for order in early 2026.

“Our focus is on helping to keep workers safe by developing innovative safety solutions so our customers can enhance protection, compliance, and efficiency,” said Dave Howells, president of MSA International. “By featuring our Connected Work Platform and broad range of industrial safety solutions, we’ll give A+A attendees a hands-on experience to learn more about how MSA is using technology and data to help make it easier for workers to have the best solution for their job.”

At A+A 2025, attendees will have the opportunity to interact with MSA product experts across key safety domains, including fall protection, head protection, respiratory protection, and detection monitoring solutions. Featured products on display include:

* V-Series Harnesses – Built for comfort, flexibility, and easy adjustment, these harnesses are engineered to better contour the body and help workers stay focused on their tasks.

* MSA Latchways Lifeline Systems – Innovative safety systems offering maximum mobility for workers on rooftops or within indoor facilities.

* V-Gard Safety Helmets and Protective Caps – Customisable head protection solutions listed in the CIOB #PPEthatfits Directory of Inclusive PPE for diverse workers.

* MSA M1 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) – Engineered for industrial, confined space, and firefighting environments, offering adaptability and improved user mobility through a single facepiece design.

* FL500-H2 UV/IR Flame Detector for Hydrogen – Provides rapid response and reliable fire protection in hydrogen-related applications.

* ULTIMA X5000 Gas Monitor – Equipped with dual sensing technology and Bluetooth connectivity for remote gas detection of oxygen, toxic, and combustible gases.

Through these innovations, MSA Safety continues to redefine connected safety, combining intelligent data, advanced sensing technology, and worker-centric design to create safer, smarter workplaces across industries.

• Date: 24 October, 2025
• Year: 2025

Twiceme Technology formed a partnership with Haglöfs, the renowned Swedish outdoor brand, introducing its digital safety technology to winter apparel for the first time. The new Haglöfs ski touring set integrated Twiceme’s smart safety system directly into the garments, enabling outdoor enthusiasts to take greater control of their safety while exploring mountain terrain.

The collaboration combined Haglöfs’ expertise in high-performance outdoor clothing with Twiceme’s advanced digital safety platform, marking a significant step towards making personal safety an inherent part of every outdoor adventure. Using Twiceme’s built-in NFC technology, users and first responders could instantly access essential safety information by tapping a smartphone on the Twiceme symbol on the garment. This worked even without an internet connection when using the Twiceme app.

Through the app, wearers gained access to a suite of features that included a locally stored medical ID, emergency contact information, and options to share GPS locations or trigger alerts. The “Get Back Timer” allowed users to set a return time, notifying contacts if they did not return as expected, while an “Immobility Alert” detected prolonged inactivity and sent an emergency signal.

“Our partnership with Haglöfs empowers people to take control of their safety during outdoor activities,” said Christian Connolly, CEO of Twiceme Technology. “For the first time in winter clothing, we’re giving users the tools to be proactive about their safety.”

The collaboration marked Twiceme’s entry into the winter outdoor apparel market and represented a milestone in its mission to establish a Digital Safety Standard. Haglöfs joined a growing network of more than 45 brand partners already working with Twiceme to integrate digital safety into adventure and work environments.

By combining technology and performance design, the partnership demonstrated how innovation could enhance both functionality and safety in extreme conditions, setting a new benchmark for the outdoor clothing industry.

• Date: 16 October, 2025
• Year: 2025

A recent report from Britain’s Health and Safety Executive examines the growing role of artificial intelligence in regulated industries and its potential implications for workers.

Drawing on around 250 case studies of AI development and deployment, the report highlights four main areas where AI is being applied: maintenance systems, health and safety management, control of equipment and process plant, and occupational monitoring.

Examples in the report show AI being used for advanced inspections and failure monitoring, risk assessment and incident analysis, the operation of autonomous vehicles and robotic systems, and monitoring of workplaces and employees.

It also outlines a range of potential health and safety risks associated with AI, identified by survey respondents. These include overreliance on AI, which could reduce employee attention and undermine safety culture; deskilling of staff as AI takes over tasks; inaccurate safety assessments; systems failing to alert operators or producing false alarms; data privacy and security breaches; flawed or biased data affecting safety decisions; and complex AI-driven decisions that are difficult to interpret, making failures harder to prevent.

The report also recommends control measures and best practices to ensure AI systems are designed, deployed, and managed safely and securely. It includes guidance on processes, standards, and practices, as well as a sample three-year AI implementation plan and an overview of challenges organisations may face when integrating AI into safety-critical operations.

“AI is rapidly developing in capability and is a transformative technology,” HSE said when it announced the report’s release. “It can create and exacerbate health and safety risk but also has the potential to bring real benefits for health and safety.”

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Europe
• Date: September 2, 2025
• Year: 2025

EU-OSHA's recent Pulse 2025 worker survey revealed that 33% of workers across the EU are exposed to climate change-related risks in the workplace

20% of the survey's respondents reported extreme heat exposure in the workplace, with 19% exposed to poor air quality.

35% of workers in agriculture, horticulture, forestry or fishing reported heat-related risk exposure. That figure sits at around 25% for construction and energy workers.

Of those exposed to heat risks in the workplace, one in 10 has been affected by heat-related symptoms like cramps or heatstroke. The same percentage works in intense sunlight.

EU-OSHA's executive director, William Cockburn, reacted to the survey's findings. "These findings show that workers across Europe face complex and evolving challenges. Nearly three in ten struggling with stress, depression or anxiety linked to their jobs. About a third worried that climate change could put their safety and health at risk.

"From adapting workplaces to the physical effects of climate change, to reducing the stigma around mental health and ensuring digital tools are introduced ethically ─ protecting the safety, health and dignity of Europe’s workforce must remain a top priority. This is especially important as we navigate the twin transitions of climate and digital change."

As Cockburn highlighted, it is not just climate-related risks and hazards facing workers. 44% of Pulse 2025 respondents reported severe time pressure or work overload, a figure that rises to half (50%) for health and social care workers.

Perhaps even more detrimentally to the talent pool and wider work force: 49% believe that disclosing details around their potential mental health risks and conditions could impact their careers negatively.

2025's Pulse survey was conducted in April 2025 among a pool of over 28,000 workers from across the European Union, including, for the first time in the survey's history, Switzerland.

• Date: 26 September, 2025
• Year: 2025

This year’s Fall Prevention Awareness Week demonstrated how far the UK has come in tackling deaths and severe injuries caused by falls.

Most hearteningly, it showed that organisations and the wider public are beginning to change from the belief that falls are just an inevitable part of ageing, but rather a serious – and often deadly – health risk.

However, as the Falls Prevention Awareness Week theme ‘From Awareness To Action’ illustrates, it is practical evidence-based interventions that are most needed to tackle the rising crisis in deaths from falls, which have increased by 90 per cent over 10 years. Accidental falls also account for over 400,000 A&E admissions, putting immense pressure on the NHS and costing over £4 billion every year.

Practical evidence-based interventions are exactly what RoSPA provides through our Fall Fighter campaign and online Falls Prevention hub. Designed in collaboration with housing providers and healthcare experts, these free resources enable individuals at particular risk, and the professionals or family and friends who may be caring for them, to reduce the likelihood of a serious fall at home.

Crucially, while the resources contain plenty of advice on eliminating trip hazards in the home, Fall Fighter focuses on the person themselves, as opposed to just the environment around them. For example, physical deconditioning caused by a sedentary lifestyle – exacerbated by periods of inactivity as seen during the COVID lockdown – is a major risk factor for falls. The Falls Management Exercise (FaME) 24-week programme showed 20-30 per cent of older adult falls could be prevented by improving strength and balance, and our resources contain advice for simple exercises to improve strength and balance.

Workplace falls

However, while falls account for four out of five hospital admissions for people over 65, and over 50 per cent of falls happen at home, there are valuable lessons for other groups in other places too. Falls from height are the biggest single cause of deaths in the workplace, so the concept of putting people at the centre of falls prevention has particular importance for occupational safety and health (OSH) strategies, especially as an ageing workforce brings increased levels of risk. Nor are those risks just to do with physical strength or frailty – mental health issues caused by workplace stress or the side-effects of prescription medication can also make a severe fall more likely.

This means that preventing falls in the workplace must move beyond simply asking ‘What shoes are people wearing?’ to asking ‘What are all the different risks for each individual worker?’. This necessary holistic perspective on risk must come from good staff engagement to understand all the many issues – personal, social and clinical as well as environmental – at play. In other words, managing fall risks effectively in the workplace means listening to what staff say as well as what can be seen or what data shows. Just as no good safety manager would ignore the risk of falls posed by a cluttered floor, they cannot afford to ignore equally dangerous issues that cannot always be seen.

This article was written by RoSPA OSH & Falls Manager Jules Robinson

• Topic: PPE
• Region: Europe
• Date: 19 September 2025
• Year: 2025

Europe is expected to contribute significantly to what Credence Research estimates to be a US$30 billion gloves market in the next seven years

The Global Safety Gloves Market report anticipates a market CAGR of 7.2%, reaching US$30.36 billion by 2032.

Construction, healthcare, oil and gas, and manufacturing were listed as the sectors most likely to fuel demand for safety gloves, especially in emerging economies undergoing rapid industrialisation.

Whilst North America is expected to hold the demand share of market demand, growing standards and an emphasis on sustainable products make Europe a fierce competitor over the next seven years.

Credence Research highlighted the UK, Germany and France specifically as three key nations where stricter regulation is anticipated to bolster demand.

• Date: 18 September, 2025
• Year: 2025

The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned that poor management of personal hearing protection is leaving workers at risk of permanent damage, regardless of investment in earplugs or earmuffs.

Personal protective equipment sits at the bottom of the hierarchy of control because it requires constant attention and correct use.

Unlike engineering solutions that operate automatically, hearing protection depends on training, supervision and individual behaviour.

“This isn’t about blame – it’s about recognising a key challenge,” said Chris Steel, HSE’s principal specialist inspector.

From inspections across workplaces, HSE has found recurring weaknesses in how companies provide, maintain and monitor hearing protection.

Equipment in poor condition is a common problem: earmuffs with cracked seals or stretched headbands provide little protection, while single-use earplugs lose their effectiveness once removed and should not be reused. Inspectors also reported cases where moulded plugs had been worn for decades, despite changes in ear canal shape and material degradation.

Accessibility is another issue. Protection must be available where and when workers need it, not stored away. HSE highlighted examples where employees had to walk long distances to fetch their plugs after already entering noisy environments. Incorrect fitting is also widespread.

The CUFF approach

Earplugs require proper insertion technique, while earmuffs can fail if worn over hats, hoods or hair accessories. In addition, not all workers can use the same protection, so employers are required to offer suitable alternatives.

Technical suitability is equally important. Each product carries a Single Number Rating (SNR) that should match actual workplace noise levels. Over-protection brings its own risks by preventing workers from hearing alarms and safety signals.

To help employers manage these challenges, HSE promotes the CUFF approach: condition, use, fit and fit for purpose.

This framework ensures that hearing protection is effective, appropriate and compliant.

Personal hearing protection demands active management rather than passive provision, according to Steel. Once hearing damage occurs, it cannot be reversed.

“Hearing protection is useless sitting in storage whilst workers operate noisy equipment,” Steel added. HSE emphasises that companies who properly manage their programmes not only reduce injury rates and strengthen compliance, but also protect something irreplaceable: the long-term hearing of their workforce.

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Europe
• Date: 16 September 2025
• Year: 2025

The OSH Barometer, an online dashboard which collates the EU's Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) key health and safety data, has integrated a section spotlighting the digital risks of digitalisation at work

Pulling from data in the OSH Pulse survey and Eurostat from all EU member states, the OSH has created graphs about digitalisation's influence on autonomy and work pace & load.

Aside from digitalisation, charts centring around economic profile, work accidents, OSH statistics, working conditions, workforce profile and more are accessible. Other data sources include Eurofound and the European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER).

The platform's data visualisation tools collate data from as far back as 2010, displaying findings on both an EU-wide and national level.

• Date: 29 August, 2025
• Year: 2025

The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) designed to strengthen collaboration and provide safety professionals with greater recognition for their skills and experience. 

As part of the agreement, Certified Safety Professionals (CSPs) can now apply for the CertIOSH membership grade. This credential highlights advanced safety leadership abilities and positions members one step closer to achieving Chartered Member of IOSH (CMIOSH), one of the most respected titles in the industry. More details on the application process are available on the CertIOSH webpage.

The partnership is reciprocal. BCSP has reaffirmed its recognition of CMIOSH and, for the first time, added Chartered Fellow of IOSH (CFIOSH) as credentials that meet its qualified credential requirement for CSP applicants. This means that IOSH members who hold either designation, and who also meet BCSP’s education and experience criteria, can apply directly for the CSP and complete the examination required to obtain it. Information for IOSH members interested in pursuing the CSP can be found on the BCSP website.

The agreement goes beyond credential recognition. Both organisations have committed to enhancing access to professional development opportunities and resources for their members worldwide. This includes joint initiatives to provide training, educational programmes and knowledge sharing that will support safety professionals in their career advancement.

Global safety standards

The collaboration is expected to benefit thousands of professionals globally who hold, or aspire to hold, either BCSP or IOSH designations. It reflects the growing need for international cooperation in occupational safety and health, especially as industries become more interconnected and as organisations seek consistent benchmarks for safety leadership.

Through this partnership, BCSP and IOSH reaffirm their commitment to advancing the profession and supporting safety practitioners in making workplaces safer worldwide.

“This collaborative approach to safety credentialing provides highly skilled safety professionals additional opportunities for recognition globally,” said BCSP Past President Ashok Garlapati, CSP, QEP, CFIOSH, FASSP. “This MoU is in line with BCSP's strategic objective of working toward global impact by expanding recognition and value of BCSP certification across international markets, ensuring cultural and regulatory relevance. I am glad to have worked alongside IOSH to enhance the careers of proven professionals from our organisations, building their influence so that they can better create a safer world.” 

“As a body committed to championing the global occupational safety and health profession, we are delighted to sign this MoU. It sets out how we plan to continue engaging with BCSP, who we have been successfully collaborating with to drive global standards in occupational safety and health,” said Nicole Rinaldi, IOSH director of Professional Services. “IOSH members and CSPs share a dedication to ensuring people can go to work and return home without being harmed. We believe this MoU, by providing them with the opportunity to expand their credentials, will support them through greater professional recognition globally as well as enhance career development opportunities.”

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Europe
• Date: 19 August 2025
• Year: 2025

The six-month consultation seeks industry feedback on proposed restrictions on PFAS in firefighting foams

Proposed restrictions hope to combat the risks associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances currently used in foams.

The UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has highlighted the risks associated with PFAS, including toxicity, with evidence suggesting PFAS can cause child developmental issues; cancer; and organ damage, mobility, as they easily travel through soil, water and air (with samples found in the Arctic); and persistence, with the chemicals known as 'forever chemicals'.

A six-month public consultation period, running until 18th February, 2026, hopes to establish stakeholder perspectives before introducing restrictions.

The director of the HSE's chemicals regulation division, Dr Richard Daniels, elaborated, "HSE’s proposals have been developed through robust scientific methodology and where possible we have spoken with interested parties from across Great Britain. Now we are looking for more information from our stakeholders.

"We’re seeking evidence-based feedback on our analysis to ensure any future restrictions are proportionate, effective and tailored to Great Britain’s specific needs."

• Date: 25 July 2025
• Year: 2025

A landmark Founding Declaration aimed at promoting safer, healthier, and more sustainable workplaces worldwide was signed as part of Expo 2025 in Osaka-Kansai, Japan this month.

The Declaration marks the launch of the World Assembly of Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellbeing Professionals and Stakeholders, a global network committed to driving collaboration, promoting safety and wellbeing, empowering future leaders, and developing a roadmap of concrete actions leading up to 2030.

The announcement took place during the four-day “Days on safety, health and wellbeing” programme, organised by the Global Initiative for Safety, Health and Wellbeing at the EXPO2025 and Beyond (GISHW).

It is the first time in more than 170 years that workplace safety and health has been spotlighted at a World Expo, underscoring how essential good work is to the Expo’s wider theme: “Designing future society for our lives.” The signing of the Declaration marks the beginning of a five-year collaboration to improve working conditions and protect lives and livelihoods around the globe.

Endorsed by global leaders in the occupational safety and health (OSH) field, the Declaration serves as both a foundation for action and a global call to prioritise health, safety and wellbeing in the world of work. It affirms that these principles are central to building equitable, inclusive, and resilient societies.

The World Assembly provides a unified platform to elevate these priorities, ensuring they remain central to global development conversations.

The signatories have pledged to promote workplace safety and wellbeing by integrating proactive risk management, inclusive design, and ethical technology.

They also aim to enhance international collaboration in response to major challenges such as digital transformation, climate change, and demographic shifts.

Future OSH leaders will be empowered through diverse representation and innovation, while a shared roadmap will guide collective actions through 2030 based on insights from Expo 2025 workshops.

The Declaration sets a clear intention to measure and share progress, with signatories committing to revisit these goals during the GISHW Days in Riyadh in 2030. The World Assembly will remain an active platform for dialogue, learning, and leadership, supporting a sustained global movement to place safety, health, and wellbeing at the heart of working life.

Founding signatories include companies and organisations such as ACWA Power, Siemens AG, GalaxyEDGE Safety Inc, Global Solutions Inc., IOSH, NEBOSH, RoSPA, Lloyd’s Register Foundation and others. 

Marijana Zivkovic Mtegha, member of IOSH and chair of the World Assembly Working Group and vice-chair, GISHW Executive Committee, said, “In a rapidly changing world, driven by geopolitical and economic volatility, digital transformation, climate change and shifting demographics, the need for safe and healthy workplaces is more urgent than ever. This Declaration acknowledges that safety, health, and wellbeing are not only critical to the workplace but are fundamental to the broader societal agenda, including the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and beyond.” 

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Europe
• Date: 15 July 2025
• Year: 2025

New research from Dräger finds that while 96% of employees feel safe at work, there are underlying issues that need to be addressed, such as inadequate training, outdated safety equipment, and poor psychological safety

65% of those surveyed for the Dräger Safety and Health at Work Report 2025, a study exploring attitudes to safety and health topics in UK workplaces, believe that a lack of psychological safety is contributing to physical safety risks in their workplace. Mental health and wellbeing issues are being seen as a lower priority compared to more ‘traditional’ health and safety issues.

There is also a growing concern that organisations are shifting too much responsibility for health safety on to individual employees rather than addressing systemic risks.

Meanwhile 73% indicate that safety training is simply a ‘tick box’ exercise, and 9% of workers said that they had had no safety training in the last five years.

Recent UK economic policy changes, particularly the increase in employer’s National Insurance (NI) contributions, are seen as likely to have a detrimental impact on safety in the workplace, with 77% saying that the recent changes to NI will impact health and safety budgets. This may be further exacerbated by the additional uncertainty created by US global policies in recent months. 66% say that they believe safety equipment in their company is inadequate, outdated or in need of repair.

Impact of AI

AI is seen as having potential to improve safety through automation and training simulations, with 44% of those surveyed believing it could reduce human error by automating repetitive safety checks. Other perceived benefits include improved employee training through immersive simulations, and identification and mitigation of potential hazards. However, 92% of respondents identify risks with AI implementation in the field of workplace safety in the next five years, with over-reliance on AI leading to complacency in safety practices (47%) seen as the leading concern, along with job losses, privacy concerns, and technical failures. There is a consensus that AI should support—not replace—human decision-making in safety-critical roles.

Despite an apparent significant focus by many businesses on the importance of sustainability, including in relation to health and safety procurement, there is a widespread belief that many companies are guilty of ‘greenwashing,’ undermining trust in sustainability and safety initiatives. While many firms show some progress in ESG areas like supply chain and energy use, few are seen as fully committed or transparent in their sustainability actions.

“We are observing the potential evolution of a cynical generation in the workplace – ‘Gen C’ – cynical about the intentions and motives of their employees, whether in providing safety training or in demonstrating their commitment to the environment,” the report comments.

Matthew Bedford, managing director, Draeger Safety UK Ltd commented, “The outlook for businesses continues to be extremely challenging, not least financially. However, it is vital that organisations also remain focused on fundamental issues such as the safety and wellbeing of their employees.

“My hope is that some of the issues highlighted in this year’s research will serve as a wake-up call to UK businesses.

“Despite the vast majority of people reporting that they do feel safe in their workplace, there are clear areas of dissatisfaction and cynicism across key areas which need addressing to prevent negative sentiment developing further."