January 2024

“The lack of market
surveillance and
enforcement in the UK
means it can be
difficult to distinguish
responsible suppliers
from less responsible
ones”
instructions and technical documentation to sell
and distribute Category II and III safety footwear
in the UK.
Employers have a duty of care and are
responsible for ensuring that the PPE they
provide for their workers is properly certified and
approved, too. Not all buyers and specifiers are
aware of this responsibility – and very few will
have all the knowledge or resources they need to
validate suppliers’ claims.
Product failures
The lack of market surveillance and enforcement
in the UK means it can be difficult to distinguish
responsible suppliers from less responsible ones.
Furthermore, the quantity of non-compliant
products being sold in the UK market is on the
rise.
Some products claim UKCA or CE approvals but
have not been appropriately certified. These
items risk serious injury to wearers as well as
exposing businesses to
the risk of prosecution
for failing to protect
their staff.
Our tests on nonmember
products
uncovered some
disturbing failures.
For example, there
has been a
proliferation of so-called
safety footwear that is often
promoted as “unbreakable” or
“indestructible” on social media. These
We encourage all those charged with specifying PPE to:
1) CHECK your supplier is BSIF-registered. BSIF-audited suppliers are compliant, competent
and trustworthy. Don’t settle for less.
2) SELECT appropriate, certified and compliant products. Registered Safety Suppliers can
support the product selection process through their competence, capability and knowledge.
3) 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.
A full list of registered suppliers is available to view at https://www.bsif.co.uk/rsss/
“Many products also failed the compression
tests or had steel toecaps that were not
produced with the correct shape or to the
standards required”
products all too often have not been tested or
accredited to any of the required standards and
failed many of our tests.
Any products that claim to have a protective
midsole should be able to prevent a nail going
through the base of the footwear at a force of
1100 Newtons. However, none of the so-called
“indestructible” products we tested did so. Many
products also failed the compression tests or had
steel toecaps that were not produced with the
correct shape or to the standards required.
Registered Safety Supplier Scheme
The BSIF works hard to
eliminate unsafe, noncompliant
and illegal
safety footwear
from the market.
Members of our
Registered Supplier
Safety Scheme
must sign a formal,
binding declaration
that all safety
products they offer meet
the appropriate standards,
fully comply with PPE regulations
and are correctly UKCA or CE marked. Every year,
we source one item of PPE from members for
assessment by an accredited test laboratory.
We tested 108 items of safety footwear produced
by RSSS members between December 2021 and
December 2022. Whereas 88% of non-member
products tested, failed, 90% of member products
met all requirements on product claims and
documentation. RSSS members whose products
failed to meet the test criteria were required to
rectify issues immediately to remain part of the
scheme. If a member ever refuses corrective
action they will be removed from the scheme and
referred to the authorities.
This is why we always recommend that all UK
buyers and specifiers of safety products and
PPE look for the Registered Safety Supplier
Scheme Shield. Ensuring safety footwear is
fully compliant with all required standards is
hugely challenging. By using a Registered
Safety Supplier, you can be confident that you
are getting genuine, appropriately approved
products that perform as they should.
Contact the BSIF
01442 248744
www.bsif.co.uk
JANUARY 2024 TC 47