Why Cheap Personal Protective Equipment Could Cost The Life Of Your Workers

When workers put on PPE (personal protective equipment) at work, most do so believing that it is their first and most reliable line of defence against workplace hazards. The safety helmets, gloves, and respiratory protection devices used by thousands of workers throughout the UK are trusted to perform when they matter the most. However, the shocking latest findings from the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) reveal that the PPE used by many businesses is not only unreliable but may also pose an active safety risk to workers.

A recent 12-month study found that up to 90% of PPE products tested from non-BSIF-registered providers failed to meet even the most basic safety standards; and this isn’t just an abstract statistic – it is a sobering reality representing thousands of employees who unknowingly rely on potentially dangerous equipment every day.

Shocking Findings Highlight Critical PPE Failures Among Unregistered Providers

In a series of independent tests commissioned between December 2023 and December 2024, the BSIF assessed 161 PPE products purchased from non-member suppliers (often through eBay and other sources). The results were unsettling – only 10% of the tested products were fully compliant with UK safety regulations, with the remainder failing in one way or another. This has serious implications for user safety.

The results for some categories of life-saving and safety-critical PPE had particularly high failure rates, including:

• Head protection: Every single head protection product failed to meet performance standards for penetration resistance and shock absorption.
• Eye and face protection and full protection: once again, 100% of products failed to adequately block particle impacts or ensure reliable safety for fall prevention.
• Hearing protection: 90% of tested products offered inadequate shielding against hazardous noise due to poorly designed components, putting wearers’ hearing at risk.
• Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE): 88% of RPE filters failed to protect adequately against fumes, dust, and other respirable particles, putting users at risk of inhaling silica dust, asbestos and other potentially life-threatening substances.
• Footwear: a shocking 86% of ‘safety shoes’ evaluated failed on core aspects such as toecap compression, electrical protection, and slip resistance, despite many products being heavily marketed for their safety value.
• Gloves: 95% of workplace gloves failed essential tests for cut protection, impact resistance, and abrasion resistance.
• High visibility clothing: 85% of hi-vis garments were deemed to lack sufficient brightness or failed chromaticity tests, which reduced their visibility in low-light environments.

Each failed product represents a genuine risk of injury, respiratory illness, or hearing damage for professionals wearing PPE to safeguard against workplace hazards.

The Contrast With BSIF Registered Suppliers

The findings on PPE safety failures make grim reading. However, a comparative study of 399 products from BSIF registered safety suppliers painted a much brighter picture, with 86% of products passing or exceeding all standards. This contrast emphasises the value and reliability of BSIF suppliers, who are all committed to stringent compliance standards and safety best practices in the way they produce and market their PPE.

At Fire Safe International, we are part of the British Safety Industry Federation, and we can offer protective equipment, which, while not the cheapest, will ensure that your workers are properly equipped and protected. Unlike nonregistered suppliers, who are unregulated and frequently market products with exaggerated or unproven safety claims, BSIF members are bound within the framework of the PPE Regulation. A full list of registered Safe Supplier scheme vendors can be found here, and you can recognise them through the BSIF shield displayed on their website, catalogues, and marketing materials. This is a mark of credibility and assurance that guarantees that the PPE products they provide are independently certified, safety tested, and fully compliant with UK law.

Find Out More

Fire Safe International belongs to the list of PPE providers who are registered with the BSIF, so if you are looking for BSIF-approved PPE in order to protect your workforce adequately, please contact our expert team today by clicking here.

Image Source: Pixabay