Driving and celebrating innovation

BSIF CEO David Lummis discusses how continual innovation in the safety industry is helping keep employees safe and explains what role the BSIF plays in promoting this innovation

Every employee has a right to work in an environment
that poses no risk to their health and safety. In 1974 a
key piece of legislation was enforced that would
influence the working lives of many – the Health and Safety at
Work Act 1974. This is a primary piece of legislative framework
which covers occupational health and safety in the United
Kingdom (UK) and it was introduced to deliver significant
improvements in workplace health and safety, including
requiring employers to ensure that the correct Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) is worn by its workforce. Since its
inception, The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Regulations (known as COSHH) has been introduced and this
is viewed as one of the most important pieces of legislation
relating to chemical hazards at work. COSHH requires
employers to undertake certain legal duties, including risk
assessment, prevention or control of exposure, use and
maintenance of controls, health surveillance and provision of
information and training. Whilst these two key pieces of
legislation have been enhanced by a number of new laws and
amendments, they were certainly a catalyst for the ongoing
design and manufacture of quality PPE.

Although the concept of personal protection was not new at this
time, the legislation brought a heavier emphasis on the use of
PPE. The equipment needed to protect workers, the look and
comfort of the product was not a priority. However, as the years
evolved, the users of this equipment demanded more, it simply
wasn’t enough for it to function, it needed to be comfortable,
look good and protect. This, combined with a more highly
skilled and educated workforce has created higher expectations
from PPE end users. This demand for better PPE has in turn
fuelled PPE product development.

Manufacturing is currently the subject of heightened policy
attention in the UK, much of which can be attributed to the goal of
‘rebalancing’ the economy away from an overdependence on
services ? notably financial services ? and towards the production of
‘real’ goods. Innovative firms will help drive the new breakthroughs
which bring long-term wider benefits to the economy.

This need for innovation within the manufacturing industry
reflects the situation already existing in our occupational safety
markets. The UK’s occupational safety regime has an admirable
record and the UK has long been viewed as one of the world
leaders in workplace health and safety. The innovative use of
new solutions and technologies helps contribute to this success.

Providing industry recognition
With this innovation comes the need for industry recognition.
Each year, the BSIF’s Safety Awards highlight and encourage
innovative solutions to safety problems. Past winners of the
product innovation awards have included products that have
incorporated new technologies, simplified complex processes or
just overcome a hazard that has continued to damage workers
health up until that point. Last year’s winner, Sperian, designed
a product that accurately measured the actual effectiveness of
earplugs in use by an individual, whilst the prior year’s winner,
Polyco, produced a product that helped overcome problems in
the meat industry by developing a new glove fibre that offered
dexterity, wearabilty and maximum protection.

These products though are just the tip of the iceberg. Since
then, new competition entries include, stable, robust and
lightweight helmets, very low resistance respirators, specialist antiarc
clothing using new materials, online training and assessments
and better ways of displaying safety signs, to name just a few.

Nevertheless, it would be fair to say that product innovation is
just part of the story. The BSIF safety excellence awards have
commended new services and operating methods that have
offered real innovation to UK employers, making employees
safer and often contributing to cost savings.

This year the 2011 BSIF Safety Award winners will be announced
at the forthcoming Safety & Health Expo (17th ? 19th May) at
the NEC. Once again, we have received an outstanding set of
entries and the competition and innovation continues fiercely.

The PPE market is heavily dependent on technological
innovations and it seems that UK safety equipment manufacturers
do not fail to disappoint. The UK continually delivers new
innovative ways to spread the word of health and safety with most
recently, a Manchester businessman creating an innovative
hairdressing health and safety application for the iphone. With new
technology comes new opportunities. The UK Government
need look no further to find
a success story of innovation.