The BSIF Registered Safety Supplier Scheme

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE Equipment (PPE) is a highly regulated product category originally falling under the Regulation (EU) 2016/425 now, following the UK’s exit from the EU, incorporated into UK law. This regulation not only covers the products themselves but it also details specific responsibilities and obligations on those businesses who are involved in the supply chain with, all the terms and conditions remaining in the UK’s version of the PPE Regulation. 

So technically nothing, as of now, has changed and indeed neither has the very limited appetite of authorities to enforce the Regulation. During 2020 of course, with the influx of non- conforming PPE there was heightened profile of Covid related product and with the support of BSIF enforcement action increased. However, with the PPE shortages now behind us the underlying laissez faire attitude of the authorities is unchanged. Enforcement by the responsible bodies is nowhere near the level that it needs to be. Without enforcement unfit product gets to the market .That, I am afraid to say is one on the main reasons why the Registered Safety Supplier Scheme is essential. It provides assurance that PPE is fit for purpose, it challenges member businesses to evidence that they are fulfilling all their regulatory responsibilities and it ensures that supply chain staff are educated and understand the market in which they operate. 

The scheme helps assure safety for end users and frankly should be a fundamental basic requirement of a business participating in this category. The experience of the PPE crisis and the thousands of pallets of unusable PPE currently in government stocks should be proof of that, if proof was ever needed!

The mission of the scheme is to provide vital assurance to end users that only compliant and correctly performing products are being supplied through an educated and competent supply chain. End users can identify and select suppliers who have earned the “Shield”, confident in the knowledge that they capable of supporting their needs.

A Registered Safety Supplier Scheme company 

• Formally declares and commits to selling only correctly certified PPE and Safety products that deliver against the claims they make

• Submits to BSIF one item of PPE or Safety Equipment annually for further independent testing against these claims

• Through auditing by BSIF, demonstrate that they meet all the responsibilities of Regulation (EU) 2016/425 as incorporated into UK law

• Commits to having customer facing staff educated and accredited in the Safe Supply programme 

• Maintains an up to date Quality Policy, including demonstrating the ability to perform an effective product recall, in the event of a problem

  • Holds all necessary authorisations for any service provision they supply
    ….. and finally, as a BSIF member

• Trades honestly and ethically

The scheme has grown over the years and with it the challenge of ensuring that its management can deliver all the auditing, testing and investigation required. I am pleased to say that in February 2021 BSIF added a further full time “Auditor and Assessor” to the team challenged to deliver the key assurance protocols. As never before the scheme is now able to cover and discharge the vital task that it has taken on.

Let’s look at the picture in 2021, albeit, not quite the full year. Within the member audits 270 have been undertaken running to completion with follow ups on some outstanding details required. Within the audit conditions illustrated above there is the key task of the testing of PPE offered to the market and an overview of the results so far this year are below.

Scheme Member PPE and Product Audits and Testing
Complete	Pending	Pass	Fail
247	34	223	24
281		247

PPE Type	Pending	Pass	Fail
Head		9	1
Eye/Face	1	14
RPE	17	66	1
Hearing		1
Clothing		18	1
Hi-Vis	2	26	2
Hand/Arm	4	40	13
Foot	8	48	5
Face Coverings	2		1
Safety Products		1
Totals	34	223	24

The product testing goes across the range of PPE types and covers both performance testing of the items and an audit of the required documentation, as stipulated by the Regulation. As you can see even within the scheme membership there are failures, currently running at over 9% of those completed. Errors happen but, as a scheme member, corrective action is required immediately in order to maintain their RSSS status. I am pleased to say that in all cases the appropriate steps have been taken with products quarantined where necessary.

That is the picture within the membership but there are more (and more) businesses offering PPE and Safety products who do not feel the need to belong to BSIF or do as they are required by legislation. From the point of view of safety, the RSSS also tests product from non-members and the picture there can be quite alarming.

These are the results of non RSSS member tests during 2021.

Non-Member PPE/Product Audits
Complete		Pending		Pass		Fail
75		5		14		61
80				75
PPE Type	Pending		Pass		Fail
Head					2
Eye/Face					4
RPE			6		30
Hearing					1
Clothing			5		3
Hi-Vis	1				4
Hand/Arm	1				10
Foot	3		3		7
Face Covering
Safety Products
Totals	5		14		61

Here we see a failure rate of over 80%, alarming as I said. Now, while BSIF will intervene and engage with non-members to protect the market, we have no right of sanction and our efforts amount to persuasion. Where we get negative responses as we often do we will report the situation to either Trading Standards or the Health and Safety Executive. What happens then, if anything, is out of our hands. 

We will maintain our efforts to ensure the authorities take our product category seriously and enact the necessary interventions and indeed carry out their statutory responsibility. Am I confident that their engagement will increase? No I am not.

The RSSS is critical to assuring safety and creating a fair market, so in 2022 BSIF will add even further resource to ensuring the end users understand why, while anyone can sell safety and PPE they should always insist on sourcing from a Registered Safety Supplier.

For more information, visit www.bsif.co.uk