The Provision of Inclusive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Guide (BS 30417), freely available to support accessibility, aims to address the longstanding issue of ill-fitting PPE. Traditionally designed around the ‘average man,’ PPE often falls short in meeting the needs of today’s diverse workforce.

Published by BSI in its capacity as the UK national standards body, its release comes as new research shows that 46% of British women who have been supplied PPE or uniform have been supplied something that doesn’t fit¹. In industries ranging from construction and healthcare to policing, poor fit isn't just an inconvenience, it can pose serious safety risks, threaten long-term health, or drive skilled professionals out of sectors already struggling with labour shortage.

PPE designed without consideration for gender, ethnicity, body shape, age, or disability not only causes discomfort but leads to compromised safety, increased injury risk, lower job satisfaction, and even drives skilled workers away. According to a recent study by Focal Data, 36% of UK women and 45% of women globally have been supplied inappropriate PPE. In one example, earlier this month reports highlighted police officers in Scotland resorting to buying their own uniforms due to poor quality and ill-fitting kit, or managing via non-standard workarounds.

The standard offers practical, evidence-based guidance for organisations to reduce workplace risks and improve compliance by providing PPE that truly fits all employees. It is designed to promote enhanced performance and productivity through better fitting, more comfortable equipment, while also helping organisations boost recruitment and retention by addressing a key factor in workforce wellbeing and job satisfaction. It supports legislative and safety obligations with clear, actionable recommendations, and encourages innovation and industry leadership in PPE provision.

Anne Hayes, director of sectors and standards development, BSI said: “The provision of inclusive protective equipment isn’t just a matter of compliance, it’s a matter of respect, dignity, and safety for every individual in the workforce. Ultimately, it is about ensuring workers are equipped to get on with their jobs, in roles where their skills and experience are of considerable value. By providing PPE for everyone, we help build safer, more productive workplaces and stop skilled workers from leaving because they feel they don’t belong.”

Kirsteen Sullivan MP, member of parliament for Bathgate and Linlithgow, said: “Since first meeting with local PPE manufacturers in November 2024, I have been shocked by the scale of poor fit PPE and companies relying on non-regulation products. The BSI has built a coalition which reflects manufacturers, experts, workers’ experience, and employers to deliver this new standard for British industry, and I am immensely proud to stand alongside them as they prepare to launch the standard. This is the perfect opportunity to match Britain’s project to re-industrialise with the PPE needs of the expanding and diverse workforce.”

Katy Robinson, founder of The PPE Campaign and senior project manager at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The launch of BS 30417 for the Provision of Inclusive PPE is a pivotal step for the campaigns that have been echoing across the construction industry over the last few years to bring about emphasis on the correct fit of PPE. In an industry where we have increasing diversity, it is vital that we work to ensure that everyone can work safely and comfortably, no matter their gender, ethnicity, religion, or disability.”

Natalie Wilson, BS 30417 chair, founder nd managing director Workwear Solutions International Ltd, said: “The positive impact this Standard will have for users of PPE starts with equity of access to correctly fitting PPE across diverse workforces, and leads to attracting and retaining talent, supporting people to return to work following long-term absences, and ultimately allowing more people to be able to operate safely across all industries. I am incredibly proud of the work undertaken from concept to launch of the Standard, and I’m excited to see its practical implementation over the coming months.”

Dr Debbie Janson, associate Professor – people-led, University of Bath, said: “The introduction of BS 30417 is a landmark moment; it provides practical, evidence-based guidance for making PPE inclusive by design, provision and use. It supports my goal of driving change in industries where "making do" has too often been the norm for those who don’t fit traditional standards. In a time when many sectors are facing serious skills shortages, the provision of properly designed PPE is a simple but powerful way to show that all workers are respected and supported.”

Rowshi Hussain, senior geo-environmental engineer, Curtins, said “Being a part of the BS 30417 Provision of Inclusive PPE Guidance committee was extremely important to me given I represented a minority voice within the industry. The British Standard and committee have really empowered me to drive for change within the construction industry by creating a safe space to voice my opinions, challenge my own unconscious bias and open my eyes to the challenges of what ‘Inclusive’ PPE means for myself and for others beyond my own industry.”

BSI encourages organisations to download the freely available BS 30417 standard and join the upcoming series of industry-supported webinars on the topic of inclusive PPE, which are scheduled for 2026. You can find further information, here.

Lab 21 Healthcare Ltd, a clinical diagnostics company that operated a high-containment laboratory at Millwey Rise Industrial Estate in Axminster, was fined £52,000. It followed similar action taken against the Devon site’s previous operator Omega Diagnostics Ltd, after that company was fined £35,000 in May of this year.

Both companies carried out work with high hazard infectious organisms such as Salmonella typhi – which can cause typhoid fever – without providing legally required advanced notification to the HSE. Typhoid fever is known to cause potentially severe disease and can spread to the community.

The regulations for working with high hazard infectious agents are some of the tightest in the world.

HSE specialist inspector Mark Cuff inspected the site in April 2019 and an investigation was subsequently carried out which identified failures he described as “both foreseeable and readily avoidable”.

Those failures included key safety equipment not being adequately maintained or tested frequently enough to confirm they were working properly and safely, while the poor condition of the laboratory was such, that safe and effective disinfection was not possible.

These failures substantially increased the risk of exposure to not only those working in the lab, but to the wider public. As well as Salmonella typhi, other risks included exposure to the highly toxic formaldehyde gas, which was used for disinfecting the laboratory. This was particularly significant as the laboratory was situated on an industrial estate with a gym and bakery close by.

Besides being aware of falling short of the legal requirements, Lab 21 Healthcare Limited continued the high-hazard work over a period of about seven months, before belatedly making HSE aware, ceasing its operations, and initiating actions to remedy its shortcomings.

HSE guidance states that employers must notify work with high hazard infectious agents and take steps to adequately control exposure to hazardous infectious agents. The notification requirements and stringent control measures for high-containment laboratories are clearly defined within The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002 (as amended). For example, the laboratory needs to be sealable for fumigation and safety critical plant and equipment (e.g., ventilation) needs to be regularly maintained and tested (COSHH 2002, Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (PDF) ).

Lab21 Healthcare Ltd, of York House School Lane, Chandler’s Ford, Eastleigh, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 7(10) Schedule 3 as well as Regulation 9(1) and 9(2) of COSHH 2002 (as amended). Lab 21 Healthcare Ltd. was fined £52,000 and ordered to pay £26,000 in costs at Exeter Crown Court on 11 September 2025.

Omega Diagnostics Ltd (the previous operator), c/o Shepherd & Wedderburn LLP, of 9 Haymarket Square, Edinburgh was also prosecuted under the same charges to which it pleaded guilty. The company stopped work following identifying the failure to notify its work with high hazard infectious agents. The company was fined £35,000 and ordered to pay £26,887 in costs at Exeter Magistrates Court on 22 May 2025.

HSE specialist microbiology inspector Mark Cuff said: “What is stark about this case is that it was not one but two companies that failed to notify HSE of their work with high hazard pathogens.

“Not only did both fail to notify HSE, they also failed to ensure that key plant and equipment on which the safety of the work relied was maintained properly.

“The circumstances were both foreseeable and readily avoidable had appropriate control measures been implemented and HSE made aware of the work.

“In the case of Lab 21 Healthcare Ltd, the company was not only aware of the relevant legal requirements, and its shortfall in meeting them, but also chose to ignore them over an extended period; the motivations for which were both – commercially driven and the avoidance of regulatory scrutiny.”

“Although there was no release from the facility or actual harm, the likely public expectation in such circumstances is that the companies should be held accountable. “

The laboratory was subsequently closed in 2019.

This HSE prosecution was brought by barrister Sam Jones, HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells and paralegal officer Gabrielle O’Sullivan.

They cite one recent project where an unqualified multi-trade contractors installed ductwork with serious safety flaws, creating health risks and fire hazards. Both trade bodies fear that, rather than being an isolated example, it may be ‘the tip of the iceberg’.

Nathan Wood, BESA’s London & South East regional chair, said: “We are still seeing specifications being value engineered to the max and many construction trades being squeezed on price. The result is that non-competent multi-trade outfits are undercutting professional ventilation installers and thermal insulation contractors.”

The faulty installation cited featured poorly insulated ducting, which created condensation and mould growth.

He added: “Condensation can quickly allow mould to germinate, within 24 to 48 hours. This mould growth then produces spores which spread to other damp areas, multiplying the issues.”

This is exactly the kind of problem that the forthcoming Awaab’s Law is designed to prevent. Due to come into force in October 2025, it is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died following prolonged exposure to mould in his Rochdale home.

It will set strict deadlines for landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould – but its impact depends upon the competence of those carrying out the work. Without properly trained and accredited contractors, the law risks becoming a box-ticking exercise rather than a safeguard for residents’ health.

Wood said: “This is a colossal change in legislation. Preparation starts with organisations verifying both the competence of their skilled trade workers and the organisational capabilities of the specialist sub-contractors they employ.”

However, the risks extend far beyond mould. Chris Ridge, TICA’s technical director, highlighted the incorrect use of flammable rigid insulation board on the project.

He said: “The board in question is a Polyisocyanurate (PIR) board that is not certified for use with ductwork. In fact, the Euroclass reaction to fire for this product will be either Euroclass E or Euroclass F.”

Euroclass E indicates a high contribution to fire, while Euroclass F signifies a material with little or no resistance to fire.

TICA has repeatedly called for PIR boards to be banned from internal duct applications, first in 2022 and again in 2024.

Ridge added: “It is frustrating to see such flammable products still being used on internally located ductwork. A competent thermal insulation specialist would know better, but a non-competent multi-trade contractor may not.

“If the client had verified the organisational capabilities of the contractor rather than reward on price and convenience, this would not have happened. In this case, the appointment of a non-competent multi-trade organisation has led to multiple dangers.”

BESA and TICA stress that clients must verify competence and organisational capability before appointing contractors for safety-critical building services work.

The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has joined a broad coalition of organisations, led by Which?, urging the government to introduce strong secondary legislation to support the new Product Regulation and Metrology (PRAM) Act. The group is calling for clear measures to hold online marketplaces accountable for unsafe products sold through their platforms, ensuring a level playing field with traditional retail.

The health and safety sector has long seen the dangers of non-compliant and unsafe PPE entering the UK market through online channels. The PRAM Act, passed in July 2025, establishes a framework for a new duty on online marketplaces and equips regulators with tougher enforcement powers to protect consumers. However, the effectiveness of this framework will depend on robust and enforceable secondary legislation.

In an open letter to the Minister Justin Madders MP, the coalition sets out the strong consensus among UK businesses, consumer groups, and public safety organisations in support of secondary regulations that would:

• Introduce a clear duty to make online marketplaces accountable for the safety of all products sold, including proactively preventing the sale of unsafe products on their platforms. 
• Empower regulators to issue heavy fines or to then take further enforcement action for online marketplaces that fall short of the required standards.

BSIF CEO, John Hooker, comments: “The BSIF strongly welcomes the PRAM Act as a significant step in strengthening product safety and protecting the integrity of the UK marketplace. However, legislation on its own is insufficient. We share the view that only firm, consistently enforced rules with real sanctions will stop online marketplaces from enabling unsafe products to reach buyers.

“Robust enforcement is essential not only to safeguard buyers but also to guarantee fair competition for responsible businesses, including BSIF members, who invest in compliance and safety. We look forward to working closely with government, regulators, and industry partners to ensure the Act delivers meaningful improvements in product safety across all sales channels.”

Policy leads at the Department for Business and Trade are currently preparing proposals for ministerial approval. BSIF will participate fully in all relevant consultations.

A report into the safety habits and attitudes of lone workers has revealed issues around mental health, productivity and a lack of confidence when it comes to reporting incidents.

The study, Lone Worker Safety: Perceptions, Realities and Business Impact, conducted by leading lone worker technology provider Peoplesafe, found that feeling unsafe was more likely than experiencing a safety incident. Significantly, these safety concerns impacted on the productivity of 18% of workers (1 in 5). Extrapolating this one in five to a larger workforce suggests a substantial loss in output.

Blind spot

The survey canvassed lone workers from a range of industries including transport, healthcare and hospitality and revealed that 43% reported feeling unsafe at some point in their work environment. 

Responses to workforce safety concerns were found to be lacking, with 68% of workers revealing that their employers did nothing when they raised issues around their personal safety. It suggests a safety blind spot between employers and workforce. 

In some cases, this lack of action was so ingrained that many no longer flagged incidents. “It’s part of my job,” said one respondent, accepting the role will continue to make them feel unsafe. “You just get on with it,” said another.

This attitude exists despite trade bodies and the HSE continuing to show an increase in incidents of abuse, violence and aggression among lone workers. Data from Peoplesafe’s own Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) reveals a 26% increase in the number of genuine incident alarms, with the prevailing categories both verbal abuse and physical violence.

Customer threats

When asked what made them feel unsafe while lone working, having to work early or late and dealing with members of the public were the two main concerns cited in the survey. 

“A customer threatened to wait for me and kill me after my shift,” shared one respondent, revealing the level of abuse public-facing workers can face.

Having little support in these environments only amplified these unsafe feelings. “I often work on my own in our temporary office until 5pm as this is when my shift ends,” a worker said expressing concern at having to work late. “Other people finish at 4:30 and I often worry about something happening to me and no one around to help.”

Revealing the dynamic and complex nature of lone workers, employees who start work early, overlap with shift patterns, or stay late to complete a task are effectively lone working during these pinch points and become exposed to lone worker risks causing safety concerns.

The report also found that feeling unsafe had a detrimental impact on workers’ wellbeing – with 47% reporting that these workplace experiences had directly affected their mental health.

“I’m often lone working and have anxiety about visiting certain areas or properties,” one respondent shared. “It badly affected my mental health and made me anxious and depressed, so I had to take time off work,” another said. 

Commenting on the research, Lone worker expert and former group risk head of safety at Co-Op Sue-Parker Tantush suggests employers reframe their approach to wellbeing. “As lone working increases alongside workforce reductions, it’s disappointing to see person-centred risks assessment still so often overlooked as we continue to be focused on-task.”

Technology, she says, is “important” but must be part of a wider blueprint that ultimately forges trust. “Seeing risk through the eyes of your employees not only shows you care, it ensure you’re choosing the right solutions to truly support them.”

Technology

The report also gauges technology use and the role it plays in safety management strategies. Awareness seems to be a key barrier to its application with 15% of those surveyed unaware what lone worker technology is, yet those who did use a device or app said they felt safer while working (45%).

Lone worker technology has advanced rapidly in the last five years with the development of app-based solutions, wider network coverage from eSIMs and wearable smart watch integrations. According to the Berg Insight report, the lone worker market value in Europe is expected to grow to €178 million in 2029 representing a CAGR of 4.5%.

For employers, it’s important to recognise that the right technology, combined with a strong culture of safety, can restore employee confidence, lower risk and improve business performance.

The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) most recent inspection campaign has identified significant failings in workplace hearing protection, uncovering issues with employee training and equipment management. 

One in four workplaces had noise levels requiring mandatory hearing protection, placing crucial responsibilities on employers to ensure proper provision and management of protective equipment. However, inspections revealed concerning gaps in implementation. 

At high-noise workplaces, more than 75% of employees lacked essential knowledge about storing hearing protection, checking for damage, or reporting equipment faults to employers. Nearly two-thirds (63%) had not received guidance on the critical importance of wearing protection continuously during exposure to harmful noise levels. 

Training deficiencies were particularly evident, with 80% of employees receiving no instruction on proper wearing techniques, including avoiding interference from hats and hoods, keeping hair clear of earmuffs, or ensuring compatibility with other personal protective equipment such as hard hats and eye protection. 

Most significantly, 95% of employers had failed to verify whether workers wearing hearing protection could still detect vital warning signals, including fire alarms and vehicle reversing alerts. 

Chris Steel, HSE’s principal specialist inspector, said: “The gaps that we found in implementation are serious. They place an added risk to workers of excessive exposure to noise when they may believe they are being protected.  

“If your defence against workplace noise is to give your workers hearing protection then you need to check that it works. How confident are you that the hearing protection you have supplied is in good order, is being worn when it should be, how it should be, and that it is not stopping your workers from hearing warning signals?” 

To address these issues, HSE is promoting the CUFF checking system to help employers assess hearing protection effectiveness. 

The acronym covers Condition (equipment integrity), Use (proper deployment when needed), Fit the ear (correct wearing), and Fit for purpose (appropriate specification). 

HSE specialists will deliver guidance at industry events and webinars, providing practical advice on implementing effective hearing protection programmes and using the CUFF system to safeguard workers from noise-induced hearing damage. 

Read a feature piece from HSE’s principal specialist inspector Chris Steel.

This key finding, from a survey of over 1,100 employers, highlights the urgent need for organisations to proactively address workforce health. This includes understanding the impact ill health - both mental and physical - can have on individuals, and creating cultures where people feel genuinely supported in the management of their health at work.

There are also clear benefits for organisations such as reduced absence and improved employee engagement and performance, the research finds.

The CIPD’s Health and wellbeing at work report 2025, supported by Simplyhealth, finds that absence levels have risen as more working adults face long-term health conditions. This is also reflected in the government’s Keep Britain Working review, which found that around 8.7 million people are now living with a work-limiting condition*.

When asked about the top three causes of long-term absence (four weeks or more) in their organisation, the most common responses from employers were: 

• Mental ill health, such as depression or anxiety (41%) 
• Musculoskeletal injuries, such as back pain (31%)  
• Other long-term health conditions, such as cancer (30%) 

The top causes of short-term absence (up to four weeks) were:  

• Minor illnesses, such as colds/flu (78%) 
• Mental ill health, such as depression or anxiety (29%) 
• Stress, and caring responsibilities for children (both 26%) 

To reduce sickness absence, the report urges employers to take a proactive approach to managing health risks at work, ensure that jobs don’t contribute to poor health, and provide effective support for employees with long-term conditions.

Rachel Suff, senior wellbeing adviser at the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, said: "It's really important for individuals, organisations and society that employers take a proactive approach to support people managing health conditions while working. The longer someone is off, the more they might struggle to return. Long or repeated periods of sickness absence can make it difficult for organisations to plan their work, and unplanned absences can also place additional strain on colleagues.

“As people are working and living longer, employers need to create workplaces that are supportive and help staff manage their health. Changes, like flexible hours and adjustments to workload, can often make a big difference to help prevent ill health from worsening and absence.

“Employers should also focus support on the areas where it’s needed most by addressing the main health risks to people. Since mental ill health is a leading cause of absence, taking targeted action to help employees deal with both work-related stress and personal challenges is crucial.”  

Paul Schreier, CEO, Simplyhealth, commented: “Despite a concerning rise in ill health nationwide, the report highlights the positive commitment from businesses to enhance employee wellbeing, with more companies adopting dedicated wellbeing strategies.  

 “Employers have a crucial role in supporting employee health and driving a preventative approach, helping individuals stay in work while managing health conditions, benefitting both their workforce and the wider economy. 

“By offering preventative care through easy-to-access health benefits that target the key drivers of absence – mental ill health, musculoskeletal issues and minor illnesses - employees are able to seek support early, before symptoms escalate. Providing affordable and accessible care, which is available to all employees 24/7, not just senior staff – can help employees recover quicker and return to work sooner. To help them make the most of these benefits, clear communication and a supportive culture are essential.” 

Employers’ approach still largely reactive 

The survey finds that the majority of business leaders recognise the value good health and wellbeing can bring organisations. Almost three-quarters of those surveyed (74%) say employee wellbeing is on senior leaders’ agendas, up markedly from 61% in 2020.

However, despite most organisations taking steps to improve employee health and wellbeing, these actions are still largely reactive. For example, the most common measures taken to support mental health include access to counselling (43%), phased return to work or other reasonable adjustments (43%) and providing access to employee assistance programmes (41%).

Training managers to support staff with mental ill health is less common (29%). Where training is provided, it makes a tangible difference. For example, 63% of employers say managers feel confident to spot the signs of mental ill health and 73% say they feel confident to have sensitive conversations and signpost to support (compared with 45% and 57%, respectively, where employers don’t train managers).

* Source: Keep Britain Working Review: Discovery report. 

Pirtek’s ongoing call-to-action surrounding the awareness of men’s mental health is the purpose of its Under the Hard Hat (UTHH) campaign. UTHH launched in October last year in partnership with men’s suicide prevention charity Andy’s Man Club and former Special Forces Soldier, Ollie Ollerton.

Drawing on insights from UTHH, Pirtek highlights the scale of the issue and the cultural barriers that prevent many men from seeking help. “Mental health is an invisible force that affects every one of us,” says Martyn Smart, QHSE manager at Pirtek UK & Ireland.

“But in industries where toughness is the norm, vulnerability is often seen as a weakness. That mindset is costing lives. We need to stop assuming resilience means silence. Real strength is found in openness, empathy, and support.”

Key findings from Pirtek’s 2024 UTHH survey found:

• 94% of professionals have felt stressed, anxious, depressed or lonely.
• 14 in every 100 workers have experienced thoughts of self-harm or suicide. 
• Mental health-related absence is three times higher than the national average.
• 41% of workplaces lack sufficient mental health support.
• Over half of workers feel uncomfortable or awkward discussing their mental health.

Smart continues: “We need to stop telling people to ‘man up’ and start asking them how they really are. Mental health support should be as visible and normalised as a hard hat on site.”

Taking action in the workplace

1. Lead with openness

In environments where strength is often equated with silence, leaders can set a new tone. A simple “I’ve had days like that too” can break down barriers and show your team it’s okay to talk. It’s not about oversharing; it’s about being real. When openness comes from the top, it creates space for others to follow.

2. Check in before it’s critical

Mental health issues rarely appear overnight. Regular, informal check-ins, whether during toolbox talks or over a coffee, can help spot signs early. Ask how people are doing and listen without rushing to try and fix the issue. It’s about creating a rhythm of care, not just reacting when things go wrong.

3. Make support easy to find and talk about

Support only works if people know it’s there and feel okay using it. Put resources where they’ll be noticed such as break rooms, payslips, team briefings and talk about them regularly. When support is part of everyday conversation, it becomes easier to reach for when it’s needed.

4. Challenge outdated attitudes

The ‘man up’ mentality still exists but it’s fading. Leaders can accelerate that shift by encouraging peer support, sharing stories, and celebrating vulnerability as a strength. Make it clear that looking out for each other is part of the job, not a personal favour.

5. Offer more than one route to help

With NHS wait times for mental health support continuing to grow, workplaces need to offer alternatives. A recent analysis by Rethink Mental Illness found that people are eight times more likely to wait over 18 months for mental health treatment than for physical healthcare. That kind of delay can be devastating.

Employers can help by signposting services like Andy’s Man Club, Hub of Hope, and the Breakpoint app. Consider introducing mental health first aiders, employee assistance programmes (EAPs), or informal peer support networks. The more options people have, the more likely they are to reach out before reaching crisis point.

If you want to learn more about Pirtek’s Under the Hard Hat, head over to its dedicated page where you can find helpful resources including videos, blog posts and podcast.

Mandatory sight tests for drivers over the age of 70 could be included as part of an overhaul of driving laws in the new road safety strategy, set to be published in the autumn.

Responding to the move, Adam Sampson, chief executive of the Association of Optometrists (AOP) said: "We welcome the potential changes to driving laws in England and Wales that will tighten up vision standards, as a long-overdue step toward modernising road safety.

“The introduction of compulsory sight tests for motorists over 70, alongside wider changes, signals a decisive break from complacency in the face of preventable tragedies.

“For too long, the UK has relied on a self-reporting model for visual standards - one of the laxest regimes in Europe - despite mounting evidence that it puts lives at risk. 

“We have long called for changes to a system that simply isn't working in the interest of public safety.

“The recent inquest into deaths caused by drivers with eyesight problems laid bare the human cost of inaction. Introducing routine sight tests for drivers is a proportionate and necessary response to ensure fitness to drive – and something that we have been clear about in our calls to Government.”

Dr Gillian Rudduck MCOptom, president of The College of Optometrists said: “An introduction of mandatory sight tests for drivers aged over 70 would be a welcome step in improving vision standards for drivers in the UK. But the rules could go further to ensure that UK standards are in alignment to those internationally. We are calling for a mandatory requirement for all drivers to submit evidence of an up-to-date sight test at licence application and renewal, every 10 years and then every 3 years from age 70, to align with age-related eye conditions and deterioration in visual function. This would enable early detection and treatment of eye conditions that may be otherwise asymptomatic, and utilises regulated sight tests that are delivered by registered optometrists on the High Street across the UK.”

The UK is one of only three European countries to rely on self-reporting of visual conditions that affect a person's ability to drive.

In April, HM Senior Coroner for Lancashire Dr James Adeley brought an inquest into four road deaths, in which the Association of Optometrists and College of Optometrists gave evidence.

Dr Adeley sent a report to transport secretary Heidi Alexander to say action should be taken to prevent future deaths, after he found enforcement of visual legal standards for drivers was “unsafe”.

Over 720,000 people dying by suicide globally each year. While it’s not known exactly how many suicides are related to work, IOSH is highlighting the life-saving potential of psychologically safe work environments and everyday conversations in the workplace.

Workplaces are uniquely positioned to spot changes in behaviour, mood, or performance of individual employees. IOSH is encouraging employers to foster compassionate cultures that are psychologically safe and reduce stigma. It encourages workplaces where mental health is openly discussed, and where colleagues feel safe to speak up and seek help.

Taking action

Key actions can include:

• Regular check-ins between managers and team members
• Peer support networks and mental health champions
• Creating time and space for open conversations
• Identifying and managing psychosocial risks as part of risk assessments
• Providing education, training and awareness on mental health and suicide prevention

Ruth Wilkinson, IOSH head of policy and public affairs, said: “We recognise that not everyone is an expert on mental health. But just taking the time and asking someone how they’re really doing, listening without judgement, acting with confidentiality and showing you truly care can be hugely beneficial to someone who is struggling.

“We want to remind everyone: you don’t have to fix someone’s problems — you just have to be there. A simple ‘How are you?’ can be the start of hope.”

Changing the narrative

The theme of this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day is Changing the narrative on suicide. The International Association for Suicide Prevention said: “Changing the narrative on suicide is about transforming how we perceive this complex issue. It’s about shifting from a culture of silence and lack of understanding to one of openness, empathy, and support.”

IOSH also supports the upcoming British Standard BS 30480, which will provide guidance on suicide prevention in the workplace, helping organisations embed supportive practices into their culture.