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New market surveillance data from the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) highlights widespread failures in PPE performance, certification, and documentation.
According to findings published in BSIF’s new white paper, Combatting Substandard PPE in the UK, 82 per cent of personal protective equipment (PPE) products sourced from non-registered suppliers failed to meet required standards during testing in 2025.
The results are based on testing and compliance assessments carried out between January 2025 and January 2026, during which BSIF assessed 88 PPE products sourced from suppliers outside the BSIF Registered Safety Supplier Scheme. In total, 116 individual tests were conducted, alongside detailed reviews of certification, technical documentation, and product marking.
Only 18 per cent of the products tested met all applicable regulatory requirements. The remaining 82 per cent failed due to technical performance failures, missing or invalid certification, inadequate documentation, incorrect product marking, or a combination of these issues.
While 43 per cent of products tested resulted in a direct technical performance failure, the overall non-compliance rate rose sharply once documentation and marking issues were included. Under UK PPE regulations, products that lack valid certification, Declarations of Conformity, or correct CE/UKCA markings are deemed non-compliant regardless of laboratory performance.
BSIF warns that missing or misleading documentation removes any reliable assurance that PPE has been tested against the correct standards or hazard categories, leaving buyers and users unable to confirm whether equipment is suitable for the risks it claims to protect against.
Testing revealed consistently high failure rates across almost every PPE category, with some reaching 100 per cent non-compliance for selected products among non-registered suppliers:
- 100 per cent of hearing protection products tested failed to meet required standards
- 100 per cent of fall protection equipment failed to meet test criteria
- 94 per cent of head protection products did not meet required test criteria
- 86 per cent of eye and face protection products failed tests
- 84 per cent of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) had ineffective filters
- 84 per cent of protective clothing, including flame-retardant and chemical garments, failed tests
- 84 per cent of high-visibility jackets failed brightness and visibility requirements
- 83 per cent of hand protection products left workers inadequately protected
- 79 per cent of safety footwear failed overall compliance checks
- 91 per cent of sports and motorcycle protective equipment did not pass testing
The white paper details repeated and serious failure modes identified during testing, and in many cases, products failed multiple criteria simultaneously, compounding the level of risk faced by users.
Commenting on the findings, John Hooker, CEO of BSIF, said: “These findings should concern anyone responsible for worker health and safety. PPE is often the last line of defence against serious injury or harm. When 82 per cent of products from non-registered suppliers fail to meet regulatory requirements — whether through performance failure or missing certification — it highlights a clear compliance gap in the market.
“This is not about minor administrative issues; it is about ensuring that equipment relied upon to protect lives is genuinely fit for purpose. Buyers must verify what they are purchasing and ensure they can evidence compliance.”
Roy Wilders, RSS Scheme Manager, added: “What we are seeing in testing is not isolated or technical nuance, it is fundamental failure. We saw respiratory filters that did not filter effectively, helmets that transmitted excessive force, and protective garments that burned so aggressively testing had to be stopped.
“Equally concerning is the volume of missing or misleading documentation. Without valid Declarations of Conformity, correct markings, and clear user instructions, there is no reliable assurance that a product has ever been properly assessed. That leaves workers exposed and employers vulnerable.”
By contrast, PPE sourced from BSIF Registered Safety Suppliers demonstrated a 96 per cent compliance rate, with any issues typically limited to minor documentation matters that were addressed promptly.
BSIF is urging buyers, specifiers, and dutyholders to verify supplier credentials, scrutinise documentation, and look for the BSIF Registered Safety Supplier shield as a clear indicator of compliance, transparency, and a commitment to high standards.
