PPE awareness campaign launched in UK to highlight life-saving workplace protection
Iain Hoey
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BSIF launches PPE Saves campaign to promote safe and informed equipment use
The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has launched a new national campaign titled PPE Saves, aiming to highlight the safety-critical role of personal protective equipment (PPE) in workplaces.
The BSIF said the campaign encourages employers to make informed decisions about PPE selection, certification and use, with the support and involvement of their workforce.
According to the federation, PPE is often underestimated despite being a final and essential line of defence when other safety controls cannot eliminate risk.
PPE highlighted as critical to workplace injury prevention
The BSIF stated that millions of workers in the UK rely on PPE each day for protection from common workplace hazards.
The federation noted that when equipment is well-designed, properly certified, and fitted correctly, it can prevent injury, minimise harm and support long-term health.
The organisation pointed to examples where PPE has a direct safety function, including the use of high-visibility clothing around vehicles, respiratory equipment for asbestos exposure, and helmets to reduce head injury severity.
Research supports role of PPE in reducing harm
The PPE Saves campaign references several research findings to demonstrate the impact of protective equipment in reducing injury and improving outcomes.
The British Medical Journal found that correct non-slip footwear reduced workplace falls by 49 percent.
Data from Manchester Royal Eye Hospital stated that 90 percent of eye injuries could be prevented with the correct protection.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reported that over 1 million people in England and Wales visit A&E for head injuries annually, with proper helmets capable of lowering the impact.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) noted that noise-induced hearing loss is entirely preventable with well-fitted protection and that hand injuries represent 25 percent of non-fatal incidents at work, many of which can be avoided with correct gloves.
BSIF CEO calls for action on product quality and proper specification
BSIF Chief Executive Officer Alan Murray said: “PPE is vital for protecting lives across Britain every single day. But not all PPE performs well, and that’s a serious problem.”
Alan Murray added: “PPE Saves is a campaign dedicated to making sure workers have access to suitable and reliable PPE because investing in quality products isn’t just about safety, it shows you value your people.”
Alan Murray said: “There’s a wide range of innovative, comfortable, and sustainable PPE on the UK market. Yet poor-quality products are still in widespread use, compromising worker comfort and putting lives at risk. That’s why we’re raising awareness of what good PPE looks like, where to find it, and how to make sure it performs.”
The campaign includes a call for personal experiences from workers, employers and safety professionals to share real-life stories of PPE use using the hashtag #PPESaves.
PPE awareness campaign launched in UK to highlight life-saving workplace protection: Summary
The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has launched a national campaign called PPE Saves.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the role personal protective equipment plays in workplace safety.
BSIF stated that PPE is essential when risks cannot be fully eliminated through other safety controls.
The federation said the campaign encourages responsible PPE selection with workforce involvement.
Examples of PPE benefits include preventing falls, eye injuries, asbestos exposure, and hearing loss.
Research cited includes data from BMJ, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, NICE and HSE.
Alan Murray, BSIF CEO, said the campaign seeks to address the problem of low-performing PPE products.
He said that responsible sourcing and quality specification are essential to ensure protection.
The campaign invites stakeholders to share their PPE experiences using the hashtag #PPESaves.
