A white paper on substandard PPE has found 82% of products from non-registered suppliers failed to meet the required criteria.
The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) assessed PPE from suppliers who are not on the BSIF Registered Safety Supplier Scheme.
Just 18% of the 88 products tested met all applicable regulatory requirements, with the remaining 82% failing due to technical performance failures, missing or invalid certification, inadequate documentation, incorrect product marking, or a combination of these issues.
Widespread failures across key PPE categories
During the tests – which took place between January 2025 and January 2026 – it was found all of the hearing protection products, all of the fall protection equipment, 94% of head protectors and 86% of eye and face protectors failed to meet required standards.
Among the findings, the BSIF found respiratory protectors which exceeded the permitted particle penetration limits, safety helmets which transmitted excessive impact force, eye protectors which shattered on impact and protective clothing which was marked as flame retardant burning agressively during testing,
Under UK PPE regulations, products lacking valid certification, Declarations of Conformity, or correct CE/UKCA markings are deemed non-compliant regardless of laboratory performance.
Serious worker safety risks
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% 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.”
Workers and employers exposed
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.”
BSIF wants 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.
