From the Secretary’s desk
December 1st 2008 The current financial climate makes life difficult for everyone and the BSIF hopes that companies will not compromise the safety of their staff by seeking to make cost savings in their health and safety budgets. The up-side is that with the pound being significantly lower in value than it was several months ago, UK manufacturers of safety products and equipment will be in a stronger position to export products around the
world.
The BSIF is to launch two major initiatives and two promotional campaigns early in the New Year. We hope that the BSIF Registered Safety Supplier scheme will prove to be a watershed in the selection of suitable, compliant PPE and safety equipment as it will provide a wider information facility to avoid the inadvertent purchase of rogue products that fail to perform. The other scheme, the Fit2Fit accreditation of specialist respiratory fittesters should also contribute to a serious reduction in work-related respiratory diseases. This latter will be launched in advance of the "Clean Air? - Take Care!" campaign, also a new initiative mounted jointly by the BSIF and the HSE. Designed to carry good practice messages to assist protection against ingested and inhaled hazards, this campaign capitalises on the many thousand impacts [over 50,000] on users every day by BSIF members. This "Clean Air?-Take Care!" campaign will run jointly with the "It's in your hands" campaign to reduce work-related dermatitis.
In addition to this busy programme, the BSIF is working on behalf of companies wishing to expand their export opportunities in the Middle East at the Dubai exhibition and is running one of its Directors Club luncheons on the 14th January to contribute to the consultation process on the HSE's new strategy with Judith Hackitt as the Guest speaker.
The BSIF continues to work hard to support the safety industry in the UK and is currently active in seeking to bring some sense to the problems affecting PPE that is also considered to be Medical Devices and to the standards making process where a number of disputes currently exist regarding which test methods should be used. We shall be better able to explain the nub of the problem and ways in which it will be solved in future issues.
The BSIF wishes all its members, friends and readers a very happy festive season and continues to hope that 2009 will be a healthier and safer year than 2008. If you wish to comment or require any additional information on the items featured within these BSIF pages please contact us. Through the Editor please.
Geoff Hooke
Secretary General to the BSIF More articles from BSIF Enterprise: | 
