From the Secretary’s desk
October 1st 2009 We are now being advised that the "green shoots" are beginning to show regarding the recessionary climate. Unfortunately this is not always the case across the safety industry.
Some companies are benefiting from the strength in the Euro when trading into Europe and this has stimulated greater interest in the A+A exhibition next month. Some fifteen companies are now to take advantage of the government support scheme, operated by the BSIF, which helps SMEs to exhibit in Germany. Other BSIF members trading within severely recessed sectors, such as construction, are still experiencing a significant downturn in business compared with eighteen months ago. This is why the next Directors Club event on 30th November is focused on collective action to resuscitate the safety industry and any reader that has an interest in attending should contact the BSIF as soon as possible.
The BSIF is supporting the "EU week of health and safety" and its theme of health and safety risk assessments. As a pivotal step in the selection and deployment of safety products and equipment, the risk assessment process is of direct interest to BSIF supply-side members.
The BSIF Safe-Supply qualification features a module on risk assessments and how to carry them out. Some of these companies promote the fact that their customer support staff are Safe-Supply qualified within their catalogues and literature and, we suspect, they will be advertising this to take advantage of this linkage with the EU week of health and safety this year.
The BSIF will be attending meetings at the EU Commission to assist with the generation of the initial drafting of the New PPE Directive. The inclusion of sell-by dates for type test certificates has been widely trailed but less well know are the ways in which this will impact on the use of dated standards and the fact that head protection, hearing protection and foot protection are likely to be promoted to category III. As usual, it will be the implementation of the principles which will generate most interest as employer and employee organisations take a view on the consequential effects that these changes will create. The BSIF plans to be in the vanguard of these developments to ensure that transitions are appropriately managed and that these regulatory developments with have a positive effect on workplace health and safety.
In addition to the items above, the BSIF is involved with three HSE supported campaigns this autumn, overseas activities in Germany and Dubai and the Publication of the BSIF Guide [2010] in the very near future. Probably of most interest, as we go to press, with be the Fit2Fit respiratory fit-tester accreditation scheme. Already, the high number of applications is pressurising the accreditation process and it is fast becoming apparent that anyone seeking this accreditation should contact the BSIF in the near future to avoid any waiting list that might develop.
If you require any additional information or would like to comment on any item within these BSIF pages please contact us, through the editor please.
Geoff Hooke
Secretary General to the BSIF More articles from BSIF Enterprise: | 
