The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has warned that a recent recall of safety shoes sold via TikTok highlights the alarmingly wide availability of substandard personal protective equipment (PPE) in the UK market.
The recalled product, listed on TikTok Shop under multiple descriptors including “Men’s Anti-smash and Anti-puncture Shoes, Breathable Non-slip Work Shoes, Comfortable Safety Shoes for Men, Fashionable Shoes for Daily Wear, Boy,” was advertised as offering protection despite failing to meet essential safety requirements.
The recall was issued by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) following the intervention of Lewis Collantine, a product safety consultant specialising in trading standards who brought the issue to light.
According to the OPSS the product, “presents a serious risk of injuries because although advertised as 'anti-smash' and 'anti-puncture,' there is no evidence it has undergone conformity assessment as PPE and it is not CE or UKCA marked.”
The OPSS also states: “The product does not meet the requirements of the Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on Personal Protective Equipment or the Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018.”
While the shoes have now been removed from TikTok following enforcement action by the OPSS, at the time of writing, similar – if not identical – footwear remained for sale on platforms such as Temu.
Commenting on the recall, Alan Murray, BSIF Chief Executive Officer, said: "No surprises here. The BSIF has been aware of a burgeoning volume of substandard footwear available on platforms such as TikTok for some time, but we are pleased to see Trading Standards take action and we must applaud the work of Lewis Collantine, who has been instrumental in bringing this example to light.
“This is exactly why the new Product Safety and Metrology Bill needs to ensure there are real ramifications for online suppliers who fail to provide properly certified products. Employers and users deserve confidence that PPE described as protective genuinely meets standards and offers the protection it claims.”
The BSIF warns that many of these products are purchased by unsuspecting individuals who have been given budgets to buy their own PPE but may not fully understand the rules, regulations, and certification requirements surrounding safety products.
Alan Murray continued: “We suspect that many of these products are being bought directly by workers – including limb (b) workers who are not direct employees but for whom employers still have a legal duty to provide PPE under recent updates to the PPE Regulations. These individuals are often given a budget to buy their own PPE but may not fully understand the regulations or certification requirements surrounding safety products. The reality is that substandard PPE advertised as protective simply does not protect workers, and it can put lives at risk.”
Roy Wilders, BSIF Registered Safety Supplier Scheme Manager, added: “Year in, year out, the BSIF’s market surveillance shows there is an alarming volume of substandard PPE available to buy and in use in the UK. Our latest statistics show a shocking 90% failure rate for products we bought and tested from non-registered suppliers. This is in stark contrast to products from BSIF Registered Safety Suppliers, where almost 90% of products passed all the test criteria – and in the very few instances where discrepancies arose, they were immediately addressed and rectified.”
The BSIF reiterates the importance of buying PPE only from BSIF Registered Safety Suppliers, who are committed to supplying certified and compliant products that keep workers safe.
