bmta.co.uk
Fake certificates
During the COVID-19 pandemic, BSI was notified that a number of manufacturers were selling medical face masks -
and other PPE for healthcare applications - on the back of false certificates.
BSI recommends that prior to purchasing any form of safety equipment supported by a certificate appearing to be
issued by BSI, you verify to ensure that such certificate is genuine. BSI can only advise on false certificates that appear
to have been issued by the organisation, it's likely that other certification/notified bodies and approved test houses will
also be affected by this.
Purchasers of any form of safety equipment supported by a certificate that appears to be issued by BSI should verify
that the document is genuine using the certificate or license number and the Verifeye database on BSI’s website prior
to purchase.
BSI has notified the relevant regulators and law enforcement agencies about the false certificates that have been
brought to its attention.
Face coverings
Face coverings differ from PPE and medical grade face masks in that they are intended to
protect those in close proximity to the wearer, not the wearer themselves, however they have
become increasingly part of our everyday lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whilst a vast number of face coverings are already available on the market, their performance
and design may differ significantly, which is why BSI recently launched a Kitemark for Face
Coverings to boost consumer confidence.
The new Kitemark assesses face coverings to a technical specification that requires 70%
particle filtration and breathability tests to ensure consumer comfort whilst reducing the risk of
spreading infection. On top of breathability and filtering, the new BSI Kitemark for Face
Coverings provides independent approval of the quality of the fitting, and the instructions
provided to the wearer to minimise the chances of transmission.
The BSI Kitemark continues to be the beacon of quality, performance and safety to both
consumers and businesses - buying everything from fire extinguishers to secure digital
services. Like all BSI Kitemark schemes, the new face coverings will be tested on an ongoing
basis to ensure that manufactured products continue to meet the necessary requirements,
year after year, in order to be trusted.
You can view more information about the Kitemark for Face Coverings, at
https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/kitemark/product-testing/face-coverings/.
Looking ahead
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we may see the development of standards specifically for PPE for healthcare
workers as well as the general public.
In the continual fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently using standards that are designed to protect
against different risks and hazards associated with different industries and applying them to healthcare situations. As the
need for PPE amongst healthcare workers continues to take prominence, we will be seeing this as a factor in standards
writing in the future.
One thing that has become apparent is that governments are looking to produce PPE domestically to be less reliant on
imports which in some cases have been shown to be vulnerable to both quality and sustainability. Therefore, we might
see more domestic manufacturing and perhaps more non-PPE manufactures making PPE as part of their portfolio as is
the case with fashion designers including Burberry and Barbour.
BSI hosted a webinar to provide information to organisations wishing to support the efforts in placing more Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) on the market. The webinar is now available to watch – visit the BSI website for further
information.