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by Mark Wasmuth, BSI British Standards

Impact of Standards on the Safety of Products

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The Costs of Accidents and ill-health at Work

In the UK each year:

• Over 1 million injuries and 2.3 million cases of ill-health are experienced by workers;

• Around 40 million working days are lost to business;

• Over 25 000 individuals are forced to give up work because of injury or ill health.

• These cost British employers an estimated £3.3 to £6.5 billion each year

• Most organisations do not know what accidents and ill-health really cost them in time and money.

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Accidents to Consumers

• Every year in the United Kingdom about 5,000 people die as a result of an accident in the home, or during their leisure time;

• Over 2 million people are treated in hospitals;

• Another 1.5 million consult a general practitioner.

• The cost to society of UK home accident injuries was estimated (in 1996) at £25,000 million a year.

• Source – UK Home Accident Surveillance System

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UK Strategy to Reduce Accidents

QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE

Regulation Standardization

Specific Product Safety

Conformity Assessment

General Product Safety

Certification of Products

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Product Sectors - 1

• Appliances burning gaseous fuels

• Cableway installations designed to carry persons

• Construction products

• Electromagnetic compatibility

• Equipment and protective systems in potentially explosive atmospheres

• Explosives for civil uses

• Lifts Low voltage equipment

• Machinery safety

• Measuring instruments

• Medical devices: Active implantable

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Product Sectors - 2

• Medical devices: General

• Medical devices: In vitro diagnostic

• New hot-water boilers fired with liquid or gaseous fluids (efficiency requirements)

• Non-automatic weighing instruments

• Packaging and packaging waste Personal protective equipment

• Pressure equipment

• Radio and telecommunications terminal equipment

• Recreational craft Simple pressure vessels

• Toys safety

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New Regulation – Machinery Safety

Injury

1988 1994 2007+

Fatal 34 23 0

Major 1700 1500 -2/4

>3 days lost 7000 5100 -22/44

• Machinery Safety Regulation and 800+ New Standards were introduced to the UK (and EU) during 1989

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Enforcement of safety regulations in the UK

Inspection by the UK Market Surveillance authorities:

• Consumers are protected by the Trading Standards departments of local government

• General Workplaces are the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with a regional offices network

• Other Agencies enforce regulations for specific areas:

– Medical devices, radio, transport, utilities, etc.

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Legal Penalties

For non-compliance the penalties are severe:

• Enforcement authorities are allowed to seize and destroy non-compliant products

• Courts can impose unlimited fines and imprisoned for Directors

But:

• Enforcement authorities encourage manufacturers to be compliant with advice and support from the Quality Infrastructure institutions

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UK Quality Infrastructure Institutions

• Regulations – UK Government

• Standards – BSI

• Certification – various accredited bodies

• Product Testing – various accredited laboratories

• Metrology (Scientific/Industrial) – NPL

• Metrology (Legal) – NWML

• Accreditation – UKAS

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