United Kingdom: employers required to supply personal protective equipment to “workers”

From 6 April, UK businesses will be required to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to “workers” who are exposed to health or safety risks in the workplace. It should be noted that the status of “worker”, which is specific to the United Kingdom, does not entitle an individual to the same level of rights as that of “employee”. Nevertheless, workers benefit from certain rights such as paid holiday and a minimum wage, thereby enjoying more guarantees than self-employed workers. UK companies are currently only required to provide PPE to their employees and the change means firms in the country will have to quickly assess the number of workers in need of such equipment. They will then be responsible for the maintenance, storage and possible replacement of the PPE allocated to the workers, who will in turn have to report any anomalies or equipment failures. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the government agency responsible for enforcing workplace health and safety, has published a guide for employers on its website. It also points out that any company that does not comply with this new rule will face sanctions. According to the HSE, some 1.7 million workers declared a work-related illness in the 2020/2021 tax year.