BMF victory on data protection concerns

BMF has successfully persuaded the Health and Safety Executive not to take action against BMF members, who refuse to break customer confidentiality.

The BMF has successfully persuaded the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) not to take action against BMF members, who refuse to break customer confidentiality and data protection obligations by divulging to HSE details of customers who had purchased dense concrete blocks weighing over 20kg.

A number of BMF merchant members received letters from the HSE demanding that they supply names, and that HSE would consider non compliance to be a criminal offence, citing HSE's powers under Section 20 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

BMF acted quickly to protect members' interests, starting a dialogue with HSE to raise concerns that HSE was acting in a heavy-handed way.

The HSE has apologised for causing concern and advised their regional offices to withdraw any mention, or exercise, of criminal sanctions.

BMF Secretary Peter Matthews said: "Whilst the BMF supports the HSE's Better Backs Campaign, we did not agree with the way the HSE were acting".

"As a result of our conversations, HSE has acted responsibly over concerns from the merchant sector".

In its campaign to reduce back injuries the HSE will now work with the BMF and will be providing advice on the requirements for selling concrete blocks weighing over 20kg in a future BMF Product Selling Guide.

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