BFPA HSE Forum Strengthens Industry Collaboration on Safety and Sustainability
08 Sep 2026
The BFPA Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE) Forum met virtually on 4th September 2026, bringing together health, safety and environmental professionals from across the fluid power industry to exchange knowledge, discuss emerging challenges, and identify opportunities for collaborative action.
The meeting welcomed new members from Stauff and OES Group, further strengthening the Forum’s diverse representation and commitment to improving health, safety and environmental performance across the sector.
A key focus of the discussion was the Forum’s strategic priorities for the remainder of 2026. Members explored ways to enhance the industry’s ability to learn from incidents and near misses, develop meaningful sector-specific safety data, and strengthen engagement with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and other regulatory bodies.
One of the most engaging sessions centred on a new “Safety Moment” initiative, where members shared real-world experiences involving safety knives and modified tools. The open discussion provided valuable insight into common challenges encountered across different organisations, highlighting the practical benefits of sharing lessons learned and preventative measures. Such was the value of the session that members agreed the Safety Moment should become a regular feature of future meetings.
The Forum also received an update from the latest Safety & Health Engineering Partnership (SHEP) meeting, covering current HSE priorities, potential changes to RIDDOR reporting requirements, occupational health initiatives, and forthcoming COSHH-related guidance. Members discussed the growing importance of health surveillance and exposure monitoring, reinforcing the need to ensure that workplace controls are delivering effective protection for employees.
Environmental sustainability remained high on the agenda, with guest speakers Crispin Sykes and Guillaume Lane from Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) delivering an insightful presentation on climate-related risks, net-zero planning, and sustainability resources available to BFPA members. Discussions explored challenges specific to the fluid power sector, including energy efficiency, hydraulic fluid leaks, hose recycling and PFAS-related considerations. Members welcomed the practical guidance available and expressed strong interest in the continued development of sustainability support
The Forum also received an update on ongoing discussions relating to swaging machine guarding. Through engagement with regulators, the BFPA’s Technical & Training Manager continues to represent industry interests, helping to ensure that any future guidance reflects both robust safety standards and the practical operation of swaging equipment in the workplace.
Looking ahead, Forum members reaffirmed their commitment to sharing best practice, improving industry data and supporting collaborative problem-solving across the fluid power sector. The proposal to establish a dedicated communication group between meetings was also welcomed as a means of strengthening engagement and facilitating the ongoing exchange of knowledge.
Get Involved
The BFPA HSE Forum provides a valuable platform for organisations to stay informed on emerging health, safety and environmental issues, share best practice, and help shape industry-wide initiatives.
If you would like to become involved and contribute to improving standards across the fluid power industry, please contact healthandsafety@bfpa.co.uk.
Together, we can build a safer, healthier and more sustainable future for the fluid power industry.
