Why Product Information is Now a Safety Issue: What the Construction Sector Must Know

A recent announcement from the CIOB confirms that the organisation has formally committed to supporting the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI), an industry‑wide initiative designed to ensure that the information provided about construction products is clear, accurate, accessible and up to date. 

The move comes in response to findings from the Construction Products Association and other bodies that product labelling and traceability in the built environment remain opaque and inconsistent. 

Why this matters to health & safety

The link between product‑information quality and safety outcomes may not be obvious at first glance, but is substantial:

• When a construction product is “critical to safe construction” — that is, its failure or incorrect installation could lead to serious injury or fatality — then knowing exactly what you’re buying and how it’s used becomes as important as the installation itself. 

• Poor product information can mean that safety‑related characteristics (for example load‑bearing capacity, non‑combustibility, installation sequence, maintenance requirements) are misunderstood, omitted, or incorrectly communicated — increasing the risk of latent hazards.

• For contractors, supervisors and site managers, a robust product‑information system becomes part of the wider safety culture: even the best processes can be undermined by incorrect foundations (literally) if product specification, traceability and competence do not align.

• Regulatory and contractual expectations are evolving: by aligning with the CCPI and embedding the related practice into your procurement, training and oversight, your business signals that you are ahead of the curve — not simply compliant, but proactive.

How All Star Safety Ltd can help

At All Star Safety Ltd we are well placed to support you in translating this imperative into practical, deliverable action:

• Training: We can include modules in our health & safety courses (face‑to‑face or online) that specifically address: understanding and interpreting product data, recognising “critical to safe construction” products, and integrating procurement checks into your site‑induction or toolbox‑talk programme.

• NVQ Assessments: For candidates working towards NVQs in construction or allied industries, our assessments can include competence on how product information interfaces with safe installation practice — so your workforce is not just technically competent, but procurement‑aware and safety‑aware.

• Consultancy: We can review your current product‑management system in the context of the CCPI: how you specify products, how you ensure traceability and installation records, how you communicate this to operatives and subcontractors, and how you integrate it into your safety‑management system. We can tailor a consultancy project that aligns product information with your overall safety culture.

Practical actions you can take today

• Review your supplier and subcontractor agreements: do they refer to the CCPI or equivalent, and do they require up‑to‑date product‑information documentation on every critical item?

• On site, incorporate into your next toolbox talk: “Is the product we’re using truly documented and traceable — could it be critical to safe construction?” Make this a discussion point rather than just a checklist item.

• For your NVQ candidates or trained operatives: add a scenario or case study where incorrect product information led to a near‑miss or defect. Use it as a reflective exercise and record the insights in their e‑portfolio.

• As part of your audit or safety‑management review: verify whether your procurement chain retains installation and performance records of critical products, and whether operatives are aware of the implications of product failures.

For a discussion on how All Star Safety Ltd can assist with training, NVQ assessment or consultancy around product‑information management — and integrate it into your broader health and safety framework — please call us on 0330 133 0402 or 01473 561 402.