sapema contents...construction safety safety management participating associations / organisations /...

GAS SAFETY

Airport construction at St Helena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

The safe handling of LPGAS equipment . . . . . . . . .9

LP Gas could solve SA’s energy crisis . . . . . . . . . . . .9

The ABCs of fall protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Oil rig PPE development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

SAPEMACover story: DuPont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

News from SAPEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

From Clyde’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

SAPEMA appoints a new secretary . . . . . . . . . . .32

Purchase the correct PPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Combat heat illnesses caused by dehydration . . .33

Maximum protection, work convenienceand comfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Driving innovation through specialist garmentsolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

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CONTENTSSeptember/October 2016 / Volume 76 Number 5

Cover Picture: See page 34

FEATURE ARTICLESThe devastating affects of suicide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Beware of bargains - cheaper is not always best . . . .4

Factors to consider in lockout and tagoutapplications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Women in SHEQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Fatal potential near misses spotted . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Department of Labour Correction NO. R. 1198 . .27

IOSMMessage from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Changes to the South African OHS traininglandscape - the sequel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Bridge over troubled waters - or designingfor safe construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

ACHASMThe retention of health and safety (H&S)documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

News from SAIOH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Report from SAIOH’s ProfessionalCertification Committee on the newregistration and assessment process forProfessional Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

All in a day’s work for an occupational hygienist . .23

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

SAFETY MANAGEMENT

Participating associations / organisations / institutes with National Safety and the Safety First Association

September/October 2016 National Safety www.safety1st.co.za 1

OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE

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Editor’s Comment

Copyright: 2016 Material appearing in this issue may not be reproduced without the permission ofthe editor or publishers in any form whatsoever. The Safety First Association is a non-profitmaking, privately supported, public service organisation which aims to prevent accidents bypromoting an awareness of accident situations as they exist in day-to-day living amongst membersof the community. The Publishers and Editors are not liable for any damages or loss incurred as aresult of any statement contained in this magazine. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracyin this publication, neither the Publishers nor Editors accept any responsibility for errors oromissions in the content and reserve the right to edit all contributions. The views expressed in thispublication are not necessarily those of the Publishers or Editors.

Editor: Debbie MyerProduction Editor: Lindsay MyerChairman: George BrowseVice Chairman: Leighton BennettMarketing & Subscriptions: Maureen SchwegmannAdmin Manager: Bruce SchwegmannCommittee members: Leighton Bennett

Stewart ShapiroWensley MisroleGeorge BrowseDebbie Myer

Subscriptions / Administration / Marketing / Promotions3 Kwartel Street Vorna Valley, PO Box 321 Halfway House 1685Tel: + 27 11 701-5054 Fax: 086 684 2664E-mmail: [email protected]

Advertising & Editorial Delinds Publications cc12 Delta Road, Blairgowrie, Randburg, PO Box 72366 Parkview 2122Tel: + 27 11 886-5985 Fax: +27 11 886-1332 Cell: + 27 83-266-6662 E-mmail: [email protected]

National Safety is published by the Safety First Association and isthe official journal of• The Institute of Safety Management (IOSM)• Southern African Protective Equipment Marketing Association

(SAPEMA)• Association of Construction Health and Safety Management

(ACHASM)

National Safety is supported by:• Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH)• South African Qualification and Certification Committee for

Gas (SAQCC GAS)

National Safety incorporates:• Occupational Safety and Health• Personal Protective Equipment• Corporate Risk Management• Occupational Hygiene• Gas Safety

In this issue, Dr Bill Pomfret covers the sensitive topic ofsuicide in his article.

Many people think that suicides increase during theholiday christmas season and new year, but this is not thecase. Suicides are a year round problem affecting familiesand organisations alike.

Work place stress is a high contributing factor towardssuicides, with the top occupational diseases being heartattacks, suicides and strokes. Many people have regularsuicidal thoughts, but luckily only the minority act onthem. After an employee commits suicide, colleagues areleft grieving the loss with feelings of guilt that theyshould have been able to prevent it, which may impactnegatively on staff morale and productivity.

Organisations should be more proactive in investing inmental health programmes for their employees. Not onlywill this help employees who are unhappy and thereforenot productive, but this will increase productivity on-the-job. An outreach programme will give employees theconfidence that their company cares about them, theirhealth and welfare. It will encourage them to talk abouttheir problem, and therefore help them overcome theobstacle and so increase their contribution to theorganisation.

One’s immediate reaction after a colleague hascommitted suicide, is that the victim was in a failedrelationship, had huge financial problems, or other familyproblems. But, the truth is that suicide is often as a resultof multiple challenging situations, one of them beingunhappiness at work and lack of job satisfaction. Forexample, one reason may be - the employee has beenpromoted to a position where he is out of his depth andnot able to deliver.

It is generally unlikely that employees will voluntarilydiscuss their feelings with their employers for fear oflosing their jobs, bonus or creating antagonism withcolleagues. Organisations may dismiss the idea of astructured suicide prevention programme, purely becausethey may not have had any suicides amongst staff, orperhaps only one. Rather, organisations must recognisesuicide prevention and mental health as part of the largeremployee wellness programme. It is also essential torecognise suicide as an occupational issue, assess itsimpact on the organisation, and create a structured planto deal with it. The services must be available to allemployees and show that there is support frommanagement.

It is not only a structured programme that can helpemployees cope with distress. Colleagues must also learnto identify an employee who is crying out for help. It isoften the people closest to them, or those who work closeto them who are able to pick out the cues from theirbehaviour.

Equally important to note is that suicides are not limitedto workers only, plenty in middle-management andsenior management also become victims.

2 www.safety1st.co.za National Safety September/October 2016

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The devastating affects of suicide

Yesterday I attended a workers suicidefuneral.

During a recent safety audit I washaving a conversation with a workerwho planned to attend the funeral thefollowing day of a workmate who hadcommitted suicide. “You can come ifyou wish”, he said.

The worker mentioned how the familywas devastated and underneath thepain, there were even feelings of angeragainst the company. Many of us havebeen touched by suicide in one form oranother, either at work or in the family.

Since it is for the most part, a subjectno one likes to talk about, most don’tknow what to say, but in Canadianworkplaces alone it is a $50 Billiondollar problem with hundreds ofworkers committing suicide annually.

My local councillor’s 16 year old soncommitted suicide at his high school.Think of the effects on his fellowstudents, workmates, teachers, familyand friends.

There are some questions we shouldask, but remember, this is not limitedto the following:

A) What drives a person to the pointof wanting to end it all?

B) Did they not take intoconsideration the grief they wouldbring upon those they left behind?

C) Why did we not recognise thatthere was a problem before itbecame desperate?

D) Why give up when the struggles inour lives are only temporary?

E) How can I forgive them for such aselfish act?

F) Why didn’t they ask for help?

There are many more questions, toomany to list, but I think everyoneshould keep an open mind either atschool or in the workplace.

Depending on where we are in life andwhat we’ve had to endure, ourunderstanding of this type of pain willdiffer.

Imagine a suffering so deep, sotransformative that the pain andmental anguish would cause you to feelas though your head were about toexplode. Unbearable and unspeakablepain that would drive you to want toescape permanently, so that the pain orsuffering will end. You don’t necessarilywant to die but are desperate andwilling to do anything to make thepain stop. This is not a cowardly or aselfish act, this is an act of desperation.

While the young man was in this state,his mind was simply not capable ofseeing events as it would in a healthystate.

There are many different types ofillnesses, but mental health is the mosttragic. Your mind begins to rationalisethat your loved ones will be okay (oreven better off) without you. Youreason that they are strong and haveplenty of support. You begin to devalueyourself. Without realising it, you havenow convinced yourself that it’s okay toput a stop to this suffering. It’s not thatyou want to hurt others, your familyand friends, it’s just that you are tiredof being in pain yourself. Of course thisis not the act of a person with a healthystate of mind.

Of course, I can’t speak for everyone,but I know many people who wouldjoin me in the quest to help anyone inneed.

If you are struggling with thoughts ofsuicide, please stop. Know that thestruggles in life are for a reason and aremeant to make you stronger. Stoplooking at the small screen of life whereall you see is pain.

From the outside looking in, it’s hard to

understand.

From the inside looking out, it’s hard toexplain.

Years later, most people who attemptedsuicide will look back and say “I madeit, I survived what I once thought wasthe impossible.”

These people can take this gift and playit forward so that others who’vesuffered similar pain can know itdoesn’t have to end in suicide.

For those who have lost a loved one viasuicide, please stop questioning, pleasestop blaming yourself, and please don’thate them. Often family members orfriends cannot let go of the anger, theguilt, and the shame. These feelingsmay be holding them a prisoner so thatthey are not able to experience the joyof life again. If you are in this situation,the weight of this burden is not yoursto bear. There is already one victim,don’t make it two or more. If you don’tlet go, those who are still here withyou, will suffer along with you. We domourn our loved ones but don’t let itconsume you.

Whichever manner suicide has touchedyour life in the past, it is important tomove on so that you, your family andyour loved ones come together as neverbefore. That you may live your lifefully and with a sound mind.

The end of the year is now near andwith it Christmas which isunfortunately a time when incidents ofsuicide tend to be higher than usual. Atime when we should be aware of thosearound us who seem unusuallydepressed, stressed or lonely.

As, this is my last column for the year, Iwish that your heart be full so that youmay love unconditionally, forgive easilyand trust, that no matter what comesyour way, and that you have thestrength to overcome. Your life isvaluable and irreplaceable, use it tomake a difference.

Managing Consultant, Safety ProjectsInternational, Canada specialises inauditing and evaluating both client

and contractor Safety Programmes andin developing with them pro-activepreventative systems procedures andprogrammes to control all incidents.

by Dr Bill Pomfret


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This doesn’t suggest that procurement managers should notconsider price when purchasing business equipment. Ofcourse it’s hard to justify investing money with an eye on thelong-term when there are other areas of the business thatalso need a cash injection. This also makes it easier to buywhat is cheap now and not worry about the long-termimpact. However, it is equally important that procurementmanagers ensure that the bargain of today does not turn outto be the money pit of tomorrow. As Benjamin Franklin oncebrilliantly put it, “the bitterness of poor quality isremembered long after the sweetness of a low price.”

WHY CHEAPER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER

. It is well known in industry that substance abuse relatedaccidents cost companies hundreds of thousands of Randsevery year. So we can look at something simple like abreathalyser. Why does one brand with similar features costsignificantly less than another brand. Build quality and thequality of materials used is one reason but what most peopledon’t know is that the more expensive products go throughvarious accreditation ratings. These accreditations includethings such as vibration testing, moisture, humidity, dustand drop testing. These accreditations and tests areexpensive to put instruments through and of course theinstrument will cost more to manufacture to meet and passthose tests. Unfortunately most people don’t know aboutthese type of accreditations and therefore jump at the firstcheap product that has “all the features”. What they fail tounderstand is that the cheap product is cheap for a reasonand the cost of the product over its life span can easily betriple that of the initial outlay.

A cheap instrument or piece of equipment is also more likelyto break quickly and require frequent repairs. It may alsoneed to be replaced much faster than a quality instrument asit might not be robust and withstand industrial wear andtear.

Cheaper breathalyser’s may also need to be recalibrated moreoften than quality machines and a failure to recalibrate themachine could also affect the reliability of the readings, oreven, its ability to operate at all.

Where the equipment is used for tests and the results havelegal or life-changing results, a cheap machine can also costthe business in legal fees should someone successfully disputethe results. For example, according to the Occupational

Health and Safety Act of South Africa of 1993, employersmay not allow any person who is, or appears to be, under theinfluence of alcohol or drugs to enter into the workplace.

While the law provides the legal basis for employers toimplement alcohol and drug testing on their employees,there is no room for faulty/unreliable results. In a case ofwhere there is an employee dispute, the company could incurlegal costs should the employee successfully argue that theresults or the equipment was faulty.

EMPOWERING PROCUREMENT MANAGERS TO MAKEPURCHASING DECISIONS

For many companies, the most popular purchasing methodis for the department using the equipment to provide theprocurement department with clear specifications of whatthey require. The procurement department is then taskedwith finding the cheapest supplier that meets thoserequirements.

Unfortunately, this is not always the best approach as inferiorproducts may feature the same specifications. However, theyare manufactured to a lower standard of quality and won’tlast as long as a better quality product.

In some instances, the end-user does not provide their inputinto the purchasing of testing equipment. In such cases, theprocurement department may choose equipment that is themost financially viable and because of their lack of experienceon the qualities to look for, they may end up choosing thecheapest model or one that that looks impressive but lackssubstance.

It is therefore prudent to consider business equipmentpurchases as an investment and to empower the people whomake purchasing decisions so that they are better able toconsider the overall impact of choices. Here are some of theissues to take into consideration when buying businessequipment:

• Does the model we would like to choose offer all thefeatures needed to be able to efficiently execute theintended tasks to the best quality we can afford?

• What is the expected life-span of the equipment? Thisincludes manufacturer guarantees, warranties in place andanecdotal history from previous users.

• What is the projected cost of ownership of the equipment

Beware of bargains- cheaper is not always best

By Rhys Evans, Managing Director of ALCO Safe

With the South African economy struggling to grow and many companies tightening their budgets, it isvery easy for businesses to fall into the trap of choosing price over quality when making purchasedecisions.

On the surface, cheaper equipment may offer most of the features and benefits that the more expensivemodel offers, without the steep price tag. Sometimes the transaction is even termed a great bargain,whereby the buyer believes he got more value than what he paid for. But is it a bargain? Or are wesometimes unknowingly deferring the full payment, costing the business more in the longer-term? Whenit comes to practical equipment have you ever wondered why one option is so much cheaper thananother?


•

over its lifetime, when including estimates for repairs andestimated maintenance costs? Based on this, do you stillbelieve that your cheapest buy is the most cost-effectiveoption?

• Is this particular model accredited and well-respected bythe industry? Does the use of the equipment or the resultsfrom it have legal or life-saving implications?

• Can the business afford to operate for more than one daywithout the equipment in the event of equipment failure?

• Would equipment failure directly hurt the businessoperations or even its reputation among employees,clients and where relevant, affected legal and regulatorybodies?

The biggest benefit of purchasing quality equipment is that,once the investment is made, you can focus on other aspectsof the business with the assurance that your equipment willdo what it’s supposed to, when it’s supposed to. You alsohave peace of mind knowing that your budget allocation isunlikely to be derailed by unexpected repair costs. Qualityequipment is also good for employee morale, as they don’thave to waste time with faulty equipment or waiting forsomeone to repair the instrument, which ultimately impactstheir project schedules.

LION 700 ALCOMETER

ALCO-Safe recently launched the Lion 700Alcometer, a portable alcohol breathanalysis (breathalyser) instrumentspecifically designed for use in lawenforcement, industrial safety, and healthand well-being programmes.

The instrument is compact and completelyportable, for use in the field as well as onpremises. Despite its neat size, it hassignificant memory built into the instrument.Up to 3000 readings can be stored, retrieved and printed atany time, allowing for easy record keeping. Should printoutsbe required for legal purposes, users can simply search thememory, retrieve the relevant test results and reprint them.The Lion 700 has a simple multi-button user interface forincreased ease of use. Menu scroll buttons and a selectbutton, which doubles as a power button, allow for simpleuse and information retrieval. The device also has a range ofcomplementary accessories, such as a carry case and portableprinter.

“The device meets the European standard for handheldbreathalysers for police use, making it ideal for theenforcement of law in any environment,” says Rhys Evans,Director at ALCO-Safe. “When implemented in anenterprise or industrial environment, test results from thedevice may be printed and used as valid evidence in anydisciplinary and resulting labour court case.”

For companies, particularly industry, the evidence is regardedas solid and credible and can be used in hearings. It is alsoinstrumental in highlighting the ramifications of alcohol useand abuse in the workplace.Contact: ALCO-Safe / Rhys Evans, Managing Director, Tel: 012 343 8114 / Email: [email protected]


Now in its second edition, this South African occupational

health and safety handbook is a necessary aid to anyone

responsible for occupational health and safety.

Containing about 400 pages of information, it is invaluable

to any SHE practitioner, engineer and any other person who

has an interest in creating a safe workplace.

Readers and students will find the text easy to read and the

illustrations easy to follow.

It will also be valuable to the list of “must read” and

reference publications of chief executive officers, engineers

and other top managers who often have a responsibility for

the health and safety of the workers in their enterprise.

Universities and other tertiary educational institutions will

find the book a very handy source for prescribing to their

students whilst libraries would do well to make it available

to the wider public.

UPDATED SECOND EDITIONNow Available!!

A comprehensive guide on everything you need to

know about occupational health and safety in over

400 illustrated, easy to read pages.

Tel: 011-701-5054 - Email: [email protected]: www.safety1st.co.za

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Lockout and tagout applications are an all-important safety consideration duringmaintenance and shut-down procedures.

Machinery is controlled by various forms ofenergy and it is these sources of energythat need to be identified andisolated effectively so that personsperforming maintenance can do sosafely. The intention of this article isto highlight important issues toconsider, as well as to simplify thedecision making in designing processes or procedures inthe myriad of lockout and tagout applications.

The sources of energy to machinery could include, electrical,hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, chemical or mechanicalenergy The uncontrolled release of this energy duringmaintenance procedures could be hazardous to persons doingthe maintenance. The equipment available to safely isolatethese energy sources is vast and can be not onlydisconcerting, but also confusing to someone who is unsureof what to do, or does not have adequate experience inlockout and tagout procedures.

REGULATION REQUIREMENTS

Lockout and tagout is a procedure that is required byregulations applicable to the industry in which theprocedures are being performed, therefore the requirementsof the equipment necessary in a dusty coal mine would bedifferent from requirements in an open cast or undergroundmetalliferous mine. Similarly, the requirements in industrialenvironments could also be different, or in many instancesunique. Correct lockout and tagout procedures should beapplied in conformance with the Occupational Health andSafety Act (OSHA). This is an international guideline on thecorrect application of lockout and tagout. Effectiveprocedures not only guarantee the safety of persons doingmaintenance on machinery, but are also very effective inlimiting downtime of the machinery.

Personnel are not only every organisations most importantasset, but also the most costly component of theorganisation. Laws stipulate that every employee must beprotected from potentially hazardous environments while atwork. This not only includes the use of correct and adequate

personal protective equipment (PPE), but alsoprotection during maintenance and shut-down of

machinery. Correct lockout and tagout ofequipment is the practical implementation of alegal requirement. Failure to adequately applylockout and tagout procedures could result indifferent sanctions by the applicable authoritywhich includes administrative fines, legal andcivil law-suites or even complete shutdown ofa work area until the correct procedures havebeen implemented.

EQUIPMENT THAT IS REQUIRED

Necessary equipment required can beclassified as to 1) Safety Padlocks 2)Safety Lockout Accessories and 3)

Safety Identification tags and signs. It is important to notethat not all safety lockout and tagout equipment was createdequal and as with everything in the market place there aregood quality and lower quality products available. Eachorganisation must ensure that the lockout and tagoutequipment and accessories that they are using is of highenough quality to ensure the safety of personnel.

OSHA requires that all lockout and tagout equipment andaccessories must be manufactured from durable materialswhich can withstand the environment in which they arebeing used - they must be substantial enough to withstandremoval without use of excessive force, they must clearlyidentify the employee who installed the device, they must bestandardised in the facility by shape, colour and/or size, theymust be unique from other locking devices and may only beused for lockout and tagout purposes.

Every piece of machinery must have its own procedure toensure adequate lockout of its energy source. This could beas simple as locking out a circuit breaker or locking a valve inthe closed position. In general, the steps to effective lockoutand tagout are:

1. Preparation for shutdown which includes identification ofall the machine’s energy sources.

2. Notification of all personnel working with the machinethat a lockout procedure is to be implemented.

3. Stop the machine by following its normal shutdownprocedure.

4. Isolate the energy feed to the machine by switching off itsmain power source.

5. Apply the correct safety padlock and isolation accessory toeach point of energy to the machine. The padlock appliedmust clearly indicate who applied the padlock and in theevent of more than one person working on the machine,each worker must apply their own padlock to the lockoutaccessory.

6. Release any stored energy to the machine, this forexample could be draining hydraulic or pneumaticpressure to the machine or blocking moving parts of themachine.

Factors to consider in lockout and tagout applications


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7. Verify that the machine is safely locked out by trying torestart the machine.

Only once these steps have been carried out should any workbe done on the machine. In this way the safety of personnelis guaranteed during maintenance.

Once all maintenance work has been completed on themachine can it be restarted using the following steps:

1. Remove all tools and replace all safety guards.

2. Check all employees are clear of the machine.

3. Each person must then remove their lockout accessoriesand padlocks.

4. Notify all employees who work with the machine that thelockout and tagout devices have been removed from themachine and it is about to be restarted

5. Restart the machine using the normal start-up procedurefor that machine.

MASTER LOCK PADLOCKS

Master Lock is the world leader in safety padlocks as well assafety accessories used in lockout and tagout applications.The use of Zenex thermoplastic in safety padlocks ensuresthe durability of the padlock, and also ensures that a non-hazardous lock is used in potentially explosive or corrosiveenvironments. Lock bodies are available in various coloursand sizes and shackles are also available in different lengths,diameters and materials, this way ensuring that a safesolution is available for every application.

In addition, Master Lock South Africa offers a free advisoryservice, where a qualified person will do a site inspection andadvise management on which safety devices and padlocks arenecessary to ensure safe lockout and tagout at the facility.This function ensures correct application of devices. Trainingis also provided to persons who would need to use theequipment.

Management of a facility can then rest assured that thecorrect safety padlocks and accessories are being used asintended in the facility and that all Master Lock safetyproducts are backed by a lifetime guarantee.


ABOUT SARACCA

SARACCA is an association of contractors who have individually and jointlyagreed to a set of governing standards whilst operating in free competition againsteach other. The common aim is to strive to improve the image and standards ofthe industry and the association provides a forum for this purpose.

In July 2009 the Department of Labour published the “Pressure EquipmentRegulations” as part of the Occupational Health and Safety Act Number 85 of1993. The South African Qualification and Certification Committee for Gas(SAQCC Gas) has been accredited by the Department of Labour to register“Authorised Persons”. SARACCA, as a member of that committee is tasked withregistering refrigeration and air conditioning practitioners.

The association participates in several forums where industry wide issues andrequirements are discussed e.g. Master Builders South Africa (MBSA),Contractual and Legal Committee (CLC), SAQCC Gas,JBCC technical committee on contracts, the PressureEquipment Regulations Forum (PERF) and the SouthAfrican Bureau of Standards (SABS) on DuctManufacturing, Installation and Refrigeration.South African Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Contractors' Association Barney Richardson, Director, [email protected]

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St Helena is one of the most remoteislands in the world and still, to thisday, remains relatively undiscovered bytourism. However, with the completionof the St Helena Airport, this will soonchange.

In 2014 the construction began withthe UK government spending over£250 million. The overall purpose ofthe airport is to ensure that theislanders become more self-sufficient,encouraging economic developmentwhile reducing dependence on Britishgovernment aid. It is also expected tokick start the tourism industry, with upto 30,000 visitors annually.

The first plane landed on the 15September 2015, and the first largepassenger jet on 18 April 2016.

The airport project measures 3500m2

and offers landing facilities for aircraft’sup to an Airbus A320 or Boeing737-800.

The airport building is designed as amixed-use development which includesthe terminal building for arrivals anddepartures, as ll as office and retailspace.

CREATING COMFORT

Mixed-use buildings are generally themost challenging buildings to keepcomfortable. With the wide variety ofweather challenges, the cooling andheating needs of ST Helena’s Airportremains significant.

The appointment of 52 Engineering toact as onsite HVAC contractors, atteststo the notion that SARACCA membersdo much more than just build andcontribute to projects. SARACCAmembers have the mandate to engagein, shape and contribute to socialcohesion, community development,and economic revival.

The restricted access via the ship RMSSt Helena to the island meant traveltime could take up to 3 weeks for around trip. Planning thus played a vitalrole in ensuring deadlines were and arestill met. Although 52 Engineering hasworked on HVAC projects throughoutAfrica, from Eritrea to Ghana, StHelena’s commissioning proved to beone of the most challenging projectsundertaken by the company.

CITI MULTI

For this milestone project, 52Engineering, made use of MitsubishiElectric’s CITI MULTI air-conditioningsystem. This offers a “CITI MULTIcontrols network” or CMCN whichmanages up to 2, 000 indoor unitsfrom a single networked PC. TheCMCN sets and monitors operation,mode, temperature, fan speed andairflow direction and even includes anoperating schedule that's tailored to theneeds of the people and the building.

The network manages the operation,monitoring, scheduling (daily, weekly,yearly) error email, personal browser,and tenant billing and maintenancediagnostics.

SOLVING WEATHER CHALLENGES

To start the project, the HVACcommunication tower had to be builtand fitted out. Due to weatherconditions, the HVAC system had toensure windows were kept clear at alltimes of the day. Although they wereallocated 8 months for the project, the52 Engineering team remained on theisland for over 2 years. While onsite, 52Engineering was also awarded thehospital, sea rescue, and BFI projects.

The operations phase of the airportcontract will continue in partnershipwith Lanseria Airport for a period of

10 years.

On May 2016, the Air Safety SupportInternational (ASSI) issued anAerodrome Certificate to St HelenaAirport - having been satisfied that theairport infrastructure, aviation securitymeasures, and air traffic control servicecomply with international aviationsafety and security standards.

PROJECT DETAILS

Basil Reed was awarded the contractfor design and construction for the STHelena site.

The project was funded by the UKGovernment and is part of the StHelena business improvement project.

The design of the HVAC system wasawarded to Worley Parsons.

Airport construction at St Helena

GAS SAFETY SARACCA


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Energy shortage is a major problem inSouth Africa, affecting not onlycitizens, but it is also one of the majorreasons that the productivity ofbusinesses is sometimes interrupted.

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas SafetyAssociation of Southern Africa(LPGSASA) suggests that there is asolution to this energy crisis.

At the recent LPGAS Training Facilitiesopening, Kevin Robertson, ChiefExecutive Officer, said, “Liquefied gashas been used in the past for cookingand to produce the necessary energyneeded in the household. In thismodern age, this same source of energycan be relied on to replace electricity inSouth Africa”.

In Brazil, the largest consumer ofliquefied gas, 13kg cylinders ofliquefied gas are delivered in 92% ofhouseholds every month.

In Africa, countries like Ivory Coast,Uganda and Nigeria have jumped onthe bandwagon and are reaping the

rewards that come with this energysource.

Michael Kelly, Deputy ManagingDirector of World Liquefied PetroleumGas Association, shared the followingduring the LPGSA opening, “4.3million premature deaths occurannually due to household airpollution. People are not aware of theharm that goes with cooking withwood and coal, but there is still a hugenumber of households that rely on thismethod. The misconception is thatLPGas is not safe. This is not true.”

Government has invested a lot ofmoney in the development of solarenergy to replace electricity. LPGas is anatural substance that is a bi-productextracted during the process of oilrigging.

The surplus of liquefied gas makes itmuch cost-effective. Every household inEurope uses a gas stove. Gas is quitesafe, the only thing that needsinvesting in is the educating of

LP Gas could solve SA’s energy crisis

GAS SAFETY LPGSASA

Whether you use gas in your home, onholiday or in your business, it isimportant to understand theregulations around the safe handling ofLiquefied Petroleum Gas (LPGas).

In the South African context, LiquefiedPetroleum Gas (LPGAS) is a popularenergy source due to the fact that it isversatile, efficient and safe to use.Domestically, LPGAS can be used for avariety of day to day functions butmost frequently for cooking, waterheating and space heating.

LPGAS can be supplied directly tohomes from a bulk tank, via a networkof piping (in specific, demarcated areas)or bottled in cylinders.

The LPGas Safety Association of SouthAfrica (LPGSASA) promotes the safeuse of LPGas through the adherence tobest business and safety practices.There are three main areas which homeowners need to be aware of:

The appliance

Only appliances which have a validverification permit issued by theLPGSASA may be distributed, sold orinstalled.

For a complete list of such appliancesvisit:http://www.lpgas.co.za/safety/find%20a%20safe%20appliance/Search_Appliance.php

The cylinder

Ensure you exchange your cylinder, orhave one refilled, through a reputabledealer.

Check that the branding/logo on theshrink wrap seal (on the cylinder valve)matches the branding/logo on thecylinder itself.

Visit:http://www.lpgas.co.za/find%20a%20dealer/

The Installer

Only a Registered LPGas Practitionermay undertake the installation of anyfixed LPGas appliance.

Ask the Installer for his SAQCCGas IDcard.

On completion of the installation,he/she must issue a Certificate ofConformity (CoC).

The safe handling of LP Gas equipmentInstallations not covered by a valid CoCwould be deemed to be illegal.

For a list of Registered Practitionersvisit: http://saqccgas.co.za/?s=

LPGAS is one of the safest energyproducts to use. However, incorrectinstallation or backyard refilling couldlead to damage to property or injury.

ABOUT LPGSASA

Established in 1989 and based in Johannesburg, the Liquefied Petroleum GasSafety Association of South Africa is non-profit organisation that representscompanies which are involved in the installation, distribution, hardware andretailing of LPGas and gas appliances.

As the industry body we are dedicated to the safe use of LP Gas, everywhere inSouthern Africa - domestically, commercially and industrially.

The LPGSASA works very closely with the various Government Departmentsincluding the South Africa Bureau of Standards and the various fire departmentsin the control and approval of all LP Gas sites, SABS National Standards and theCodes and Practices as they pertain to the industry.

The LP Gas Safety Association promotes safety in the industry and to this endpresents a variety of training courses tocover all needs. As from August 1997 interms of the OHS Act, only Registered LP Gas Installers shall install and maintainLP Gas installations.Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association of Southern Africa Kevin Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, [email protected], 011-886-9702


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The attendance for such an importantevent as Women in SHEQ wasdisappointing. I thought thatestablished and leading companieswould make use of the opportunity tocome and showcase their organisations’change regarding equal opportunitywithin SHEQ as a career for women.

Numerous speakers at the event echoedrequirements on how to build asuccessful career for women in SHEQ.

Women are considered as super-human- they are able to:

• Create a balance between theirwork, their lives and families,

• Passionately care for their agedparents,

• Make sure her family eats healthy

• Clean home environment, clothesand ensure the cupboards arestocked

All the above is seen as unpaid labour!

CURBING NEGATIVE IMPACTS ANDSTILL THRIVING

Mpendulo Ginindza in herpresentation, highlighted the careercycles of women in the workenvironment as follows:

• First career stage - between 2 - 3 yearsthen time to bear children,

• Second career stage - between 3 -5years are seen as working to achievea goal as senior employee, and

• Third career stage - often as managerand later executive manager - neverthinking of retiring due tomenopause - this stage is literally

Steward Shapiro sis a committee member of theSafety First Association. He iso a registered

Safety Professional with the Institute of SafetyManagement and owner of The Ultimate

OHS Solutions (Pty) Ltd which specialises inSafety compliance on projects and tailor made

SHEQ management systems for SME’s,Medium and large sized contractors in civil

and building industries and construction workon all mines.

Women in SHEQ

taken “pause from men” (unquote).

TRENDS IN QUALIFICATIONSAMONGST WOMEN

Carine Mostert, made some statsavailable to the delegates and revealedthat a case study on recruitmentconducted in South Africa andinternationally indicated the followingtrends on qualifications that are soughtafter:

Safety Practitioners (Constructionand Industrial):

• 60% - SAMTRAC, 20%NADSAM, 20% not specified, only10% asked for SACPCMPregistration,

• Chief Safety Officers – Mining –NADSAM and SAMTRAC /COMSOC,

• Safety Managers – 70% NationalDiploma, 30% SAMTRAC orequivalent,

• Safety Executives – All tertiarydegrees,

Current international trends:

• Oil and gas – 100% Nebosh,

• Other – degree / relevantqualifications recognised byrespective governments.

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IN THEMALE DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT

Are women in general still provingthemselves more (understatement - sic)in the male dominated workenvironment?

“How can we improve our workplaceto ensure gender diversity, andempowerment of women - is resiliencein the workplace still possible?” Thiswas but a few of the questions asked bythe presenter Natalie Taft during herpresentation at the conference.

“Yes! persist with what you believe in andwant to achieve” (quote S. Shapiro).

There are numerous South African andinternational women icons to learnfrom.

Natalie Taft, in one of her presentationslides quoted the driving forces behindintegrating and allowing for a diverseworking society in South Africa:

• Legislation: Governmentregulations mandate a certainpercentage of women participation:

- Constitution 1996,

- Woman’s Charter for Effective Equality 1994,

- National Framework for Women Empowerment and Gender Equality 2000 etc.,

- Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Act 75 of 1997,

- Code of good practice on the protection of employees during pregnancy and after the birth of a child.

Section 8 the OHSACT

Employers are required to provide andmaintain a work environment that issafe and without risk to the health ofemployees.

This includes risks to the reproductivehealth of employees.

Employers should identify, record andregularly review:

- potential risks to pregnant or breast-feeding employees within the workplace;

- protective measures and adjustments to working arrangements for pregnant or breast-feeding employees.

• Business case: integrating womeninto the workforce leads to anincrease in productivity, efficiency,profitability and reliability formining companies.

• Corporate social responsibility:Employing women can lead tocommunities becoming more

A summary report on the 2 day WOMEN IN SHEQ Conference by Steward Shapiro, who serves on the Safety First Association as committee member.


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prosperous and help break cycles ofpoverty by contributing moretowards household welfare andincreasing the level of skills in thecommunity.

What mechanism should be used?According to Natalie, a similarprogramme / commitment as the“Women in Mining programmeimplemented by Lonmin Mine andInternational Finance Corporation(IFC)”.

“And the challenges for women ingeneral, pursuing a career”

• The jobs women do and the choicesthey make still depend largely ontheir family commitments.

• Women are more likely than men tosuffer multiple discrimination at theworkplace.

• Women are increasingly affected bymusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)and stress. This puts into questionthe misconception that women’swork is less physically and mentallydemanding.

• Violence and harassment are aparticular issue in certain sectors.

• Male type behaviours distinct to theoccupation must be considered.

• Lack of real transformation becauseof male resistance and prejudices.

• Sex based labour force segregationcontributes to different workplacechallenges and hazards for men andwomen.

OHS stressors!!!

• Health hazards i.e. psychological,physical, biological, chemical,STRESS and ergonomics.Appropriate PPE designed forwomen.

Workplace culture:

Isolation (working as the only femaleon a job site or being ostracised by co-workers) may evoke both stress andfear of assault.

Hostile workplace:

A hostile workplace presents safety andhealth concerns on several levels,ranging from a lack of training andsafety information to physical assault.

Sexual harassment:

Sex discrimination and anti-women

attitudes are still prevalent.

Sexual harassment incidents atworksites range from subtle forms suchas being stared at to more blatantforms such as unwanted sexual remarks(including comments on appearance)and sexual assault.

Are women part of the riskassessment team to address allcategories and the challenges facingthe diverse workforce? (quote)

HAZARD - WHAT IS THE RISK

More stressors identified by BulelwaHuna, Specialist: Occupational Healthand Hygiene in her presentation wererevealed during her research into theexposure of women to OHS:

Anaesthetic gasses

Exposure to anesthetic gases duringpregnancy can lead to miscarriage.

Carbon monoxide

Risks arise when engines or appliancesusing petrol, diesel and liquefiedpetroleum gas is operated in enclosedareas. Carbon monoxide can result inthe fetus being starved of oxygen.

Antimitotic (Cytotoxic) drugs

Exposure to antimitotic drugs, whichare used for treating cancer, damagesgenetic information in human spermand egg cells. Some of these drugs cancause cancer. Absorption is byinhalation or through the skin.

Ethylene oxide

Ethylene oxide is used mainly insterilising procedures in hospital.Exposure may occur when sterilisedgoods are transferred to the aeratorafter the cycle is complete and whenchanging the gas tanks.

Lead

Exposure of pregnant and breast-feeding employees to lead affects thenervous system of young children andis detrimental to child development.

Mercury and mercury derivatives

Organic and inorganic mercurycompounds can have adverse effects onthe mother and fetus.

Polychlorinated Byphenyls (PCBs)

PCBs can cause deformities in thechild. Maternal exposure before

conception can also affect fetaldevelopment as PCBs can be passed onto the fetus through the mother'sblood.

Organic solvents

Exposure to organic solvents includingaliphatic hydrocarbons, toluene andtetrachloroethylene can lead tomiscarriage and have a detrimentaleffect on the fetus.

Pesticides and herbicides

Exposure to certain pesticides andherbicides is associated with anincreased risk of miscarriage and canadversely affect the development of thechild.

Alcohol

Fetal alcohol syndrome can lead tophysical and mental abnormalities inchildren. Workers in the beverage,catering and associated industries,including wine farming, are particularlyat risk.

WOMEN EMPLOYED IN CORE MININGPOSITIONS

A researched topic at the conferencewas presented by Dr D Botha from theNorth-West University onOccupational health and safetyconsiderations for women employed incore mining positions. The research wasconducted at:

• Platinum mine (underground)

• Copper mine (underground)

• Phosphate mine (open-cast)

In her introduction Dr Botha informedthe audience that her research revealedthe following:

• The mining industry has not been anobvious career choice and preferredplace of employment for women,

• Mining has been considered as a verymasculine industry due to its heavilymale-dominated workforce as well asthe physical nature of mining work,

• Until 1994, women were legislativelyprohibited from being employed inoperations underground in SouthAfrica. The Mines Health and SafetyAct 29 of 1996 removed theserestrictions,

• New mining legislation (MPRDAand Mining Charter) made specific


•

provisions for the inclusion ofwomen in core mining positions,

• Although well intended, theestablishment of gender equality inthe male-dominant mining sectorremains one of the biggest equitychallenges,

• Numerous problems (e.g. shift work,sexual harassment, acceptance bymale co-workers, physicalconstraints),

• Exposed to the various hazardsrelated to mine work:

- Mechanical hazards (e.g. tools and machines)

- Physical hazards (e.g. dust, noise and extreme heat)

- Chemical hazards (e.g. explosives)

- Biological hazards (e.g. snakebites)

- Psychosocial hazards (e.g. long and awkward hours; remote locations)

• Empirical Results / Findings werebased on the following qualitativequestions:

- I feel safe at work

- It is dangerous for women to work underground

- I have the physical ability to conduct my daily tasks effectively

- It is safe for women to work nightshift

- PPE are inadequate and women friendly

- Pregnant women are provided with alternative employment

The quantitative information obtained:

• Women have the physical ability todo their jobs well, but

• The work is tough and not easy toperform (especially underground),

• They do not always have thephysical strength, power andstamina required for specificpositions,

• They want to prove themselves andoften neglect their bodies to do theirjobs well,

• ‘I don’t have the steam to work atthe position that I am working at.’ ‘Iam not strong enough’,

• ‘The job of mine is too hard.’

• ‘We are sweating underground’.

Some mining companies still provideoveralls, shoes and gloves that are notwomen-friendly and are designed withmen in mind.

Comments received about PPE:

‘Women, you know, have got curvesand we are wearing men’s clothes.Sometimes it is difficult for you toknow the correct size. Because it ismale size, you find when you orderoveralls they are too big. When youorder the small it is too small.’

‘I’m not satisfied with the respiratorthat is provided to use in the plant. Itsometimes feels as if I cannot inhaleenough oxygen.’

Comments on pregnancy:

Different views exist on femaleemployees’ experiences regardingtreatment during pregnancy.

Some were treated well from themoment they disclosed theirpregnancies and were redeployed topositions that require light duty.

Others indicated that they were nottreated well and were not given lightduty; they had to ask to be moved towork on the surface.

‘The mine did not accommodate mewhen I fell pregnant. I went throughhell. There are 21 men and I’m theonly woman. I used to be ordered towork where it was not even safe. Thereis a lot of gas and dust. No-one caredthat I was pregnant.'

In her conclusion Dr Botha is of theopinion that on average, participantsare satisfied with the way health andsafety measures are implemented in theworkplace.

However, concerns were indicatedregarding:

• Working the night shift (phosphateand platinum mines) indicatedconcerns,

• Treatment during pregnancy,

• Alternative employment provided forwomen during early motherhood andbreastfeeding (copper mine),

• PPE designed for women,

• Mine work that requires physicalstrength and stamina,

• The operating of heavy vibratingequipment and machines.

Hopefully these research results will be sharedwith the relevant authorities!

ESKOM’S WOMEN’S ADVANCEMENTPROGRAM

One of the most significantcontributions at the conference was theEskom Women’s AdvancementProgramme (EWAP) presented byKerseri Pather. The EWAP can beobtained from the ESKOM website.

In the context of her presentation shementioned that a number of challengeswhich women face in the workplace arealso seen as the barriers to women’sadvancement.

The following statements made byKerseri during her presentation:

“Eskom believes that attracting,retaining and promoting women iscritical to the success of ourorganisation. Having a rewardingcareer that offers growth andopportunity is an important aspect inmany women’s lives. Knowing one’sstrengths and taking steps tocontinually develop play a role in on-going career satisfaction.

In order to deal with the root causes ofunder-representation it is thereforecritical to have a holistic view of thesebarriers and ensure that the solutionscover a wide range of challenges.

Whilst Eskom has made majorprogress in the development andadvancement of women in bothtechnical and leadership roles, the harshrealities of under-representation stillpersists.

The Eskom Women Advancementprogramme is a holistic approachaimed at “breaking the mould” that isbased on perceptions of and aboutwomen that perpetuatemisrepresentation of women inleadership and technical roles. It is adeliberate attempt to influence theculture such that leadership support forEWAP exits, that the programme isinclusive and involves all keystakeholders, men in particular andthat the stereotypes are changed.

The programme was launched in 2014marking 20 years of South Africa’sdemocracy and 20 years of the


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Women’s charter.”

The Ernst & Young’s Women in Powerand Utilities Index 2016’s global list ofthe top 20 most gender-diverse Powerand Utilities companies ranked Eskomat 6th place.

In addition, the list of the top 200Power and Utilities companies with themost gender diverse workforces in theAfrica and Middle East region alsoplaced Eskom at 6th position.

Eskom’s investment in women’sadvancement through mentorship andleadership development has included:

• Techno girl programme and ablutionfacilities for women in live lineprojects,

• PPE procured to suit women in theworkplace,

• Women in Nuclear : Appointed 100learners to be trained as NuclearOperators at Koeberg; 40 of themare women,

• Regional EWAP launches and yearlyconferences,

• Mentorship and coaching initiativesfor young women.

This final thought is taken fromNatalie Taft’s presentation:

WOMEN IN SHEQ CAN:

• Ensure a gender sensitive approach torisk assessments and health riskassessments,

• Use gender sensitive research, reviewtools such gender impact assessmentsand gender sensitive monitoring anddata collection systems to influencestrategy, policy, process and material,

• Facilitate networks and partnershipsfor exchanging good practicesbetween women and others,

• Involve female workers and decisionmakers in the implementation ofsolutions,

• Listen to women and involve them inrisk assessment and the developmentof prevention measures throughparticipatory approaches,

• Encourage woman to be part ofhealth and safety committees andquality circles.

THE PANTERAT ™ - SOFTSHELL 2 JACKET Sparks and Ellis Uniforms has launched The PanteraT™ -a Softshell 2 jacket, which effectively replaces both a jerseyand a warm jacket.

The PanteraT™ is locally manufactured to meet specificclient requirements. This lightweight jacket is warm aswell as wind and water resistant. The outer fabric issmooth, easy to clean and exceptionally durable. It is alsostylish and suitable for a variety of different workingenvironments such as traffic, security, combat and EMSuniforms.

Features include top mock pocket flaps with press studs. It also has a shirt stylecollar, as well as shoulder straps for epaulettes. Another unique feature is theinclusion of zips in the side seams, which allows easy access to a itema, such as aweapon or a radio. Sparks & Ellis / Tel: (021) 404 1240 / [email protected] / www.sparks.co.za

AVOID HEAT STROKE WITH DYNAFORCE REHYDRATION DRINKDynaforce, which is developed by North Safety, is a rehydration drink thatreplenishes the body of essential nutrients for those working in hot environments.

It is available in four different flavours, including naartjie, tropical, blueberry andcherry grape. “The drink, which comes in a 60 g, 240 g and 25 kg bulk pack, has

a potassium content that exceeds that of other similar drinks.

The benefit of this is the positive fluid retention effect that the potassium exerts at a cellular level. The powdered drink carries various other vitamins and minerals and has no preservatives. It is available at all North Safety branches.

North Safety Products Africa, Contact Lizette Kasselman,Tel: (031) 705 6085 / Email: [email protected]

AWARD-WINNING PPE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - NOW FREE FOR ALLBramhope now offers its first-of-its-kind software systemthat measures, assesses,evaluates and manages PPE,free to its contracted

customers.

Bramhope’s PPE management system leads to increased PPE item lifespan,optimised usage, safer workplaces while at the same time, delivering a significantreduction in total cost of ownership. The benefits are real-time reporting peritem/user/location/job profile and the system accurately determines the selection ofPPE by weighing employee profiles against unique workplace risks, specific workareas and user trends.

It is the only system proven to reduce TOC by up to 50%, as it controls all aspectsof PPE, including issuing, use, application, calibration, training, product versus jobspecification and stock control.

The system features a built-in global sourcing platform, ensuring secure access anda large, searchable database of suppliers, making it accessible “to any company, inany industry, in any country".Bramhope Safety Solutions (Pty) Ltd / Tel: 086 000 2726 / 082 591 4300 / www.bramhope.co.za


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Leighton Bennett of Benrisk Consulting isa SHE and Risk Management consultantwho is both a professionally registered safetyprofessional and graduate, a professionally

registered associate in risk managementand is the author of PEPMELF based

risk assessment process. Leighton is also afreelance underwriting insurance surveyor.

As a professional SHE & RiskManagement Consultant, I amregularly requested to attend meetingson company premises to discuss and toadvise on SHE related matters.

As a passionate practitioner one enterspremises and naturally observes thelevel of OHS of the site on a continuousrisk assessment basis. It’s in our blood!!

But then one spots the issues. Beloware sightings that I responded to, whileon a premises for a meeting, as thesetwo observations are potential fatalincidents waiting to happen.

Observation one:

A shade-poort construction contractor’sinverter welding machine which hadbeen used, but its condition presents anelectrocution fatal waiting to happen.No insulated electrode holder handle,exposed wires on the power supplyplug cable (arrowed) and the weldingcable pictured is loose, but earlier waspushed onto the electrode cable socketon the welder.

I immediately informed the companymanagement who believed it wouldnot be a problem for them if a guy diedas they are contractors. I informedthem they would be in trouble as thefatal would be on their site and therewere no Construction Regulationsrelated health and safety specifications,plans, etc in place for this shade-poortproject. The defective welder wasimmediately loaded onto the bakkie forremoval from site

Fatal potential near misses spotted

Observation two:

During a meeting break we went to the refreshments area in the building’sground floor atrium area for a cup of tea. Looking up into the atrium I spotted abox waiting to cause a possible fatal falling risk incident. Can you see the risk?

The box is on top of some filing cabinets standing adjacent to the handrail a fewfloors up above the refreshments area. The box has been pushed to the back of thefiling cabinet such that almost half the box hangs over the edge. A paper filleddocument storage box weighs some 20 kg and if it falls onto somebody’s head inthe refreshment area the consequence is a likely fatal. I suggested to my host tohave the box removed immediately.

What have you seen and done to improve safety today?

Above: Observation one

Below: Observation two


A Good Day to all Members of IOSM!

Summer is upon us after a very short spring and by the timeyou read this we should be in the rainy season, which we arehoping will be more productive than what the weatherforecasters are predicting!

The wet season brings with it its own risks, not least ofwhich are wet roads with the potential for vehicle accidents.On the other hand a dry season also has risks, all of whichthe occupational health and safety practitioner have toanticipate and try to minimise. The moral of the story is thatit does not matter what the weather is like, what the seasonof the year or whatever your business is, the OHSpractitioner always has to be vigilant and anticipate thepotential for harm and try and minimise it!!

KZN BRANCH

I recently had the honour of again attending a meeting atour KZN Branch.

Arty Zondi and the Branch have to be commended forkeeping the branch going and doing such good work for theInstitute down in the KZN Coastal area.

Their pre-programme with the National Diploma in SafetyManagement Students is ongoing, and they are evenreporting cases where learners got positions based on theextra work that was done. Congratulations KZN!

I shared a bit about the latest developments at NationalLevel as well asspecifically the QCTO qualification.

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Joep Joubert

Message fromthe President

QCTO QUALIFICATION

The QCTO eventually got around to publishing theOccupational Certificate for Occupational Health and SafetyPractitioners for national comment.

You will have seen our e-mail shot in that regard.

The IOSM submitted some comments based on theallocation of credits as well as concern about fire and first aidtraining standards that were not included in thequalification.

A serious concern raised was the fact that in the sameGazette a qualification for a Safety Inspector in Forestry andrelated industries was also published for comment. Thecontent of the qualification is good, but it does beg thequestion of proliferation of qualifications again.

It also brings into question the credibility of bothdevelopment processes that were followed. The QCTO willnow evaluate the inputs and based on that will decide on theprocess going forward.

NATIONAL COUNCIL ELECTIONSAs you will be aware we held electronic elections for the newNational Council over the past few months and thefollowing people were elected to National Council:1. Joep Joubert2. Leighton Bennett – co-opted 3. Vaatjie Heyneke4. Andy Douglas5. Frankie Arce6. Richard Whittaker7. Arty Zondi – co-opted8. Thandeka Zulu9. Delene Sheasby - co-opted10. Thomas Xaba – co-opted11. Drienie Boonzaaier12. Annemarie Gordon

E-mail: [email protected] / Tel +27 12 661 5166 / Website: www.iosm.co.za

Some of the NDSAMN students

More than 40 people attended the meeting again


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workplace experience component. This is exactly what it saysin that the learner is expected to go to the workplace andcomplete the prescribed actions to build up some experienceto be able to do what is required of him/her. This isconducted in an approved workplace under approvedsupervision and will invariably include the maintenance of alogbook and compilation of a Portfolio of Evidence (POE) toprove that the learner did acquire the required skills.

QCTO APPROACH TO ASSESSMENTS

Assessments in the new dispensation will be based on a two-tiered approach. Firstly there will be the internal assessmentsthat will take place through the skills development provider.Based on good assessments practices, this will take the formof pre-assessments, formative assessments and then asummative assessment covering the knowledge, practicalskills and the workplace experience, to ensure the learner isready to go for external assessment.

With this qualification it was decided that the finalintegrated assessment will be done in the form of a writtenassessment conducted under exam conditions. This is anexternal assessment done through the Assessment Qualitypartner. The assessment will last plus minus four hours andwill cover key elements of the theory and practical skills.

Once successful, the learner will be issued with a QCTOcertificate.

OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATE: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTHAND SAFETY PRACTITIONER

This qualification exits at NQF Level 5 and carries 256credits. Upon completing the new qualification a successfullearner will be able to:

• Inspect work places and environments to identify theoccupational health and safety hazards and determine therisks associated with the work,

• Facilitate and support actions to eliminate or control hazardsin order to minimise risks in a designated work area,

• Represent the needs of employees with regard toOccupational Health and Safety matters

by Joep Joubert

BACKGROUND

And so it happened! The QCTO published a number of newqualifications for comment in Government Gazette No.40224 dated 22 August 2016. The qualifications areavailable for scrutiny on the QCTO webpage at thefollowing link: http://www.qcto.org.za/index.php/for-public-comment. Comments closed by the 12th of September and anumber of bodies submitted responses.

Should the comments not be too exhaustive and farreaching, the qualification will be put before the QCTOCouncil first, hopefully somewhere in October and then itwill go before the SAQA Board for final approval by lateNovember, early December. Thus if all goes well, the newqualifications could be registered before January 2017. Thismeans that the change is closer than we think and we needto start preparing for it!

This article will be delving a bit deeper into the content andapproaches as applied by the QCTO in drafting the newgeneration qualifications. It also touches on another OHSqualification submitted by the Fibre Processing andManufacturing SETA, which corresponds substantially withthe qualification developed in conjunction with the MQA.

STRUCTURE OF QCTO QUALIFICATIONS

As indicated previously there are substantial changes to theold unit standard based qualifications. For a learner toacquire a QCTO qualification, he/she would have to gothrough the knowledge component, which is packaged in amodular format, rather than a skills package as found in theunit standards.

The knowledge component is supported by a practicalcomponent which is done under the supervision of thefacilitator. This component takes place in controlledconditions so it could be in the training venue or in theworkplace. It could take the form of role plays, simulations,mock exercises or any other controlled practice.

The third and final component in the learning journey is the

Changes to the South African OHS training landscape - the sequel


INTERIM OFFICE BEARERSThe following office bearers were elected for the interim tofinalise the official process.1. President – Joep Joubert2. Vice President – Richard Whittaker3. Treasurer – Leighton Bennett4. Registrar – Delene Sheasby

5. Secretary – Thomas Xaba

Thank you to the elected Council and for the EXCO foryour willingness to serve the Institute of SafetyManagement!

Be Safe till we talk again!!

Joep Joubert


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• Participate in the planning and implementation ofoperational occupational health and safety managementsystems

• Monitor and continually improve the effectiveness ofoperational Occupational Health and Safety systems.

In this case the knowledge modules will carry 76 credits, thepractical skill modules 62 credits and the work experiencemodules 118 credits that add up to the 256 credits in totalfor the qualification.

Within the qualification as it was gazetted for commentthere are two part qualifications besides the mainqualification: firstly for the Occupational Health and SafetyRepresentative, NQF Level 2, Credits 47 and the secondcalled Full Time Representative/OHS Assistant, NQF Level 3, Credits 59. (The descriptions and credits for thesediffer between the Qualification and Curriculum documentsas published). One can expect learning to be packaged insuch a way that learners will progress from the first, throughthe second, up to completion of the outstanding modules forthe complete qualification.

As there is a lot more detail in the published documents it ishighly recommended that readers have a look at thedocuments published on the website.(http://www.qcto.org.za/index.php/for-public-comment).

OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATE: SAFETY INSPECTOR(FORESTRY AND RELATED INDUSTRIES)

Another twist in the tale of the development of OHSqualifications is the publication for comment in the samegazette, of an Occupational Certificate: Safety Inspector forForestry and related industries, NQF Level 4, Credits 278.This qualification was developed by the Fibre Processing andManufacturing SETA, clearly because they identified theneed for such a qualification. It does, however, raise thequestion of proliferation of qualifications and the process ofconsultation of both these qualifications.

A successful learner in this case will be able to:

• Implement, maintain and review the specific elements ofthe forestry and related industry company safety systemsto promote a safe and healthy work environment free ofhazards and risks,

• Identify, monitor and mitigate hazards and risks in theforestry and related industry workplace to minimise andcontrol potential for injury and loss,

• Manage incident scenes, coordinate emergency responseand take part/assist in incident investigations to identifyand determine compliance with safety, health andenvironmental rules and regulations and implementpreventative measures,

• Enforce statutory (legal) and forestry and related industrycompany compliance requirements through inspections,first party audits and structured meetings,

• Conduct an appreciation of all operational, chemical and

mechanical tasks and activities of a forestry and relatedindustry company to determine compliance withlegislation

• Conduct elementary Safety Health and Environment(SHE) activities in the forestry and related industryworkplace to promote a safe and healthy workenvironment.

WHAT NOW?

We will have to wait and see how the QCTO will be dealingwith the comments they received. If the comments areconsidered serious, it may lead to the qualifications beingreferred back to the Development Quality Partners for re-work; alternatively comments could be worked into thequalification, and submitted to SAQA immediately for finalapproval and registration.

As indicated initially, the quickest possible scenario couldmean that the new qualifications are registered by SAQAbefore the end of the year. From there it will depend on theskills development providers on how quickly they candevelop and package the training and register themselvesand the qualification with the QCTO.

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Don’t worry, I’m not about to breakinto song – even though it is a beautifulone!

This picture popped up as a screensaver a couple of days ago and I asked“Google Images” to tell me where thelovely bridge and causeway is.Gaztelugatxe (from the Basque gaztelu= “castle”, “fort” and gaitz =“difficult”) is a small island on therough coast of Biscay.

It is uncertain whether the “difficult”refers to the ability of the “fort” towithstand attack or the challenge ofbuilding the causeway and its bridges.

The little chapel on the summit wasbuilt in the 10th century and, it can beassumed that the bridge was built atabout the same time, and certainlybefore Drake sacked it in 1593. Eitherway it’s old and definitely predates therequirements of the 2003 ConstructionRegulations.

So why am I rambling on about the“craggy fort”?

Back “then” - whenever “then” was -there was no legal requirement for thedesigner and/or builder to take care

over the safety of the workers. Since theoriginal building on the island’ssummit has religious connections, itmight be assumed, though, that theclient was concerned about more thanjust the spiritual welfare of the workers.

So it might be a safety conscious clientor merely a builder’s desire not to haveto rebuild his work after every storm oreven high tide that drove theconstruction detail revealed in thecolumns below the arches. Imaginetrying to build these with (timber)scaffolding built on the lower level –which may even have been the originalfair weather/low tide causeway – tocarry the timber support work for theplacing of the arch and keystoneblocks. Every time the tide came in orlarge waves swept over the base, thesupport work would have been washedaway with the possibility of the loss ofboth life and property. So the design ofboth the structure itself and thetemporary works would, at least from2003 in South Africa, have had to takethis hazard into account.

If you look carefully, there are masonrysteps at the base of the arch and againabout four courses below that. Thesewould have been part of the originaldesign since they obviously are nottemporary. So why are they there?

In the picture below, I have tried torepresent what I believe the answer is.With no erection of temporary worksfrom the base level being possible, thecurved falsework for the arch itselfmight well have been supported off theupper block as indicated in red.

But the timber arch formwork wouldnot have been light, considering theweight of masonry it had to support,but would still have required additional“propping” until the keystone wasinstalled. However, as indicated earlier,such propping could not have beenfrom the base.

The solution, I surmise, would bediagonal propping from the masonryblocks at the lower level – as indicatedin black in the second picture!

So simple with a thousand years ofhindsight but it would have requiredcooperation between designer andcontractor from the outset – or perhapsit was a design and build contract, inwhich case, the collaboration wouldseem a little less unusual.

Either way, it’s pretty obvious thatthere is no need for “out of the box”thinking when it comes to designingfor safety, simply some thinking on thepart of all the players so that you can“See how they shine”.

The designer may have even sung tothe contractor, to the strains of anainhoarrak (even though the guitarwasn’t “invented” till at least 200 yearslater);

“If you need a friend, I’m sailing rightbehind; like a bridge over troubled water, Iwill ease your mind.”

With cooperation like that, thedesigner and contractor could havebeen as famous as Simon andGarfunkel!

Bridge over troubled waters -or designing for safe construction



by Richard Whittaker - Marketing/PROIOSM.

Richard Whittaker is the sole proprietor ofRHESQ providing engineered risk

management solutions for construction,health and safety

•

Report by Jaco Pieterse - SAIOH President2016 and Julie Hills - Chairperson ofSAIOH’s Professional CertificationCommittee

Introduction

During 2014 and 2015, members ofthe SAIOH Professional CertificationCommittee (PCC) worked tirelessly toupgrade the assessment system. Gapsin knowledge, lack of support materialsfor members and the resulting failurerates in the written and oral assessmentprocess prompted the changes.

New tools and guidelines have beenintroduced to support knowledge andcompetence growth for SAIOHmembers, both during and afterregistration, at the various professionallevels.

Several new processes have beenimplemented and it is imperative thatall members make themselves aware ofthe changes and new requirements.These are being implemented during2016 and will be a requirement forContinued Professional Development(CPD) claims, from January 2017.

Registration and upgraderequirements

1. The skills definitions, self-assessmenttool and user guide

The first and most important change isthe introduction of the Skills definitionsand the self-assessment tool and userguide.

This tool is basically a detailed syllabusof the skills and level of knowledge and

practical competence required at eachlevel of registration.

All SAIOH members must fill in thetool and keep an electronic copy intheir electronic Personal LearningPortfolio (PLP) file. This tool aidsdeveloping members to understandtheir suitability for assessment andprovides a gap analysis for identificationof weaknesses requiring further work,or learning to meet minimum entryrequirements.

For registered Occupational Hygieniststhis tool provides supporting evidencefor their annual CPD claims.

2. Mentorship guidance and support

SAIOH has produced a Mentorshipguide to support a volunteer system forboth internal supported trainees andunsupported trainees looking forguidance.

Natural supervisor / managerrelationships and internal skillsdevelopment systems are acceptableand records kept as part of thisrelationship for SANS 17020requirements naturally fulfil therequirement. Unsupported traineesmay request support of a mentor viathe SAIOH administration.

SAIOH is building a register ofvolunteers willing to mentorunsupported candidates; however,careful selection of mentors is hinderedby the need to avoid bias or conflict ofinterest in the assessment process,where potential mentors are TrainedPCC Oral Assessors – this is underreview and will be finalised shortly.

The Mentorship guide provides ideas,identification of information and adviceto both the mentor and the mentee andshould be used to support therelationship.

The results from the self-assessmenttool described above in point 1 aid thementor to understand weaknesses andknowledge gaps and to formulate themost effective action plan. Paperworkand agreements can be kept in the PLPfile and used to support CPD claims, asboth mentors and mentees can claimCPD points where the relationship isformalised.

It is however important to note thatmentorship is not training oreducation! It is support and guidance ofthe mentee.

3. The Personal Learning Portfolio(PLP)

The PLP is basically a detailed record-keeping system for proof ofmentorship, training, experience anddevelopment. Each member must havean active PLP file and update recordsaccordingly. The PLP becomes theevidence file for CPD claims as well asan advisory tool for the PCC assessorsin understanding candidate workhistory and practice when applying forregistration, and may in future replacethe need for oral assessments.

The PLP guide lists minimum requiredcontent, including:

• Copy of the candidate skillsassessment record

• Internal and external trainingrecords

News from SAIOH

OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE - SAIOH

DEAR SAIOH MEMBERS,

In the May/June issue of National SAfety magazine, we focused on SAIOH’s new office bearers andSAIOH’S strategic direction for the future. With this issue, the time is right to report on the new SAIOHregistration and assessment process for Professional Certification.

Ms Julie Hills, the chairperson of SAIOH’s Professional Certification Committee (hereafter referred to asthe PCC), jointly with members of the PCC, have put in a lot of effort and hard work in revising andimproving the registration and assessment process.

REPORT FROM SAIOH’S PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION COMMITTEEON THE NEW REGISTRATION AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS FORPROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION


•

• Proof of attendance at meetings andconferences, etc.

Examples of record templates areprovided in the appendices of the PLPguide to be completed by candidatesand their managers, mentors ortrainers.

Present record systems used by AIAs aspart of their SANS 17020 QualityManagement System (QMS) can besubstituted for the suggested templateswhere these are available. It is notintended for the system to createadditional work.

4. SAIOH guidance and learning tools

SAIOH is not an educator; it is not theInstitute’s responsibility to teachOccupational Hygiene to its members!The assessment failure rate has howeveridentified gaps in knowledge and theneed for support materials andguidance on information sources andhow these can be accessed.

Basic tutorials, information links,articles and reading materials relatingto both core and periphery skills areconstantly being added to the SAIOHwebsite.

New guidance notes on preparing forboth written and oral assessments havebeen developed and are available on thewebsite; these are sent out to allcandidates prior to assessment.

New quizzes are in the process ofdevelopment and will be rolled outduring 2016 (CPD points are allocatedfor completion of these!).

All guides and support materials areavailable to download from the SAIOHwebsite or can be requested from thePCC administrator.

5. Continued ProfessionalDevelopment (CPD) Requirements

Revision of the CPD points claimableduring 2015 led to some problems andthe PCC is currently working to ensurethat the points system is fair and easilyunderstood.

It is important that all forms of practiceand skills development potential arerecognised, and that members feel thatthe process is fair and user friendly. Thenew process involves specific teamsreviewing various types of practice,including practical OccupationalHygiene, lecturing, inspectorate, etc.,and both internal and external training

and development are included. Thefinal draft will be sent to all active PCCmembers for comment in due course.

Proof of evidence for points claimedwill be documented in the membersPLP file as part of the new process.

CONCLUSION

From the President and on behalf ofSAIOH, sincere thanks andappreciation go to Julie and themembers of the PCC, who assisted inrevising and improving the registrationand assessment process for Professional

Figure 1: Schematic of the new SAIOH assessment tools and guidance relationship.

Early morning start! I set off early toget to the site - today was the start dayof the three month asbestos roofsheeting removal project and there wasa long distance to drive. The plan hadbeen submitted fourteen days beforeand all was good for “go”. Here in theWestern Cape the fourteen daynotification period to the Departmentof Labour (DoL) is strictly upheld.Don’t dare start a day earlier! As itshould be ...

I got to the said site and it appears thatI was late. But is was only eight in themorning???? How could I be late? The

All in a day’s work for anoccupational hygienist

Certification of Occupational Hygienepractitioners. It needs to be emphasisedthat this initiative is also in line withSAIOH’s strategic objectives, indeveloping and fostering growth of theOccupational Hygiene profession inSouthern Africa.

Please do not hesitate to contact Julie,should there be any enquiries regardingthe new registration and assessmentprocess. I offer my sincere thanks andappreciation to Julie for this report.Jaco Pieterse - E-mail: [email protected] Hills - E-mail: [email protected]

Celia KeetMember SAIOH - Western

• Assistants - start PLP on certification: collect evidence i.e. experience, training,meetings, etc (keep updating self-assessment)

• Technologists - 2 years - PLP and Self-Assessment

• Hygienists - 5 years - PLP = CPD

2 yearsproven

practice /supports

CPD

2 years+

CPD


•

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +27 71 672 491

Website: www.saioh.co.za

agreed time to do the pre-siteinspection was eight AM. Over athousand square meters of asbestos roofsheeting had already been removed.Maybe I was at the wrong site? I hadnot worked with this particularRegistered Asbestos Contractor (RAC)before but I recognised his bakkie fromour meetings and knew I was at theright place.

Then I saw the rest. The labourerswhere high up on the roof working likecowboys! Not a pleasant site for theApproved Inspection Authority forAsbestos (AAIA). The supervisors /owner came running over.

“Hi Clint”, “You must have got herereal early this morning to have alreadyremoved so much asbestos roofsheeting” I said.

“Oh no” said Clint, “we started a weekago”.

“Really?” I said, dumbfounded. “Butwe agreed to the plan that work startstoday and that we would do a pre-siteinspection to ensure that all is in orderbefore we start. This is in accordancewith the asbestos plan that you agreedto and signed, that was also submittedto DoL?”

“Oh no” said Clint,”that is just aguideline”.

“Eh really?” Now I was very concerned,what had I been doing for the pastthirty years?

“But Clint, it is a legal bindingdocument that we have to stick to?”

“No not really mam! It is just there toguide us”.

“Really Clint, after 30 years in thisfield, I was unaware that the asbestosplan is only a guideline”.

“Yes mam”.

“Clint call your labourers down fromthe roof”.

Like trapeze artists, they swung down.I reckon they trained with the circus!

“Let’s go through the information inyour health and safety file”.

“Sure thing mam”.

“Clint these medicals don’t state thatasbestos medicals have been done by anoccupational medicine practitioner for alabourer identified as an asbestosworker”.

“Mam as long as a Doctor has checkedthem over, you’re good to go”.

“Eh?” was all that I could splutter ...

“Let’s look at your asbestos trainingcertificates then. I see that the trainingwas carried out by ‘All InclusiveCompany’, who are they?”

“They are a really good one stop shop!”said Clint.

“Can you show me the contents for thistraining course?” I asked Clint.

“Sure thing mam”- pulling out anotherdocument.

“Clint your training was provided by‘All Inclusive Company’, but yourtraining course content comes from acompany called ‘Let’s do this’, howdoes this fit?”

“Oh patartoes or potatoes, what’s thedifference” said Clint.

“Eh??????” Is all I could manage again.Now Clint and the trapeze artistswhere really staring at me as though Ishould be far more on top of this thanwhat I seemed to be. I could picturethem in their minds thinking “whatdoes this chick know - she needs to upher game!”

It turned into an eyeball stand offbetween the trapeze artists and myself.They gawked at me in disbelief and I inturn could only look at them in numbastonishment. I knew that the workcould not go on under thesecircumstances with so many dangerousgaps.

“Clint the work cannot go on, andwhat’s more, what you have done so farhas been illegal and in contravention ofthe asbestos plan and requirements ofthe DoL” I said.

“Illegal???, what do you mean?” saidClint, horrified.

“Clint” I said, number one you startedthe work earlier than the given date onthe plan.

Two, your medicals are not what isconsidered asbestos medicals.

Three, the training provided to yourworkers does not comply.

And four, the 16(1) is also the 16(2)appointment!!”

Clint turned pale - I thought he wasgoing to draw his gun!

Over the years, our company has learntthat we are going to come across RACswho really think that they are doingthe proper thing. Perhaps they havebeen mislead through incorrecttraining?

Yes, we do have to stop work at times.

In the past we would want to walkaway and not be associated with themat all, due to wasting our time anddifficulty convincing an upset RAC.However if we inform and uplift themwith proper training, we can onlyimprove the situation for the asbestosworkers, the client and community.

A reluctant Clint and the trapeze artistsbundled into their bakkie and rode offinto the West.

A few days later they contacted usagain as the AAIA. They now had thecorrect medicals and the correctasbestos training had been carried out.We set a new date for the start of theproject and this time, they started onthe correct date according to theapproved plan of work.

Clint and his trapeze artists’ approachto safety and health and handling ofasbestos containing material hadimproved tremendously. I was nowproud to be associated with them andenjoyed working with them from thenon.

Sometimes, we as AIAs can change asituation with a little more patienceand providing a some guidance.

It’s a good feeling considering that youmay have saved someone from a fataloccupational disease.


•

All companies have documents nomatter the size of the company. Thesedocuments can be divided into ahierarchy and different laws andregulations apply to the retention and /or review of these documents. Generalexamples of documents would bepolicies, objectives, manuals, legaldocuments, and records. Usually onlydocuments that are regarded as records,need to be retained, as such adocument is a seen as proof of anaction.

ISO 15489-1:2001 defines records as“information created, received, andmaintained as evidence andinformation by an organization orperson, in pursuance of legalobligations or in the transaction ofbusiness”. All records, despite theirretention period, must be easyaccessible (managed) and kept in asecure, dry and fire proofestablishment, either internally (archiveroom) or externally (commercialstorage areas).

The most H&S documents that need tobe retained fall under employmentrecords. Legally the following H&Srecords should be retained:

The COID Act No. 130 of 1993states that all employee records for timeworked, overtime, earnings andpayments must be kept for 4 Years.

The OHS Act No. 85 of 1993 statesthe retention periods seen in Figure 1.

Suggestions for the retention ofdocuments would be to keepincident/accident record for at least 10years and to keep all training records,either in-house or external training forthe duration of employment, plus afurther 2 years.

All project specific H&S Files are to bekept for at least 3 years aftercompletion of the project. Thedocumentation in these files would

consist for example of Section 37.2appointments of contractors, letters ofgood standing, appointments ofcompetent supervision with CV’s,method statements, risk assessments,safe work procedures, inductions,toolbox talks, meeting minutes,inspections and audits, fall protectionplans, control of HCS, temporaryworks design and control, emergencyprocedures and drills, checklists forexcavations, PPE, facilities, tools, plantand scaffolding.

In conclusion it is evident that there arevery few legal requirements when itcomes to the retention of H&Sdocumentation, or records. Companiesdo however, are required to ensure theyare aware of possible clientrequirements, as stipulated in tendersor H&S specifications. The retentionperiods of all other H&Sdocumentation or records can bedetermined by company policy after aproper risk analysis has beencompleted. After any retention period,all documents or records should bedestroyed and disposed of in aresponsible, environmentally friendlyway, recycling where possible.

The retention of health and safety (H&S) documents

Carla Botha studied Archaeology andAnthropology at the University of Pretoria andreceived an Honours degree in Archaeology. Shestarted her career at the National museum in

Bloemfontein. Carla then joined WBHOConstruction where she became involved in

health, safety and quality. At WBHO she wasinvolved in the administration and developingof the OHSAS 18001 certified Health and

Safety Management System, as well asmanaging medical surveillance and safety

training for the company. Carla later qualifiedas an auditor and started doing legal andsystem audits on site. Carla championed the

Environmental Department and developed theISO 14001 certified Environmental ManagingSystem and soon was appointed as a director ofWBHO. In 2016 Carla joined Claire Deacon

& Associates.

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY ACHASM

Document Legal reference Retention

All employee medical surveillance records – Noise induced hearing loss Regulations, 2003 40 yearsbase line audiogram included Lead Regulations, 2001 40 years

Hazardous Biological Agent Regulations, 2001 40 yearsAsbestos Regulations, 2001 40 yearsHCS Regulations, 1995 30 years

Noise monitoring and all assessments Noise induced hearing loss Regulations, 2003 40 years

Air monitoring and all assessments Lead Regulations, 2001 40 yearsHazardous Biological Agent Regulations, 2001 40 yearsAsbestos Regulations, 2001 40 yearsHCS Regulations, 1995 30 years

All health and safety committee appointments, General Administrative Regulations, 2003 30 yearsmeeting minutes and recommendations

Records of incidents / accidents General Administrative Regulations, 2003 3 years

Figure 1: Retention periods

ACHASM Email:[email protected] Cell: 076 263 0549


•

Advertise in National Safety, South Africa’s premier and oldest occupational health

and safety magazine

Contact: Email - [email protected] Tel - 083 266 6662

GOVERNMENT GAZETTE. 30 SEPTEMBER 2016

DEPARTMENT OF LABOURNO. R. 1198 30 September 2016

NOTICE OF CORRECTION IN TERMS OF SECTION 27(2) OF THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETYACT, READ WITH REGULATION 3(4)(a) OF THE GENERAL SAFETY REGULATIONS

I Tlbor Szana, duly designated by the Minister of Labour in terms of section 27(1) of the Occupational Healthand Safety Act 1993 as Chief Inspector for the purposes of the aforementioned Act, and acting in terms of thepowers and functions conferred upon me by Section 27(2), and those assigned to me by the other provisionsof the Act, hereby give notice that as from the date of this notice, all applications for approval from a person ororganisation who wants to provide first aid training approved by the Chief Inspector, as referred to inRegulation 3(4)(d) of the General Safety Regulation published under Government Notice R1031 of 30 May1986 will only be considered if it is accompanied by a valid accreditation certificate issued by the Health andWelfare SETA (HWSETA) established in terms of seciton 9(1) of the Skills Development Act, 1998, and hasbeen authorised by the Chief Inspector to carry out such accreditation.

Those already registered with the Department of Labour, will after the promulgation of this notice, be granted12 months to be accredited with HWSETA. All service providers who fail to register within the given period willbe automatically de-registered from the Department of Labour database and will no longer be recognised aslegitimate service providers.

Tibor Szana

ARE YOU MEETING ALLOCCUPATIONAL AND

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES?

Occutech is an inspection authority for the work and business environment surrounds approved by the Department of Labour

• Indoor air quality assessment

• Risk assessors

• Occupational hygiene

• Environmental consultants

“PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!”http://www.occutech.co.za

Email: [email protected]: (031) 206-1244 Fax: (031) 205-2561

Occutech is able to recognise,

evaluate and recommend

cost-effective controls of

occupational and

environmental hazards

National Safety September/October 2016 www.safety1st.co.za 27

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The ABCs of fall protection

In almost every industry, there are areas where workers aresubjected to fall hazards.

When selecting fall protection equipment, three componentsmake up a complete fall protection system. These are theABC’s of fall protection:

• ANCHORAGE

• BODY SUPPORT

• MEANS OF CONNECTION

Each one must be in place and properly used to providemaximum worker protection.

While each of these components is vital to worker safety, theconnecting device is the critical link in assembling a safe fallprotection system since it bears the greatest force during afall. Careful consideration must be given to the selection,materials, construction and inspection/maintenance of fallprotection equipment before, during and after a connectingdevice has been selected.

ANCHORAGE

An anchorage, as defined by OSHA, is a secure point ofattachment for lifelines, lanyards or deceleration devices.ANSI Z359 defines anchorage as a fixed structuralcomponent such as a beam, girder, column or floor that cansupport the forces exerted in arresting a fall, and introducesthe term “anchorage connector” to refer to the componentby which the connecting device is coupled to the anchorage.It may be a beam anchor, cross-arm strap, D-bolt, hookanchor, tripod, davit or other secure device that serves as apoint of attachment for lifelines, lanyards or decelerationdevices.

Anchorages and anchorage connectors must be independentand capable of supporting 5,000 lb per employee attached,or designed, installed and used under the supervision of aqualified person as part of acomplete personal fall arrestsystem which maintains a safety factor of at least two.

They must also be located high enough for a worker to avoidcontact with a lower level should a fall occur.

BODY SUPPORT

A body support, or body wear, is the component that is wornon or around the torso. Body belts and full body harnessesare the two most common body supports.• Body belt

A body belt is a belt that circles the waist and is used forworker positioning and fall prevention. A body belt may besupplied with D-rings on the hips and/or middle of the back.A body belt must NEVER be used for personal fall arrest.• Full body harness

A full body harness is a body support device that distributesfall arrest forces across the shoulders, thighs and pelvis. Full

body harnesses have a center back fall arrest attachment forconnection to the fall arrest connecting device and may haveother D-rings for use in worker positioning, fall prevention,suspension or ladder climbing.

• The only form of body wear acceptable for fall arrest is thefull body harness.

• Full body harnesses should be selected based on work to beperformed and the work environment.

• Front D-rings on full body harnesses are used only forladder-type fall arrestors, work positioning, travel restraintor rescue.

• Side D-rings are for positioning only.

CONNECTION

The connecting subsystem is the critical link which joins thebody wear to the anchorage/anchorage connector. It can bean energy absorbing lanyard, fall limiter, self-retractinglanyard, rope grab, or retrieval system.

Connecting means will vary depending on whether theworker is equipped for personal fall arrest or workpositioning and travel restriction.

• Connecting means for personal fall arrest

The connecting means for personal fall arrest is often alanyard equipped with an energy absorbing element toreduce the energy transmitted to the user’s body in the eventof a fall. Self-retracting lifelines or fall limiters reduce free-falldistance as well as reducing energy loads from a fall.

• Connecting means for positioning and travel restriction

The connecting means for positioning and travel restriction isoften a simple lanyard, constructed of rope, web or wirerope. These may also include specialised positioningassemblies for rebar work, constructed of chain or web.

All positioning devices are intended to reduce the potentialfor free fall to a distance of less than two feet. Restraintlanyards are specified in length to prevent the user fromreaching a fall hazard zone.

FALL PROTECTION FOR VISITORS

Even when workers are in the habit of wearing fallprotection, not everyone on the job site plays it safe. Visitors- including architects, executives and consultants - may notbe part of the construction crew, but they still need fallprotection equipment if they’re at height.

However, sites aren’t always prepared for female visitors. Thecontractor often has spare hard hats and gloves, which fitboth men and women. They’ll also have standard H-styleharnesses, but they may be too small for some women. Somemanufacturers offer an alternate crossfront harness designedfor female anatomy.


Article reprinted from Protection Update, from the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA)


•

FITTING AN H-STYLE HARNESS

For many women visitors and workers, an H-style harnesswill perform safely, so long as it’s worn correctly. For properfit, the strap should be low and tight across the sternum.Although, when worn this way, female workers and visitorsmay find the chest strap uncomfortable.

Don’t be tempted to wear the harness higher than is safe.Although it might be more comfortable to position the cheststrap above the breasts, it can create a dangerous situation.Because harnesses tend to rise up during a fall, a chest strapthat’s located too high could rise into your throat.

One recommendation is to wear extra layers of clothing. Thisallows the chest strap to be positioned correctly withoutcausing irritation.

Remember, when it comes to fall protection equipment, themost important thing is that it perform properly during afall.


JOHN T. RYAN TROPHY WINNERS - 2016

The John T. Ryan Trophy was presented by MSA AfricaExecutive Director Colin Oliver at MineSAFE 2016 toAngloGold Ashanti’s Savuka gold mine in Gauteng.Platinum producer Lonmin’s 4B/1B shaft in the North Westclinched the award for an underground operation.

The John T. Ryan Trophy is sculpted to represent a fathersafely home from work, with his arms around the shouldersof his son and daughter. “This symbolises that themineworker is the most important commodity, and theembodiment of safety best practice in the mining industry,”Oliver commented.

The award is named after the original founder of MSA, andws introduced to the Canadian mining industry in 1941,before expanding globally.MSA Africa - Tel: (+27) 11 610 2600 / Email: [email protected] /Web: www.msanet.com

Colin Oliver presenting the award to Lonmin

Protection Update is an e-newsletter with the aim ofinforming users, specifiers and purchasers of personalprotective equipment, and those who regulate it.

Visit the ISEA website at www.safetyequipment.org


•

Since his “retirement” in 1999, Rob hasbeen active in the oil exploration field as aconsultant Process Safety Engineer. As such

he has not had any dealings withindustrial safety issues, but maintained an

interest. Herewith a brief look at somedevelopments in respect of personal protective

equipment that evolved on oil rigs.

by Rob van Hemert

Oil rig PPE development

On the older oil rigs there is a highdegree of manual work taking place onthe rig floor.

During a trip-out, when the drill stringis pulled out of the hole, each joint hasto be undone entailing clamping thestring and applying a torque wrench,handled by means of a chain block toturn the top pipe loose, then stackingthe pipe and finally joining the topdrive to the string, removing the clampand repeating this process. That all hasto be done as fast as practicable as atrip-out is non-productive time.

Three men on the floor, one in the drillhut and one on the monkey board, allhave to co-ordinate their movementswhilst heavy equipment is swingingaround them.

HAND INJURIES ON THE JOB

The men are prone to suffer handinjuries and are issued with gloves.However, hand injuries continued toaccount for 70% of recordable injurieson the rig floor, and, these were mostlyback-of-the-hand injuries caused byimpact with heavy equipment.

One organisation decided to check upon this and found that the glovemanufacturers had standards forabrasion levels and resistance to cutsand punctures but no standard forimpact protection.

Although end-users were asking forgloves that provided, amongst others,impact protection, no-one knew theglove capabilities in respect of impactprotection until it was too late andsomeone was badly injured. Back in2008 the Oil and Gas Safety

Committee (USA) decided to tacklethis problem head on.

Tests were developed that would verifypeak impact force reduction.

In fact, in one of the tests, they wereable to take a force of 180kg, which ifdropped on a human hand would crushit, and reduce it to 18kg, which wouldbasically only bruise the hand.

IMPACT RESISTANT GLOVES

The company that had been workingwith the OGSC, and with theirblessing, then produced gloves with aknown impact resistance, but this cameat a cost.

Competitors soon followed by offeringimpact resistant gloves but at lowercost. Company buyers, looking at theirbudgets, acquired the cheaper models.However, the discount gloves did notperform as required and concerned bythe number of hand injuries stilloccurring, companies approached theOGSC. It was decided that back-of-the-hand impact standards for gloveswould have to be drawn up by theAmerican National Standards Institute(ANSI) and adopted by the glovemanufacturers.

CRITERIA FOR GLOVES

In my days as the safety officer for aDurban oil refinery, PPE was ordered

by the buying department and it soonbecame obvious that we were notalways getting what was required interms of protection.

I therefore established a set of criteriathat PPE items had to conform to.Gloves were needed to protect againstseveral hazards, such as acid, oilyproducts, abrasion, puncture, cuts,welding spatter and heat, but not all atthe same time.

Hand impact protection had neverbeen considered to be an issue, though.Several types of gloves were eventuallysettled on and sales people from thevarious PPE supply companies wereasked to provide samples for each set ofcriteria. The people who were to usethem were then asked to select whatthey considered to be the best.

A very serious hand injury occurred to acontract labourer at about that time. A36” diameter pipeline was being laidand the 30m sections of pipe had to bealigned to be welded. They used 4labourers swinging a wooden railwaysleeper to bump the pipe into place.The injured guy unfortunately had hishand over the front impact section ofthe sleeper and when they banged itagainst the pipe his fingers split like abanana skin.

Ghastly to see.

When I spoke to the supervisor aboutthis incident and asked him why themen handled the sleeper like that hesaid “No, that’s OK, they are wearinggloves!”

HEAD PROTECTION

On one oil rig, a visitor who wasobviously anxious and somewhat scaredby the noise and activity, was focusingon the handrail when followingsomebody else down a rig ladder.

The man in front stopped but thevisitor, wearing a hard hat with widebrim, did not see him stop and collidedquite hard with the man in front,nearly causing both to tumble downthe ladder.

The incident was reported and theinvestigation revealed that the hard hat



•

brim obscured forward vision.

This led to the development of the so-called AboveView protective head gear.

This hard hat replaces the traditionaloptically restrictive brim with one thatis transparent and specially designed toincrease the upper peripheral vision bymore than 50%.

The expanded upper peripheral vision,in turn, affords workers in potentiallyhazardous industrial settings thecapacity to watch their footing, while atthe same time avoiding overhead risks.

I had personally been against the widebrims on hard hats, having bumpedhard against overhead piping whenworking in the field.

Later on, as the safety officer, in placeswhere dropped objects were not thehazard but where bumping againstpipes, etc was, like in ship’s enginerooms, I stipulated that bump capsshould be used instead of thetraditional hard hat.

Since those days, many other PPEdevelopments have been made andimplemented - and none too soon.Poster illustrated in this article can be purchased from theSafety First Association - www.safety1st.co.za


Be part of this worthy cause, by buying a CANSA or AIDS banner

• You will receive a 100 metre roll of weather proof plastic to wraparound your building.

• Wrap a section of your building with the banner. If you send us apicture, we will feature it in the January/February 2016 issue ofNational Safety.

PROMOTE THIS CAUSE: CANSA or AIDS Banners willhelp promote awareness of these diseases amongstyour staff, and the proceeds go to the CansaAssociation

CONTACT US TODAY:


SAPEMA APPOINTS A NEWSECRETARYMeet Helena van Greunen, SAPEMA’srecently appointed secretary.

Helena worked for Engen Petroleumfor 13 years, first in Isando DC whereshe was involved with admin as well askeeping up the Depot ISO manualsand Standards required via SABS.

She then moved to head office inParktown as a marketing assistant to16 representatives and 4 managers.

Although she doesn’t have experiencewith PPE, Helena is enjoying learningabout PPE products and equipment -especially now that she understands itsimportance.

Helena has told us that she needs to bekept busy and enjoys working withpeople, so she welcomes queries, orphone calls anytime from SAPEMAmembers as well as anyone involved inthe industry who may need assistance.

Helena has 2 daughers aged 13 and 10,and in her spare time spends manyhours supporting their sportingactivities.

Her hobbies include photography -action, weddings and matric farewells.She also enjoys nature and beingoutside.

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With the ever changing marketconditions, it is vital that our focusremains the protecting of people in theworkplace. As Sapema, our membersremain committed to providing thecorrect protective equipment to ourend users.

As with any organisation, it remainsimportant to keep re-inventing oneselfand responding to the changingdemands of your customers ... Sapemaas an association continues to respondto these demands.

One of our key objectives is to educateour members with regards to theeffective promotion of PPE to theindustry. It is therefore important thatwe draw on the experience of ourmembers to pass on their knowledgethrough the preparation of trainingmodules. These modules are then rolledout to Sapema members on a regularbasis.

The association is now busy with theregistration process as a non profitcompany.

Sapema will also continue to strive tonetwork more with other associationsin the PPE industry.

We are nearing our annual golf daywhich is planned for early November2016. This fun day is always ahighlight on our social calendar.

Contact: Secretary: Helena van Greunen

[email protected]

Tel: 063 442 9935 / 071 602 1456

Website: www.sapema.org

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SAPEMA

News from SAPEMAFROM CLYDE’S DESK Isak Marais, Bramhope Health and Safety

On average, companies spend R2000per year on PPE per employee, withoutfactoring in costs incurred throughtheft and damages.

By developing and implementingeffective PPE management structures,customers can now further reduce theTCO, while simultaneously reducingrisk.

Although PPE is one of the leastpreferred methods of risk reduction atsome companies, it is also one of themost important. The importance ofPPE is sometimes demoted becauseemployers do not have control over itspurchasing, resulting in financial losseswhich they are not prepared to take.These costs can be reduced significantlyif the employer has full control over thesourcing, procurement, items issued,the usage and the management of allitems in an effective way.

It all starts with strategic sourcing.There are a myriad of choices withinthe personal protective equipmentindustry, and anyone can source andbuy PPE products - it is availableeverywhere.

However, without a managementsystem, the spend can quickly get outof control leading to increased costs,inconsistent levels of protection andwaste.

The first step in controlling the buy isto understand what you are buying,who you are buying it from, how muchyou are buying, and how much it costs.

Once you understand the buy, youneed to segment your PPE into thevarious sub-categories: head protection,eye protection, ear protection, handprotection, foot protection, breathingprotection, etc.

PURCHASE THE CORRECTPPE


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This process of PPE sourcing, enablesemployers to aggregate spend on fewercommon items and to stock a narrowrange of products. The total cost ofownership will be lowered, allowing forimproved PPE planning and supply.

Further losses may be experienced dueto PPE being issued randomly andwithout following appropriate PPEpolicies or correct PPE profiling. Inorder to ensure PPE is effectivelymanaged, the employer has to start bydeveloping a PPE policy, followed by adetailed profiling and workplacehazards identification exercise.

Each job and task has to be identifiedand specified according to the hazardsassociated. All factors have to be takeninto consideration such as exposure tochemicals, noise, extreme temperatures,electric shock, sharp objects andsurfaces, and light sources such as lasersand welding arcs.

Each PPE item then has to be selectedaccording to these factors andaccording to each employee’s specificprofile.

Sometimes employers do notunderstand or perhaps overlook the factthat almost every type of PPE hasperformance guidelines, capabilities andlimitations. For example, has the glovematerial been tested against thechemical of concern? If so, what is thepenetration and / or permeation rate?Will the respirator or cartridge materialprevent the inhalation of an air-bornechemical? Are the safety glassesmanufactured according to the relevantinternational standards? Do the earplugs or ear muffs have a noisereduction rating that adequatelyreduces noise exposures?

Assuming that the correct PPE policiesare in place and profiling has beendone, the employer should then focuson other responsibilities, such as issuing(and proper fitting) PPE to allemployees according to the specificprofile, communicating the importanceof PPE and training employees in theusage and maintenance of the items.

Employer’s failure to fullyunderstanding the total cost ofownership of PPE, their lack ofcapabilities to manage the full cycle ofPPE, are costing them more than theyare willing to spend on PPE.

Heat stroke, which can result in death,is caused by the failure of the body toregulate its core temperature.

In order to reduce the effects, thevictim should be moved to a cool areaand soaked in cool water, amongstother things.

Heat cramps are painful muscle spasmsthat occur when a worker drinks a lotof water, but does not replace the saltslost from sweating.

Fainting can occur in someone who isnot used to working in uncomfortablyhot environments.

Heat rash usually occurs in hot andhumid environments where sweatcannot evaporate easily.

It can be prevented by resting in a coolplace, keeping skin clean and dry, aswell as over-the-counter lotions to easepain and itching.

Appropriate engineering controls,personal protective equipment andwork practices are also imperative toreducing the risk of heat stress.

Supervisors should provide enoughliquids and ensure that work schedulesallow for appropriate rest periods.

Employees need to choose a suitablehydration drink that is accessiblebefore, during and after work.

The hydration drink will assist inmaintaining blood volume, whichallows for efficient delivery of oxygen toworking muscles and reduces theincidence of muscular cramps.

Arnesen warns that only providingwater for hydration may lead to a lowblood sodium level, as salts do not getreplenished.

Workers must consume approximately300 ml of an electrolyte replacementdrink, 20 minutes before possibleexposure. The sodium content shouldbe between 25 mg and 70 mg per 100ml. Intestinal absorption is improvedby small volumes of carbohydrates,between 3 g to 5 g per 100 ml.

The temperature of the liquid can alsoimpact the absorption rate – coolerdrinks are absorbed more easily.

Working in hot conditions poses specialhazards to safety and health.

Heat illnesses combined withdehydration are a direct cause ofapproximately half of the heat strokecases among South African miners. Itcan cause loss of concentration, lowerproductivity, a decrease in morale andconsequently increases costs to abusiness operation.

North exports manager HayleyArnesen explains that during heavywork, muscles need more blood flow,which reduces the amount of bloodavailable to flow to the skin in order torelease heat. “The body defends itselffrom heat through breathing, sweatingand changing the blood flow.Individuals with high blood pressure orsome heart conditions and those whotake diuretics may be more sensitive toheat exposure.”

There are a number of conditions thatcan result due to heat exposure,including heat exhaustion, heat stroke,heat cramps, fainting, or heat rash. “Inorder to prevent these conditions, it isadvisable to replace the fluids you losefrom sweating by drinking anelectrolyte solution, wearing loosefitting clothing and a hat, and gettingsufficient cool air.

Businesses should ensure thatemployees and supervisors have propertraining to be able to detect early signsof heat stress and understand theimportance of replacing fluids and saltfrom sweat,” she continues.

Heat exhaustion results from workingup a sweat and not replenishing thebody with enough fluids. Resting in acool place and avoiding caffeinatedbeverages are some of the things thatwill relieve the condition.

COMBAT HEAT ILLNESSES CAUSED BY DEHYDRATIONHayley Arnesen, North Safety Products

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SAPEMA


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Electric arc flash-overs occur whenthere is substantial electric current thatpasses through ionized air. An arc flashis very explosive and typically lasts forless than one second, letting off radiantheat. These electric arc flash currentswill ignite or melt everyday clothing.During this process there can be manyother hazardous risks like moltensplashes, pressure waves and otherprojectiles from the pressure built up asa result of the arc.

When work involves the risk of electricarc hazards, protection and safetycomes first. DuPont™ Protera™ Fabricmeets the international NFPA 70EHazard requirements, making them

The science of safety and comfort from DuPont Protera™

inherent properties part of the DNA ofthe fabric.

That’s why DuPont recommends itsNFPA 70E electric arc protective fabric,which also passes the ASTM F1506,ASTM1891 and ASTM 2178standards. Both the NFPA and theASTM standards ensure the materialsused in flame resistant clothing andPPE minimise burn injury to those whomight be present during an electric arcflash.

Protera™ is also one of the lightestweight NFPA fabrics on the market. Inaddition to providing the best in its

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Advertorial

class protection, tests have shown thatgarments made from DuPont™Protera™ offer a high level of comfortcompared to other fabrics. Those whotried DuPont™ Protera™ found it tobe less “prickly, heavy, stretchy, stiff,clingy, clammy and scratchy” thancotton. In an independent double blindcomfort study, DuPont™ Protera™ wasthe clear winner in overall comfortcompared to fire retardant cotton andnylon blends of the same weight.

DuPont Protera™ garments offer ahigh return on investment due to theirtensile strength. Some of the fibres usedin Protera™ fabrics are modacrylic,which contain antimony trioxide as an

MEMBER OF

34 www.safety1st.co.za September/October 2016 National Safety

WHAT IS ANTIMONY TRIOXIDE?

Antimony trioxide is an inorganiccompound whose main application isas flame retardant.

Antimony trioxide itself has no flameretardant function, however, when it isused together with halogenatedcompounds, the synergistic effect ofthe mixture creates the flame retardantproperties. Antimony trioxide reactswith halogenated compound andcreates the chemical compounds,which generate the flame retardantfunction.

Antimony Trioxide has received somebad press in the past for being acarcinogen but its use in DuPont’sProtera™ fabric sees it become apermanent part of the fibre byspinning it into the modacrylic fibre.DuPont has also conducted tests thatshow that antimony from theProtera™ fabric does not penetrate theskin.

ingredient, to increase inherentstrength and durability of the fabric.During electric arc incidents weguarantee no rips or tears. Protera™also retains it abrasion resistance overrepeated laundering and use in thefield.

DuPont is committed to finding newways to make its products safer andeasier for you to do your job. We atDuPont continually innovate to ensureexcellent protection, durability andvalue – things that matter the most.For further information, please contact:Dharmesh Lakmidas Tel:+27(11) 218 8686Mail: [email protected]

UVEX 5/6 CLASSIC

Disposable coverall chemicalprotection type 5/6

The microporous PP-spunbond / PE-film laminate material of thisextremely durable and breathablecoverall ensures an exceptionalcombination of outstanding wearercomfort and reliable protection. Thiscoverall has elasticated waistband for amore tailored fit and has anti-staticproperties.

Areas of application:

• Chemical andpharmaceuticalindustries

• Painting

• Fibreglass,ceramicfibre andsyntheticresinproductionand processing

• Constructionindustry, woodand metalwork

• Automotiveindustry

• Grinding andpolishing work

• Cementmanufacturing

• Quarry and mining work

• Demolition work and renovation

• Police services

•

UVEX Safety South Africa (Pty) Ltduvex safety (Durban)

Phone: +27 (31) 569 6780 E-Mail: [email protected] uvex safety (Pretoria)

Phone: +27 (12) 345 6656 E-Mail: [email protected]

Maximum protection, work convenience and comfort

MEMBER OF

UVEX 5/6 FR

Disposable coverall chemicalprotection type 5/6

Flame-retardant coverall for wearingwith flame-retardant protectiveclothing in order to protect againstparticles and mist spray. Providesprotection in the event of accidental,brief contact with small flames if thereis no significant danger from heat.

The uvex 5/6 FR disposable coverallsmaterial is very air permeable andprovides a high level ofmoisture management,which make thecoveralls particularlysuitable for warmworkingenvironmentsand forextendedworkingperiods.

The uvex 5/6FR providesexceptionalprotection andwearer comfort. Italso has anelasticatedwaistband for aperfect fit andhas anti-staticproperties.

Areas ofapplication:

• Oil andpetrochemistry

• Refineries, fuel distribution, transittransportation, energy suppliers


• Wood and metalwork

• Maintenance work

• Grinding and polishing work

• Cement manufacturing

• Work with dust and powderchemicals

• Redevelopment and renovation workand working with asbestos

SAFETY NOTE

The uvex 5/6 FR with limited flamespread protects staff in the event ofaccidental, brief contact with smallflames if there is no significant dangerof heat exposure and there are no otherheat sources.

This must always be worn incombination with ISO 1416 index 2 or3 protective clothing or ISO 11611 andISO 11612 certified clothing.

The material does not create a thermalbarrier and can melt. It shouldtherefore under no circumstances comeinto direct contact with skin.

Many people are exposed to specific hazards in their work, whether industrial cleaning, working with paint andvarnishes or chemical processing. uvex 5/6 disposable coveralls guarantee a high level of protection against liquidsplashes and solid particles while being skin friendly and feeling like a second skin.

The material uvex uses for its 5/6 coveralls is not just very durable, it also ensures high breathability. uvex coverallscombine outstanding wearing comfort with reliable protection.


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Using the latest fabric innovations andtechnologies, MB Workwearmanufactures specialised andtechnologically advanced garments thatprovide workers with unrivalledprotection and comfort.

Recognised for their uncompromisingattitude towards quality, they producea full range of garments for the mining,foundry, steel, oil and gas,petrochemical and utilities industries.

Notable developments and innovationsused in the manufacture of thesegarments include the Zeroflame®,Zeroflame® Acid Resistant, Nomex®,Vinex® and Alumax technologies.

PROTAL® ELECTRIC ARC COVERALLS

Recently, MB Workwear added anotherinnovation to their impressive list ofspecialised garments. Protal® ElectricArc is an antistatic and inherentlyflame resistant range of coveralls thathas been specially designed to meet theevolving needs of the industries itserves.

The fabric is manufactured usingProtal® technology by a localmanufacturer, Gelvenor Textiles.Located in Hammersdale, GelvenorTextiles has been producing highquality technically engineered fabricsfor over 50 years; making them an

Driving innovation through specialist garment solutions

MEMBER OF

Contact MB Workwear on 039 682 2430 or

email [email protected] / [email protected]

experienced and valuable partner inMB Workwear’s manufacturingprocess.

ANTISTATIC AND INHERENTLY FLAMERESISTANT

Manufactured to provide antistatic andinherently flame resistant properties,Protal® Electric Arc is the ideal PPEsolution for people working inindustries where flash fires and electricarc are a daily threat. This globallycompliant PPE solution incorporatesadvanced flame resistant technology toprevent the fabric melting, dripping orsticking to the skin during flash fires.When flames come into contact withthe unique blend of fibres in Protal®Electric Arc, tiny amounts of non-burning inert gasses repel oxygen awayfrom the surface of the fabric – creatinga barrier that protects the wearer andextinguishes the flame.

LIGHTWEIGHT AND COMFORTABLE

In addition to these protectiveproperties, the Protal® Electric Arcrange is also lightweight andcomfortable, and the balanced blend offibres creates a highly effective moisturemanagement system which enables thewearer to operate in comfort whileenjoying complete protection.

The Protal® Electric Arc range is yetanother example of MB Workwear’sability to innovate specialisedsafetywear solutions. From completelynew garments to customising garmentsfrom their current range, MBWorkwear is a tried and testedmanufacturer of specialised safetywearsolutions that can make all thedifference in the workplace.



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