News

Enhanced usability and safety features for your employees’ health and wellbeing

Dräger, an international leader in the fields of medical and safety technology, has launched the Dräger PSS® AirBoss, the next generation in Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) that provides emergency service teams with the utmost in usability, safety+ and serviceability.

Designed for emergency teams in industries where safety is most critical such as within airports, oil & gas, clean energy, utilities, nuclear plants, tunnelling and mining, Dräger’s PSS® AirBoss includes a carrying mechanism with pneumatics, monitoring systems, masks and numerous accessories such as the ultra-lightweight Type 4 Nano compressed air breathing cylinders, lung demand valves and fire escape hoods.

The iconic 13-tonne bulldozer at the entrance to the Pratley head office in Krugersdorp is suspended using a Pratley Wondafix® adhesive joint. Wondafix® is an epoxy urethane hybrid ‘world-first adhesive’ that combines the strength of epoxy with the toughness of urethane.

This truly unique bonding and shock-resistant repair system cures to a rubber-like material that is tough, strong abrasion and shock-resistant. Another feature is that it has a good coefficient of friction, which means it is ideal for making things like anti-scuffing feet for chairs and furniture, points out Mark Bell, Pratley National Sales and Marketing Manager for Adhesives.

Not only has local manufacturer Pratley used its hazardous locations expertise and experience to develop the world-class Envirogland range, it also offers this knowledge to the industry at large. Marketing Director Eldon Kruger, a recognised authority on the subject and current President of the South African Flameproof Association (SAFA), presents a ‘Hazardous Locations’ seminar. These seminars are usually aimed at senior management and engineers wanting to refresh their knowledge about the subject. Past attendees have benefited significantly from Kruger’s interesting and informative sessions.

Grolite® from Pratley is a unique, naturally occurring, perlite-based mineral that has become very popular as a horticultural growing medium. The main benefits include increased fertiliser efficiency to boost overall plant health and growth. In addition, it promotes water drainage while still retaining an ideal moisture content level in the root zone.

Pratley actively produces and processes a mineral called Perlite in South Africa that is actually a volcanic glass. The perlite raw material is then processed in special proprietary furnaces to produce products, including Grolite®, that enhance agricultural practices and increase crop yields.

Although specialists in gas detection and analysis, ION Science have recently picked up a new readout of recognition when it comes to their market-leading Cub 11.7 eV personal solution. ION Science are delighted to have been recognised for their hard work across all teams with a nomination for Technical Innovation at the 2021 HazardEx Awards.

The launch of the Cub 11.7 eV personal solution was a long-awaited step forward for gas detection and personal protection against VOC (volatile organic compound) exposure. However, thanks to the efforts of the dedicated teams and expert employees, ION Science were able to bring this new product to market in 2021, transforming the way 11.7 gases are detected and safety upheld.

Safety io GmBH (a software subsidiary of MSA – The Safety Company) has recently achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification for its information security management practices. This comes after an extensive independent external audit by Bureau Veritas, an accredited independent body.  

Protecting workers when the seconds count

Safety io protects workers and work sites in the industrial and fire service sectors by relentlessly creating, refining and expanding software tools that improve operations and outcomes.

Safety io offers two safety platforms – the Grid, for industrial customers, and the FireGrid, for fire service customers – and two independent Grid services: Fleet Manager, which helps ensure customers' detectors and colleagues are ready for work, and Live Monitor, which provides customers with the information they need to take action when seconds count.  These platforms are supported by web and mobile application experiences.

With the government giving the green light to return to the workplace, safety has to be a number one priority for companies to keep staff safe and business running smoothly. This means ensuring all precautions are made to make working environments as Covid-free as possible. Altus is helping businesses to manage the risk with a range of safety solutions.

With the work from home order now lifted, more people will be returning to the workplace which brings with it the threat of spreading the virus. To help companies to be Covid-secure and to build employee confidence, Altus has a ranges of solutions including air disinfection and surface disinfections products, to thermal measurement and temperature monitoring equipment to create secure workplaces.

The special measures and precautions required in hazardous work environments where a potential fire or explosion could occur means various equipment and tools must be specifically designed so they don't contribute to an event that could lead to injury, loss of life and damage to facilities.

Across Europe, companies working in such potentially explosive environments as the oil and gas sector, flour mills, mining operations and many more are legally compelled to use ATEX-rated equipment so that the risks are minimised and staff are kept safe. These machines, devices and tools must be robust enough to work in all kinds of challenging environments, including those with low and high ambient temperatures, and they typically won't need to be dismantled and undergo maintenance as often as other types of equipment.

Recent discussions within gas detection sectors have revealed a growing number of customers who are looking for solutions that are reliable, long lasting and offer high levels of personal protection. ION Science’s latest development, the Cub 11.7 eV personal solution, provides superior protection against harmful VOCs while delivering on key areas such as lifespan, reliability and compliance.

The conversation around health versus safety is continuing, specifically looking at where gas detection and compliance sits within this huge and vital area and what role it can play. Developing instruments that can protect individuals and ensure effective protection against VOC (volatile organic compounds) exposure is of vital importance, particularly in the 11.7 range.

Falls from height are the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of major injury within the workplace. Steve Dawson, working at height expert at Arco Professional Safety Services, explains the importance of training for working at height and having the right equipment

The most tragic consequences of not providing the right training and protective equipment to your work force, can be serious injury or even the death of an employee.  In 2020/21, 35 fatal injuries were due to Falls from a height, accounting for 25% of all worker deaths over the year.  Add to this the 17 deaths caused from ‘Struck by moving’ (including flying/falling objects) statistics - which can often be related to Working at Height - and there continues to be a serious need for education and training.