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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
SEPTEMBER 2016
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than their African peers, primarily because
of legislation compelling the obligatory use
of the technology. This is complemented by
the fact that South African miners have also
been following the development of these
technologies for a while now.
Focus on safety
Mining and construction are two indus-
tries renowned for their stringent focus
on safety. In today’s operating conditions
where fatalities and injuries are definite-
ly out of question, safety is probably the
most important aspect on any mining and
construction site. With that in mind, sev-
eral safety equipment suppliers will use
Electra Mining Africa 2016 to showcase
their latest offerings available for these
safety-conscious industries.
North Safety Products Africa (NSPA), one
of South Africa’s leading makers of person-
al protection and safety equipment – rang-
ing from respiratory and hearing protection
to general protective clothing and footwear
– will showcase its full range of products
designed to mitigate various hazards mining
workers are exposed to.
“Electra Mining is a platform which gives
any personal protection or mining supplier
the opportunity to meet operational person-
nel and decision makers. It also gives us
the platform to showcase our broad product
spectrum,” says Lizette Kasselman, head of
marketing at NSPA.
A particular focus for NSPA at this year’s
Electra Mining is the addition of critical
engineering and consumable products to its
current range of safety protective apparel.
“The decision was based on our customers
requesting a one-stop solution to their
needs,” says Kasselman.
Meanwhile, MSA Africa, an international
manufacturer of safety products, will be
using Electra Mining to introduce several
of its new technologies as part of its total
solutions approach. Product marketing
manager Suraksha Mohun says the exhibition
will be an invaluable platform for MSA Africa
to introduce the latest technology to the
mining industry, where health and safety are
of paramount importance.
A key example of MSA Africa’s latest
developments is the integration of its new
Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC) technology
into the G1 Self-Contained-Breathing Appa-
ratus (SCBA) control module. This means that
every firefighter can now have TIC on hand,
which represents a significant boost in per-
sonnel safety, says Mohun.
MSA Africa will also display the latest
products and technologies from its newest
acquisition, Latchways, a UK specialist in the
manufacture of horizontal lifelines and verti-
cal fall arrest systems. “Another innovation
that we will be featuring at Electra Mining is
our latest Bluetooth technology which allows
for gas-detection equipment to be monitored
via a smartphone, for example,” says Mohun.
“Our whole approach is based on being
a holistic solutions provider, as opposed to
being perceived as a traditional supplier of
standalone products. We want to showcase
how the company has grown and evolved in
being able to meet all the requirements of
our diverse customer base,” adds Mohun.
“When it comes to
something as critical as
the safety of people, there
is need to be sure that
the system applied is fit
for a particular purpose,
reliable and will perform
in accordance with the
prescribed performance
parameters.”
Electra Mining Africa 2016 will see a total
of 850 local and international exhibitors
showcasing their products, services,
technologies and trends.
ELECTRA MINING PREVIEW
Proximity Detection Systems
to draw a lot of attention
following legislation.
QUICK TAKE:
Suppliers believe mining
will rebound despite current
difficulties
Communication and automation
solutions in the limelight.
Several safety equipment
suppliers to showcase latest
offerings.