41 / 52
39
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
FEBRUARY
2017
National Building Regulations require
that all structural timber is compliant with
SANS 1783, which covers sawn softwood
timber, and both national and international
manufacturers of structural timber supplied
to the South African market are expected
to be certified by a South African-based ISO
17065-accredited certification body.
This also applies to South Africa’s
neighbouring countries, like Swaziland and
Zimbabwe, for example.
“Even so, it is not uncommon for non-
compliant structural timber to be imported
and supplied to the local market –
including to formal roof truss manufac_
turers – without there being any knowledge
of the integrity of the finger joints, adhesive
used, or the grading of the timber,”
remarks Abe Stears, managing director
of the South African Technical Auditing
Services (SATAS).
“Worse so, when a batch of non-
compliant imported timber is rejected by a
buyer, it is commonplace for that timber to
simply be sold on to another unsuspecting
buyer. In this way, non-compliant imported
timber for structural applications may still
find its way into the South African market,”
he says.
“It is both unfair and unacceptable to
expect local manufacturers to comply at
a cost with the requirements to ensure
that a quality product is supplied to the
end user, while non-compliant imported
timber is allowed to be used in structural
components. Even though South Africa is
experiencing a shortage of structural timber
that necessitates the use of imports, we
have to ensure that the same rules apply to
this timber, and that all timber coming into
the South African structural timber market is
in compliance with SANS 1783,” says Stears.
“All industry professionals who make use
of structural timber are urged not only to be
Be wary of
NON-COMPLIANT
IMPORTED
structural timber
As the South African construction
market experiences a shortage of
structural timber, imports of the
material have become necessary
and are on the rise. In the light
of this, the Institute for Timber
Construction South Africa (ITC-
SA) stresses that all structural
timber destined for – and
employed by – the South African
market must be compliant with
local legislation.
The Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA) stresses that all imported structural
timber destined for the South African market must be compliant with local legislation.
About the Institute for
Timber Construction
The ITC-SA was established more
than 40 years ago to regulate the
engineered timber roof structure
industry and to provide design,
manufacturing, erection, inspection
and certification for compliance
with inter alia SANS 10400 and
SANS 10082, where engineering
rational designs are applicable.
The ITC-SA is a South African
Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
accredited professional body with
a professional membership and
therefore has to comply with the
requirements as set out in the
National Qualifications Framework
Act (NQF Act 67 of 2008 – as
amended). The ITC-SA is also a
Recognised Voluntary Association
in terms of the Engineering
Profession Act, 2000 (Act 46
of 2000).
In 2014, the Institute for
Timber Frame Builders (ITFB) was
incorporated into the ITC-SA to
ensure a better and more uniform
representation of the timber
engineered practitioners in the
built environment.
Presently, only SATAS and the
South Africa Bureau of Standards
(SABS) are accredited to certify
manufacturers of products in
compliance with SANS 1783
aware of national legislation around the use
of structural timber, but to not make use of
any imported – or locally produced, for that
matter – timber that does not comply with
South African standards and requirements,”
he concludes.
“It is not uncommon for non-
compliant structural timber to be
imported and supplied to the local
market – including to formal roof
truss manufacturers – without there
being any knowledge of
the integrity of the finger joints,
adhesive used, or the grading
of the timber.”