Unfit for human consumption’: Canned pilchards products recalled by manufacturer

  The manufacturing company explained that there might be a ‘canning deficiency’ and there is a possibility that some customers might have bought an affected tin. West Point Processors announced on Saturday that customers who bought pilchards in tomato sauce 400g tins recently must be returned for a refund due to the canned product being “unfit for human consumption”. “Because consumer safety is our top priority, we wish to recall some pilchards in tomato sauce products,” the company said in a statement. The manufacturing company explained that there might be…

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A new smart and safe way to monitor powertrain equipment in hazardous areas

Operators can carry out remote real-time health checks on powertrain equipment in hazardous areas with  ABB Ability™ Smart Sensors that offer improved analytics, functionality and communications.  ABB will launch its Smart Sensor for rotating machines operating in hazardous areas at Hannover Messe 2020, the leading international technology fair.   It further extends the existing scope of applications for ABB Smart Sensors with a new generation design for powertrains in hazardous areas. Chemical and oil and gas customers can now benefit from cost-efficient condition monitoring in a wide variety of applications. …

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Transnet Action Plan for the Prevention of the Coronavirus

In line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) efforts to prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus, Transnet SOC Ltd has implemented additional procedures for all vessels entering South African ports. The Coronavirus has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organisation. Transnet is the custodian of ports and terminals in the country and it is responsible for monitoring all vessels. This is done through its divisions, the Transnet National Ports Authority and Transnet Port Terminals. Transnet SOC Ltd has instituted strict health measures and is working…

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Eskom, Arcelor Among SA Firms Lacking Emissions Plans

Eskom, which accounts for two-fifths of South Africa’s greenhouse-gas emissions, leads the country’s biggest emitters in its failure to set targets to reduce its impact on the climate, a report shows. The state power utility, which produces most of its electricity from coal, also doesn’t disclose who at the company is responsible for assessing its climate-based risks, the Cape Town-based Centre for Environmental Rights said in a report released on Monday. With its economy heavily dependent on mining and manufacturing, South Africa ranks as the continent’s biggest producer of greenhouse…

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Using partnerships to bring innovative benefits to society

Working closely with partners in industry, government and communities, the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) at the Central University of Technology (CUT) in South Africa is using its social and technological innovations to help solve societal problems in Africa and beyond. The CRPM, which specialises in additive manufacturing – better known as 3D printing – has made a name for itself in the field of medical product development, designing and manufacturing a range of medical devices, including pre-operative models of a patient’s skull to help surgeons plan their…

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Newly forged partnership to improve disposal of hazardous medical waste in SA

JOHANNESBURG – A new South African partnership known as Tshenolo Green Solutions (TGS) said on Tuesday it was combining the use of a locally developed on-site waste disposal technology with a comprehensive logistic approach to improve healthcare waste disposal. In a statement, TGS said the safe and effective management of healthcare waste emanating from hospitals and other healthcare facilities had long been a matter of grave concern locally and internationally. The World Health Organization says the management of healthcare waste requires increased attention and diligence to avoid exposure to infectious…

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South Africa’s construction industry could become safer. Here’s how

Uniform policies around health and safety management within the construction industry is lacking. Patrick Nwabueze Okonkwo  /  17 August 2019 00:15 Stakeholders like the Department of Labour, employer associations, labour unions, tertiary institutions and industry bodies need to come together to address the lack of suitably qualified and registered health and safety professionals. Picture: Moneyweb Construction is tough, sometimes dangerous work. Globally, the construction industry accounts for about 7% of employment. But it’s responsible for between 30% and 40%of all work-related fatalities. The figure is at its highest in developing countries. This is because contractor organisations…

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A jail term would send a strong message to violators of OHS in the construction sector

Department of Employment and Labour Director of Construction, Explosives and Major Hazards Installations (MHI), Phumi Maphaha says he wants to see a jail term as a form of sanction to violators of occupational health and safety (OHS) in the construction sector. Maphaha said this would send a strong message to contractors who are cutting corners. He was addressing a Department’s occupational health and safety conference. The three-day conference which started yesterday is being held at the Emperors Palace in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng Province. The theme of the conference is: “Strategic co-operation…

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Employment and Labour Minister calls for safe and healthy workplaces

  Employment and Labour Minister, Thulas Nxesi, has called for the collaboration between his department and social partners towards the creation of a “Vision Zero” – a workplace free of accidents and diseases. The Minister was addressing about 1 000 delegates at the Occupational health and safety conference at Emperors Palace, Gauteng. He said business and organised labour have key roles to play to achieve the Vision Zero. “We have to work with organised business to ensure compliance and to assist them to act as responsible citizens. This is especially the…

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A-OSH EXPO showcases holistic treatment of employees’ health issues

Holistic wellness programmes have an important role to play in the workplace, and employers play a significant role in offering such programmes. Shocking statistics released in late 2017 showed that depression (circa 2016) was costing South African business more than R232 billion – either due to absence from work or attending work while unwell (the latter being a phenomenon sometimes called ‘presenteeism’ as opposed to absenteeism). This was according to the IDEA study of the London School of Economics and Political Science[1]. A statement released by the chairperson of the…

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