S&V Protect Magazine Vol19 No4 Fourth Quarter 2025
The only SA magazine aimed exclusively at the PPE end user.
This Magazine is sponsored by SAFLIA
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- Updated safety footwear standards: Awaiting response from NRCS.
- The Hong Kong residential tower fire: Spotlight will fall on bamboo scaffolding.
- A+A 2025: Product launches were aimed at the European market, but new technology – and fashion – will slowly make their way to Africa.
- Highlights from A+A.
- Comments from SA visitors.
11 OHS in Focus
- What workplace PPE innovation trends are anticipated? asks Leighton Bennett, Benrisk Consulting, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
13 Fire Protection
- Competition Tribunal dismisses market division complaint in fire protection industry.
16 Sustainability
- New approach integrates scrap PU back into safety footwear.
17 Situational Awareness
- Situational awareness has become a frontline imperative for first responders, writes Reshaad Sha of Sentiv.
18 Standards
- ASTM International publishes first international pet product safety standard.
18 Innovation
- Fraunhofer: Software supports safe, controlled detonations of aerial bombs.
- Fraunhofer: Cleaning water with light – a new generation of compact and efficient water treatment systems.
- Fraunhofer: New stent with the potential to lower thrombosis risk.
19 Buyers' Guide
- What's on offer.
Advertisers in this Issue
BBF Safety/Maxeco (06), Claw Boot (04, 12), Kaliber (08), Palm Footwear/Terrapod (OFC), Rainbow Group (15), Rebel SafetyGear (10), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (09), SAFLEC (14).
The next issue
Will be out on 30 January 2026. Deadline for editorial submissions and advertising material is 23 January 2026.
- Hong Kong residential towers fire: Spotlight will fall on bamboo scaffolding
The fire in Hong Kong which affected 8 32-storey residential towers in November will lead to scrutiny of the bamboo scaffolding which encased the buildings.There will be pressure to ban it, or at least modify it perhaps to the point where it loses the properties that have made it an attractive option for so long.Bamboo scaffolding is wide ...moreA+A 2025: Product launches were aimed at the European market, but new technology – and fashion – will slowly make their way to Africa
Show report from Messe DüsseldorfDüsseldorf, Germany (7 November 2025) – The theme for A+A 2025 was ‘People matter’.2,340 exhibitors from 70 countries presented a spectrum of products, technologies and innovations for a safe, healthy and sustainable world of work in 13 exhibition halls. There were 67,000 trade ...moreHighlights from A+A 2025
Head and Hearing Protection 3M™ PELTOR™ WS™ ALERT™ XPV Headset: This solar-powered headset features a patented film that charges the battery using both sunlight and indoor light, providing approximately 78 hours of working time. Photo: https://za.rs-online.com/3M™ Speedglas™ G5-03 Welding Helm ...moreNew approach integrates scrap PU back into safety footwear
Osnabruck, Germany – PU systems supplier Huntsman Corporation and safety footwear manufacturer Steitz Secura have developed a PU solution that can help improve the circularity of safety footwear. The DALTOPED® polyurethane midsole system can incorporate recycled content without compromising performance.PU plays a vital role ...moreSituational awareness has become a frontline imperative for first responders
Why traditional radios and CCTV are no longer enough in complex threat environments Global case studies showing measurable impact on response times, safety, and transparency How LTE, 5G, and AI enable continuous, multi layered intelligence for faster, more effective decisions The opportunity for South Africa to leapfrog legacy sy ...moreSoftware supports safe, controlled detonations of aerial bombs
Numerical models for the risk assessment of underground shock waves ...moreCleaning water with light — a new generation of compact and efficient water treatment systems
Functionalised foam ceramics for treating polluted waterIndustrial process and wastewater pose a major challenge when it comes to environmental protection. Fraunhofer researchers in Dresden have now succeeded in developing compact and energy-efficient systems that use photocatalytic oxidation to efficiently break down impurities. At the ...moreNew stent with the potential to lower thrombosis risk
Stents are used to remove narrowings (stenosis) in blood vessels, stabilize the vessels and thus prevent heart attacks or strokes. However, the implantation process damages the inner wall of blood vessel, and in addition a foreign body material is inserted into the blood vessel wall. Both factors can contribute to restenosis of the affect ...moreUpdated safety footwear standard: Industry awaiting NRCS guidelinesSafety footwear suppliers in SA are awaiting a response this month (December 2025) from the National Regulator for Compulsory Standards (NRCS) on various aspects of the implementation of the updated safety footwear standard, SANS 20345: 2023, which comes into force in April 2026.A major concern is the period that will be allowed for safet ...moreComments from South African visitors to A+A 2025We asked for feedback from South African companies that visited A+A 2025. ...moreWhat workplace PPE innovation trends are anticipated?We are being flooded with in the innovation of Artificial (narrow) Intelligence and the risk of its use within the Occupational and Construction Health and Safety fields where the machine learning and artificial intelligence data sets are not locally sourced.However, when it comes to personal protective equipment (PPE), the future is in t ...moreCompetition Tribunal dismisses market division complaint in fire protection industryPretoria, Gauteng, SA – The Competition Tribunal has dismissed a complaint of alleged market division brought by the Competition Commission against the Automatic Sprinkler Inspection Bureau (Pty) Ltd (ASIB) and six other firms in the fire protection industry, namely:National Security & Fire (Pty) Ltd; Fireco (Pty) Ltd; IBR Fire ...moreFirst international pet product safety standard publishedStandard addresses safety of dog harnesses for use in motor vehicles. W. Conshohocken, Pa., U.S.A. (13 November 2025) – ASTM International’s consumer products committee (F15) has approved a new standard for the safety of dog harnesses used in motor vehicles. The standard (F3725) was developed by the pet products subcommit ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Shlobo Designs: Foreign consumers appreciate handwork and the story behind the brand
Durban, KZN, SA – I’m a native of Umlazi’s K section, but I’ve called Seaview home since 1994.My life has been a tapestry of experiences, woven with threads of resilience, creativity, and unwavering determination. My journey took an unexpected turn when I was retrenched while working for the bank with a wealth expe ...moreA perspective: Perhaps it was an eye-opener for industry players to hear each otherLooking back over the workshop, BMA consultant Justin Snelling wrote: “In terms of our reflections of the workshop, we covered a lot of territory. Perhaps though what was most encouraging was the breadth of participation from different segments of the sector and their willingness, or even excitement, to contribute. We don’t ta ...moreTshepo opens new store at Mall of Africa
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (02 June 2026) — South African fashion brand Tshepo has opened its second store at Mall of Africa.Tshepo, founded by Tshepo Mohlala in Victoria Yards 10 years ago, specialises in locally made denim jeans.“Victoria Yards remains central to Tshepo's identity, serving as the bran ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Cooperation between SMEs, academia and government can find solutions
Dr Cecilia China, AfriTech Organic Leather Co. Ltd, the Nelson Mandela Institution of Science & Technology She said Africa has the hides and skins but lacks organised systems to convert them into competitive products.She described her interactions with the Kiwango Leather Cluster with the goal of producing high quality, eco-frien ...moreLeather Naturally launches new report on sustainable water managementLeather Naturally’s latest educational resource, Sustainable Water Management in the Leather Industry (https://www.leathernaturally.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Leather-Naturally-Sustainable-Water-Management.pdf), is available to download.Developed using insights from recent public consultation, the report explores:* Why water rem ...moreISTT offers free entry level leather course to encourage trainingGrahamstown, E. Cape, SA – The International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) is offering one of its short online courses, Introduction to the Leather Industry, for free.The course is suitable for entry level tannery staff.It is also suitable for anyone in footwear, leather goods, furniture and upholstery manufacturing, retailing ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Statistical shape modelling for population-specific respirator design: Addressing fit failure in South African populations
Respirators are widely regarded as the last line of defence against hazardous airborne exposures. Whether protecting healthcare workers from tuberculosis, laboratory personnel from infectious samples, or workers exposed to carcinogenic dusts and fumes, respirators are often relied upon when other controls cannot eliminate exposure. This r ...moreCONSIDERING A PPE MATRIX
What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) do we need to have on site to reduce and manage the workplace and environmental exposure risks to our employees?Safety and mining legislation place the responsibility on employers to ensure that they provide and maintain working environments that are safe and without risk to the health on employees ...moreFurther controls over the import of safety footwear are on the wayOn 03 August 2026, the Safety Footwear Working Group, led by SAFLIA, submitted a request to Minister Tau (dtic) for interim import control measures in respect of specified safety footwear. The request was strongly supported by organised labour and other industry stakeholders.The application was further strengthened by contributions f ...more
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