S&V Protect Magazine
S&V Protect Magazine is the only South African magazine publication aimed exclusively at the PPE end user. The magazine is published quarterly and covers all aspects of the personal protective equipment and occupational health and safety industry. With editorial contributions from professionals within the industry the publication covers all aspects of the industry. The magazine is published digitally and is available for free via email and on our website.
S&V PROTECT MAGAZINE VOL20 NO3 MAY/JUNE 2026
IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- The Hierarchy of Controls – a constant reminder for the PPE industry.
- China-made firefighting equipment now needs verification of conformity with SANS standards.
- Biodegradable disposable gloves ‘a growing trend’ in PPE.
05 OHS Insights
- New OHS regulations coming into force later this year mean PPE needs to be reviewed, too, writes Veteran SHE and risk management consultant, Leighton Bennett, chairperson of the Safety First Association.
06 PPE Conference
- Protecting the workforce: The critical role of PPE, by Elize Lourens, Specialist: Occupational Health & Hygiene, Directorate Occupational Health and Hygiene, Department of Employment & Labour.
- Occupational noise-induced hearing loss ‘is the most prevalent occupational disease in the world’, by Peter-John ‘Jakes’ Jacobs, Sedulitas.
- Statistical shape modelling for population-specific respirator design: Addressing fit failure in South African populations, by Dr Deon Swanepoel of D’Sayensi Occupational Hygiene.
13 Profiles
- Premier Workwear: Engineered Protection for Africa’s industrial workforce, by Mustapha Adam, director.
- RealPPE Marketplace: Where safety meets smarter procurement, by Sibu Komane, support department.
21 Buyers' Guide
- What's on offer.
Advertisers in this Issue
BBF Safety Group/Bova (OFC), Kaliber (02), Rainbow Group (10), Premier Workwear/FlexiCool (06), Rebel Safety Gear (04), S&V Calendar (05), S&V Directory (12), Sendi Apparel (08).
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Footwear Industry Articles
- We could make sports shoes then, and I’m sure we could make them nowRetired shoemaker Brian Zyster shares more of his memories of ‘the good old days’ of footwear manufacturing in South Africa ...moreKZN Clothing and Textile Cluster (KZNCTC) SME AcceleratorDurban, KZN, SA – We are pleased to announce the launch of the 2026 SME Accelerator Programme.What’s new this year:The programme has been expanded into a full-year development journey, offering SMEs multiple opportunities for learning, mentoring, networking, and direct engagement with potential buyers.We invite you to apply to ...moreLemaitre’s Robust Pro, ‘based on user feedback, is a gamechanger in safety footwear’Lemaitre, a trusted leader in safety footwear, is proud to announce the launch of the New Robust Pro, a reimagined safety shoe designed to deliver unparalleled comfort, durability, and all-around protection for workers across industries. With the Robust Pro we set out to create a shoe that truly works as hard as the people who wear it by ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Sam Setter's 'Pills': A different perspectiveOne reader, Marc, commented on my March Pill: ‘Sam, the real frustration isn’t the criticism itself. It’s that we haven't been able to get our message outside our own echo chamber. I'm interested. How would you see the leather industry actually breaking through that barrier? In 2026, trust rarely comes from industry stat ...moreMONEY FROM WASTEEurope has borne the difficulties and the costs of converting to a bioeconomy – the lessons are there, free, for African businesses to learn and profit from. ...moreCooperation between SMEs, academia and government can find solutionsDr 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 ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- SA's first PPE conference draws top speakersThe Safety First Association and SAPEMA hosted SA’s first PPE conference in March, cramming 20 papers into a 2-day event, which also featured a number of PPE supplier stands. Here, we carry edited versions of 7 of them to illustrate the diversity of the topics. We expect to carry more in the next edition.As several speakers pointed ...moreBiodegradable disposable gloves ‘a growing trend’ in PPEThe poster is available to download in English in both PNG and PDF formats hereCompostable and biodegradable PPE are said to be rapidly growing trends internationally, lead by brands like Showa and HaPPE Earth.The nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH in Hürth, Germany, has published an updated versio ...moreWhat if the respirator you rely on to protect your health never sealed properly?I had the opportunity to present at the first PPE Conference in RSA, where I shared some early work we) have been exploring towards developing respirator designs better suited to the South African population.Below is a short AI-generated summary of the core message of the presentation.Respirators are often the last line of defence against ...more
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