TOP COMPLIANCE (Pty) Ltd Your Business’ Safety Is Our Concern QSE B-BBEE - Level Four www.topcompliance.co.za November 2017 Fire extinguisher in the workplace and home Over the last few months we have noticed that some of our clients’ fire extinguishers are being serviced annually by “legitimate” companies who fail to do proper services. Companies are paying “fly be nights” good money and are left with a false sense of security. This article is to empower you to know what the requirements are and to ensure that your service provider is doing the job you are paying them for correctly. It is the clients’ responsibility to ensure that the company they use does comply by the required legislation. The service provider must be registered with South African Qualification & Certification Committee (SAQCC) fire in terms of SANS 1475. The SAQCC Fire is an industry-elected body, established to ensure that servicing and maintenance of fire protection equipment is conducted according to the specifications laid out in SANS 1475 and, more importantly, that technicians have the correct training, qualifications and experience. SAQCC-Fire works closely with the South African Bureau Standards and Department Of Labour to ensure standards are met and technicians and servicing companies adhere to the law. Employees of legal servicing companies are also required to be licensed with the South African Qualification and Certification Committee (SAQCC) for Fire to be able to carry out the servicing of fire extinguishers. This entails writing an exam and paying a yearly fee, and if a worker is found guilty of any malpractice during the previous year, he or she will not be issued with a license. Using the following link to the SAQCC website always check to verify the certification of the servicing company as well as the service technician. Before they come to your workplace ensure that they have signed your companies 37(2) agreement in terms of the Occupational health and Safety Act. The 37(2) agreement must also be accompanied with their valid letter of Goodstanding with Workman’s Compensation. A tip: check the manufacturer’s full mass/weight in reference to the service sticker full mass/weight. There may not be a difference greater than 5% either way. In the pictures below the manufactures mass full indicates that the extinguisher must weigh 12.9kg. However, the service sticker indicates 14.14kg. This is more than 5% overweight, which could indicate that there is too much powder and not enough charge in the extinguisher. The employer must also appoint fire fighters in the workplace. These firefighters must also have had the required training and on a monthly basis check the fire equipment at the workplace. FREE Checklists for your workplace or home fire extinguishers 1. Dry Chemical Powder extinguisher checklist (DCP) 2. Carbon Dioxide extinguisher checklist 3. Hose reel checklist
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TOP COMPLIANCE (Pty) Ltd Your Business’ Safety Is Our Concern
QSE B-BBEE - Level Four
www.topcompliance.co.za
November 2017
Fire extinguisher in the workplace and home
Over the last few months we have noticed that some of our clients’ fire extinguishers are being serviced annually by “legitimate” companies who fail to do proper services. Companies are paying “fly be nights” good money and are left with a false sense of security. This article is to empower you to know what the requirements are and to ensure that your service provider is doing the job you are paying them for correctly. It is the clients’ responsibility to ensure that the company they use does comply by the required legislation. The service provider must be registered with South African Qualification & Certification Committee (SAQCC) fire in terms of SANS 1475. The SAQCC Fire is an industry-elected body, established to ensure that servicing and maintenance of fire protection equipment is conducted according to the specifications laid out in SANS 1475 and, more importantly, that technicians have the correct training, qualifications and experience. SAQCC-Fire works closely with the South African Bureau Standards and Department Of Labour to ensure standards are met and technicians and servicing companies adhere to the law. Employees of legal servicing companies are also required to be licensed with the South African Qualification and Certification Committee (SAQCC) for Fire to be able to carry out the servicing of fire extinguishers. This entails writing an exam and paying a yearly fee, and if a worker is found guilty of any malpractice during the previous year, he or she will not be issued with a license. Using the following link to the SAQCC website always check to verify the certification of the servicing company as well as the service technician. Before they come to your workplace ensure that they have signed your companies 37(2) agreement in terms of the Occupational health and Safety Act. The 37(2) agreement must also be accompanied with their valid letter of Goodstanding with Workman’s Compensation. A tip: check the manufacturer’s full mass/weight in reference to the service sticker full mass/weight. There may not be a difference greater than 5% either way. In the pictures below the manufactures mass full indicates that the extinguisher must weigh 12.9kg. However, the service sticker indicates 14.14kg. This is more than 5% overweight, which could indicate that there is too much powder and not enough charge in the extinguisher. The employer must also appoint fire fighters in the workplace. These firefighters must also have had the required training and on a monthly basis check the fire equipment at the workplace.
FREE Checklists for your workplace or home fire extinguishers 1. Dry Chemical Powder extinguisher checklist (DCP) 2. Carbon Dioxide extinguisher checklist 3. Hose reel checklist
The next Basic Firefighting course with Emergency Action Planning is on the 4 December 2017 from 07h45 to 16h00. Book here
NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER SPECIAL: 10% discount for the Safety Representative – Legal Liability. Date – 10th November Cost – R1350 pp including lunch Time – 07h45 – 16h30 Bookings close – 8th November T&C apply. Click on icon to receive the booking form.
FREE Workshop Subject – Overview of the Occupational Health and Safety Act Workshop. Venue – Route 21 Corporate Park Date – 23 November 2017 – 6 seats available Date – 11 December 2017 – 12 seat available Time – 08h30 to 12h00
Click on icon to receive the booking form
Booking is essential.
Skills program 8-12 January 2018 – only 12 seats available The valuable course will empower you with a good understanding of Occupational Health and Safety Act, First aid procedures and the prevention and management of fires in the workplace.
Booking is essential.
Health, Safety and Fire Combination - HW/SP/1510179 – 11
credits
US
9964
Apply health and safety to a work area Identify potential hazards in the work area.
Limit damage to persons or property in the case of an
emergency.
Follow procedures that apply to illness or injury in the work
area.
US
119567
Perform basic life support and first aid procedures
Demonstrate an understanding of emergency scene
management.
Demonstrate an understanding of elementary anatomy and