Global safety company 
MSA Africa has a 
renewed focus on the mining industry this year, launching innovative products, improving product availability 
and focusing on customer 
requirements.

MSA recently relaunched Litepak 1, a compact cap lamp, weighing just 525 g, supplying 20 hours of bright light and ten hours of dim light. It makes use of the latest light-emitting-diode technology, and meets all SANS 1438 requirements, says MSA Africa mining segment manager 
Andre Eloff.

It has a lightweight lithium polymer battery, which provides more capacity than lithium 
ion batteries and draws less current in the charging cycle. The Litepak is compatible with old and existing charging racks, which, the company reports, makes the transition from older battery technology easier and more affordable.

MSA has extended its service 
offering and has opened additional service centres in Cape Town, Rustenburg and Welkom. The company also offers free lamp room training on a yearly basis, thereby ensuring that customers meet the Department of Mineral Resources’ requirements that all personnel are competent in the use and maintenance of the product.

Although the product was 
designed locally to meet the harsh mining conditions in Africa, it has been well received in Chile, South America, with the first shipment already on its way.

Golden Helmet Award

Meanwhile, MSA has launched its V-Gard head protection 
accident campaign, the Golden Helmet Award. The award recognises employees who have been protected from serious 
injury by choosing to wear an MSA V-Gard hard hat.

“The decision by an indivi-
dual to wear a high-quality safety cap with the required industrial approvals could mean the difference between life and death,” says MSA Africa senior head, eye-, face- and hearing-protection product manager Loren Pearson.

She explains that the company’s patented V-Gard protective caps and hats consist of a superior quality shell made with a durable injection-moulded, 100% virgin high-density 
polyethylene and a liner/suspension system, which work together to reduce the risk of head injuries.

MSA’s V-Gard head protection is lightweight, has side slots to allow for either face or hearing protection to be incorporated and is available in cap or hat styles. 
The company reports that the liner or suspension is key to protecting the head from the full impact of falling objects. 
Coupled with the high-quality shell, it 
ensures that the head is protected from forces 
that can cause injury and sometimes permanent damage.

The Golden Helmet Award sees a gold-plated V-Gard cap presented to the winning individual by MSA at an awards ceremony, highlighting the individual’s and that company’s commitment to health and safety.

Personal Protective Equipment Donation

Further, MSA has donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to professional basic safety training company KBC Health & Safety, to be displayed in 22 safety cabinets at the KBC Centre training room, in Constantia Kloof.

The equipment, worth about R17 000, will assist delegates undergoing training at KBC Health & Safety to understand PPE at a touch-and-feel level. 
KBC director Siobahn Whitehead says that the company trains between 100 000 and 120 000 learners a year and one of the key aspects is to ensure that each one has a complete understanding of PPE 
before entering the workplace. These delegates come from several industries, including mining, construction and food manufacturing.

MSA marketing director Hayley Arnesen says that the purpose of the cabinets is to house PPE that shows learners the different types of equipment that must be worn in the workplace, where they may be exposed to hazards specific to that site. Each cabinet contains equipment specific to the risks and mitigation, with the standards approved by the sector or industry that the learners are trained in.

Customer Feedback Survey

Meanwhile, Eloff says that, often, international companies design products based on conditions and requirements that are relevant to companies in Europe or the US, which do not necessarily suit the local environment. In an initiative to design more local market-
specific products, MSA will this year be launching its worldwide Voice of the Customer survey, specifically aimed at mining customers. Surveys will attempt to under-
stand the conditions, applications and challenges faced by MSA’s mining customers. The team in charge of the survey comprises Eloff, local product managers and representatives from Germany, the US and China.

Meanwhile, MSA has appointed international mining segment sales director Richard Crosby to head up the international mining division of MSA, while Eloff is heading up the South African division.

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