There is no occupational health and safety (OHS) problem that does not have a solution at the Occupational Safety & Health Expo Africa 2016 (A-OSH EXPO 2016), says events management company Specialised Exhibitions events director Joshua Low.

“We have lined up an extensive array of products and services that will make life so much easier for anyone involved in OHS.”

The A-OSH EXPO 2016, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre, in Midrand, Johannesburg, from May 24 to 26, has 80-plus exhibitors, with the exhibition “strategically designed to provide a carefully orchestrated” combination of products, services and educational sessions.

“If you are responsible for OHS in your work environment, then the A-OSH EXPO 2016 is the place to be,” Low emphasises, noting that the exhibition represents high-quality brands from local and overseas OHS manufacturers, suppliers and service providers. “It’s no idle boast that the A-OSH EXPO is able to provide risk assessments and mitigation for a multitude of identifiable issues across a large number of industries,” he says.

In its sixth year, the A-OSH EXPO has several visitor attractions that make the show a worthwhile experience. These include the comprehensive South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health conference and the business matchmaking service sponsored by biometric security solutions provider Ideco Biometric Security Solutions.

The business matchmaking service allows visitors to be prematched with relevant exhibitors, whereby meetings are arranged before the exhibition takes place, making the most of the visitor’s time at the A-OSH EXPO 2016.

Solutions on Show

Software system ppe2go is described as an easy-to-use system that saves time and money and allows users to control the issuing of replacement professional protective equipment (PPE) stock. Various features will be available for demonstration at the A-OSH EXPO 2016 and include self-service kiosks, biometric authentication, barcoded scanners, data integration, online verification and key performance indicator reports. VIP guests from reference clients will be available at the ppe2go stand to answer any questions visitors may have.

Also exhibiting is PPE manufacturer Safeco, which also promotes and distributes products from local manufacturers of compliant quality. The range from Safeco includes products from internationally accredited and reputable manufacturers and equipment that covers head to toe, as well as many auxiliary safety accessories and equipment. Local products distributed by the company are Drager, Drizit, Dromex, Frams, Hazmat, Howard Leight, Maxi, Rebel, Safequip, Tyvek, Uvex, Wayne, Watt, Zenith, Zero and 3M.

Meanwhile, personal protective clothing manufacturer Charnaud believes in a head-to-foot approach to safety. This year, Charnaud is introducing the True Comfort long-sleeve shirt from its SURVIVE-ARC range. The shirt comes in a plush navy blue and can protect a wearer in an electric arc flash of up to 10.9 cal/cm2.

Environmental health services provider Ethekwini Safety, Health & Environmental Services has developed SHE PPE specific to women, as they differ from men both anatomically and physiologically. This range is aligned with women’s physiques and anthropometric data. The design articulates what women want in order to be comfortable and safe, and, therefore, happy and productive.

Attendees will also be introduced to online information supplier Sabinet’s new Legal Registers platform, which, in association with legal consultant Standards & Legal, aims to take the stress out of managing sustainability and legal compliance. Its South African legislation service, Netlaw, includes all updated and consolidated South African principal Acts, rules and regulations since 1910. The company also offers complete full text access to all by-laws in force and applicable in municipalities in all nine provinces from 1995 to the present day.

Another company scheduled to exhibit at the A-OSH EXPO 2016 is occupational health specialist HSP Group South Africa. The company has a constant and established team of qualified experts in the field of OHS services, and well-equipped referral centres, mobile units and on-site clinics, offering solutions for organisational OHS compliance. It offers pre-employment, exit and periodic medicals, executive medicals, mining medicals, biological monitoring, hearing tests, vision screening, lung tests, on-site clinics, drug control, travel medicine, training, counselling, locum services, and first aid kits at any of its referral centres.

Also on the cards is the Unisa Centre for Business Management (CBM), which offers short learning programmes aimed at preparing learners for the business world in a quick and effective manner. The courses are also noted as ideal for professional people seeking formal qualifications relevant to their field. These courses include the Safety Management and Advanced Safety Management programme. Visitors will be able to meet lecturers at the organisation’s A-OSH EXPO stand and get answers to all their study-related questions. Each day at the exhibition, the Unisa CBM will give away one bursary to study the Safety Management programme.

Attendees also have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with health and safety manager Affsaf. The company provides a cost- effective OHS management system that is accessible from the online cloud, ensures legal compliance and is OHSAS 18001-aligned. The system is interactive and designed to create actions and reminders. All documents, such as checklists, appointment letters and audit forms, are provided and nonconformances are managed through automatic status reports, with statistics generated for management purposes.

Safety equipment and services supplier Dräger South Africa will also exhibit and supplies and services a range of safety products to several industries, including government departments, fire services and the chemicals, oil and gas and mining industries. The com- pany’s offering includes a full range of alcohol- and drug-detection devices, respiratory protection and gas warning devices, as well as protective clothing. Dräger will showcase its new comfort vest for chemical protection suits, drug- and alcohol-detection equipment, airline equipment and gas detection equipment at this year’s A-OSH EXPO exhibition.

Suppliers of drug and alcohol testing equipment ALCO-Safe will also be exhibiting its alcohol and substance abuse programmes and police-grade breathalysers, which ensure high-quality and consistent results, together with drug testing equipment suitable for workplace use. The company undertakes calibrations and maintenance on all of the equipment that it supplies. If positive test results are obtained, ALCO-Safe can also assist with expert witnesses in Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration cases and labour court hearings.

In addition to providing access to various OHS products and services under one roof, the A-OSH EXPO also offers visitors the opportunity to learn about current trends and best practice in the free-to-attend National Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Board seminar theatre – sponsored by safety and protection equipment producer Ansell – and the Prefabricated Access Suppliers & Manufacturers Association Working at Height Theatre.