Chemical Technology May 2016

MSA – Harnessing new technologies to produce exceptional protective equipment

‘ChemTech’ recently paid a visit to the offices of MSA The Safety Company and spoke to Colin Oliver, director Sub-Saharan Africa region, about the company’s role and contribution to the safety market in South Africa and other African countries.

L ast year the company celebrated its 75th anniversary, the South African branch being the second oldest, next to the head office in Pittsburgh, USA, which celebrated its centenary last year. Presently R&D takes place in the Ryan Laboratory in Pitttsburgh, the laboratory named after John T Ryan, the founder of the company. Existing products are constantly being improved and in- novated, which, Oliver told us, is the main reason MSA safety products are regarded as the most reputable and reliable brand available, both in this country and further afield, in Nigeria and Ghana, as well as in newer, expand- ing markets such as Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania. The mainstay of MSA in South Africa is the Oil, Gas and Petroleum (OGP) sector, which, Oliver said, makes up 40 – 50 % of the company’s total business. Together with the mining sector, they make up 70 – 80 % of the total. The rest of the business is in utilities and general industries. Range of products Oliver explained that the safety and fire and emergency markets have, together, a large footprint in sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, the top-ranking product is the range of self- contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or devices such as the G1 SCBA which offers integrated and enhanced solutions such as built-in telemetry devices, monitors to measure air capacity, built-in communication units and

flashing alarms. Rechargeable batteries are now available for the central power systems which run all the electronics. No matter which button is pressed on the control module of the device, necessary information displays. Recent in- novations mean that the G1 SCBA provides more data and functionality than ever before and the heads up display provides clear and easy to understand/interpret informa- tion. Furthermore, it has integrated technology such as Bluetooth, RFID, Near Field Communication (NFC), and long-range radio, for future expansion. The MSA AirXpress 2 Fire is a new, economical SCBA with customisable configurations, allowing usage in different first responder applications and as such is ideally-suited to firefighting, rescue operations, escape scenarios, confined space entry and for ‘search and rescue’ missions. The unit has amodern design and features an ergonomic back plate, designed for unrestricted movement, while the chest strap prevents any slipping of the shoulder harness. The carrier is made with glass fibre-reinforced polyamide to withstand high heat and flames. It boasts an optional manual bypass function which increases the airflow in extreme environments. Other popular products Fall protection equipment, such as full body harnesses, self- retracting devices and energy-absorbing lanyards, confined

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Chemical Technology •May 2016