MSA GOLDEN HELMET AWARD: AWARDING SAFETY CONSCIOUS EMPLOYEES

Contact Details:

Mine Safety Appliances (Pty) Ltd/MSA

Production Park
83 Heidelberg Road
City Deep
Johannesburg
Gauteng
South Africa

Tel: +27 (0)11 610-2600
Fax: +27 (0)11 623 2365

MSA GOLDEN HELMET AWARD: AWARDING SAFETY CONSCIOUS EMPLOYEES

Company News Tuesday, May 24, 2011: Mine Safety Appliances (Pty) Ltd/MSA

MSA Africa is assisting local employers to honour their employees by awarding an international Golden Helmet Award to individuals that have escaped serious injury by wearing a MSA V-Gard® hardhat. The initiative awards the worker’s adherence to safety procedures and also celebrates the ability of the MSA V-Gard® to save lives. The recipient of the award receives a 24-ct gold-plated hardhat as a symbolic representation of their achievement, a replacement MSA V-Gard® hardhat and a personalised certificate of recognition. MSA also arranges an awards ceremony with attending press, in order to highlight the company’s dedication to safety.

The initiative’s main focus lies in promoting the importance of using safety products in heavier industries. “The real challenge lies in the perception that hardhats are not important,” says Loren Pearson, Senior Product Manager Head-, Eye-, Face- and Hearing Protection, MSA Africa. MSA’s patented V-Gard® hardhat, a flagship product for the company, consists of a superior quality shell made with a durable injection-moulded, 100% virgin high-density polyethylene that works together with a liner/suspension system to ensure that the head is protected from forces that can cause permanent damage or fatal injuries.

There are many hardhats on the market that do not exceed the high safety standards imposed on the industry, and these hardhats are often unreliable. MSA V-Gard® hardhats exceed most safety standards and are easy to identify with the following features:

Glare gard under peak/ brim
Slots to integrate accessories
Trademarked “V” on top of the cap
SANS 1397 approved

Proper usage of a hard hat is necessary to ensure that it is in the best condition to protect the wearer:

Store out of direct sun
Use only for designed purpose
Do not wear additional head accessories underneath the hard hat
Clean with warm water, never use solvents or paint cleaners
Do not paint or place stickers on hardhat
Never alter or modify in any way, always refer to manufacturer’s guidelines
Do not store any items between liner and shell
For adequate protection, the hard hat should fit or be adjusted to fit the wearer’s head

“In every organisation where workers wear head protection on the job, a regular hardhat replacement programme should be clearly defined and implemented. This can be difficult, especially as the lifespan of a hardhat is dependent on the circumstances it is used in,” notes Pearson. MSA recommends following these general guidelines for replacement:

After two years in full sun
After 12 to 18-months in harsh chemical environments
If hardhat shows any sign of degradation including loss of surface gloss, discolouration, cracking or flaking
Replace liner every 12 months
If the hardhat has been struck by a forcible blow of any magnitude, even if no damage is visible
If the hardhat has been dropped from the height of a two-story building, or higher

Should one of your employees be involved in an incident where their MSA V-Gard® hardhat has saved a life or prevented a serious injury, contact Loren Pearson at MSA Africa on 011 610-2625 or loren.pearson@msanet.com.