NEWSWORTHY
LOCAL NIKKI HARD HATS EXCEED INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
The Nikki brand of hard hats from BBF Safety Group is one of the most trusted brands in the personal protective equipment ( PPE ) industry . The Nikki 1 hard hat is also one of the few of its kind to be made from 100 % virgin ABS for significantly higher durability and strength . It is a premium hard hat for particularly arduous applications , but at a midlevel price point that continues to boost its popularity . Nikki 2 utilises the more widely-used polypropylene ( PP ) material , but ensures consistent quality with a commitment to 100 % virgin PP materials rather than including any regrind material that could compromise strength and durability . Both hard hats have a unique bridged construction , giving the shells among the best sideimpact protection on the market . The inner shell of both is engineered with reinforced ribs for increased protection against impact . “ What makes the Nikki brand stand out is that it has been designed to exceed EN 397:1995 for lateral deformation . Independent testing has previously shown Nikki shells to have up to three times the resistance to lateral deformation than competitor products . This is a good indicator of the strength and durability ,” highlights Deane Nothard , Marketing Manager at BBF . The Nikki hard hats are part of the PPE range from BBF Safety Group , an integrated workplace safety solutions provider . It offers a full portfolio of PPE and professional occupational health and safety ( OHS ) services . www . bbfsafety . co . za
FIRST PRECAST STADIUM COMPLETED IN JUST TWO DAYS
In what is believed to be the first of its type in South Africa , specialist designers , manufacturers and suppliers of structural and precast concrete construction elements , Peikko South Africa , report on the construction of a school sports pavilion in a record time of just two days .
Winston Visser , Peikko ’ s Project Engineer , relates that the company was approached by the professional team ’ s QS with a proposal to construct a new sports pavilion at the Springvale Primary School in Centurion . The school currently teaches 1,300 learners , which will be increased by a further 500 students by 2024 , and required infrastructure to accommodate its growing numbers during sports days .
“ A major concern of the school ’ s management was that erecting a sports pavilion by conventional on-site construction methods was both time consuming and presented safety hazards from inquisitive onlookers . The Peikko South Africa team presented the inital design and gave the assurance to the professional team and the school ’ s principle that the pavilion would be erected in just two days with no compromise to safety ,” explains Visser .
Despite some disbelief he adds that Peikko ’ s design , which incorporated both male and female changing rooms and ablutions , 120m 2 of storage space for sporting equipment and an aesthetically pleasing off shutter finish to the seating panels , found favour and construction commenced off site .
“ Close cooperation with the contractors of the raft foundations ensured that the placement for the precast column ’ s anchor bolts were accurately positioned - a critical element in the build . Columns and seating panels and the later addition of stairways on each end of the pavilion were all manufactured off site in a factory environment , which ensured quality control and element accuracy while minimising environmental emissions normally found on-site with conventional construction . This was appreciated by the school ’ s management in a setting where children are present .”
The manufacture of the building elements with all the necessary cast in Peikko mechanical connections was scheduled to coincide with the completion of the raft foundation , and after the delivery of just five loads of precast elements , the erection of the pavilion was completed in the promised two days , much to the astonishment of the school ’ s principle and the professional team .
“ The speed of the on-site installation is a major advantage of the Peikko system of precast element design and its system of the mechanical connections , is that site erection is both quick and easy , each ‘ piece ’ fitting like a glove .
“ So impressed were the school ’ s management with the fit and finish of the final product , that they have ordered a second pavilion to be built early in 2024 . And likewise , the overseeing architects have concluded a marketing agreement with Peikko to promote its technique , which is expected to find favour in rural communities seeking similar sporting facilities ,” Visser concluded . www . peikko . com
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