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BUSINESS AND TRAINING
doubt that ARSO as a continental organisation is better placed to facilitate harmonisation of standards . Most countries have their own National Standard Body ( NSB ) and have a mandate to develop their own standards to address their specific country product and environmental needs . Therefore , the process of harmonising standards and technical regulations becomes a balance act as some aspects of the standards address country issues . Bear in mind that Standards are long technical documents which normally refer or are referenced by many other standards or documents . Besides African standards , international standard is a critical consideration in this type of work since African companies need to export to other continents . Same too should African products be exported out of Africa whether it be West , South , etc ., there is comfort in knowing for them that the product is a standard African product . Of course , countries outside Africa will require their own standards to suit their needs , but as a continent we can all know and understand the needs of e . g ., the West .”
Bongani , is the African Continent capable of handling all the testing that would be required ? It is no secret that to set up a test centre is no small task never mind the financial implications . How feasible is this ?
“ Setting up a test centre normally becomes a commercial decision . In my view if the product is not manufactured in Africa , it might not add value to have a lab in Africa unless , there are regulations to test at the destination country . Though the expertise is available in South Africa ; funding of such products remains a challenge in South Africa if you consider the requirements of the funders ( banks ). The quality infrastructure sector , if supported by government , can employ a lot of unemployed graduates in the engineering fields as test engineers , auditors , inspectors , verifiers etc .
Bear in mind we do have the South African National Accreditation Services body ( SANAS ) which will accredit both test and certification centres , so they are the guardian of these activities . To provide perspective , imagine what one standard , testing , certificate together with quality manuals can do in terms of auditing and control of compliance ,” concluded Bongani . PA
“ This will go a long way in removing technical barriers to trade and reduce cost of doing business in Africa .”
Women on site
Edited by
Rory Macnamara – submitted by BluLever Education
While there are some who still believe in the stereotype that women are not as capable as men when it comes to trade work such as plumbing , this perception is slowly changing . Plumbing Africa thanks Blulever Education for providing coverage of their ongoing Women on Tools campaign , which aims to change the narrative about women in the trades by sharing the success stories of their female apprentices .
Nosphephelo is an apprentice from BluLever ’ s Trendsetters cohort . For her employer-based learning , she joined a team that was sceptical about female plumbers at first , but her insistence on doing every job her team puts her on , including the ones they thought she could not do , changed the way they feel about female plumbers . Her employer is now planning on creating a team consisting of females only due to the impression she ’ s made .
BluLever Education
Congratulations on changing perspectives , Nosphephelo ! Indeed women CAN !
“ Join BluLever ' s apprentices as they change the narrative about women on-site . Share your own stories of overcoming myths about women in the trades and use the hashtag # WomenOnTools .” – Blulever PA
Nosphephelo , BluLever Apprentice .
www . plumbingafrica . co . za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline August 2023 Volume 29 I Number 6