Safety Equipment

We supply a range of emergency equipment that most companies are required to have to be compliant with the Occupational Health & Safety Act 85 of 1993 and emergency preparedness requirements.

The Right Safety Equipment to Have on Site

Listed below are some of the legally required OHS safety equipment that needs to be readily available on site (dependant on the organisation’s size, risks etc) :

Department of Labour approved OHS Act
First aid kits (Wall-mounted or carry bags)
Range of different types of fire extinguishers and fire hose reels
Fire hoses and nozzles (if there are fire hydrants installed on-site)
Fire blankets
Emergency evacuation floor plans
Loud & clear evacuation devices
Site photoluminescent directional and safety signs
Reflective health and safety team bibs / jackets

Firefighting Equipment

We offer a wide variety of firefighting equipment to suit every company’s needs! Ranging from fire hoses, reels, nozzles and cabinets for your fire equipment, fire blankets for your kitchens, all the way through to various fire extinguishers in different sizes. The most common fire extinguishers in use today are CO2 and Dry Chemical Powder (DCP) extinguishers.

In accordance with various South African laws and regulations, providing adequate firefighting equipment is a compliance requirement as it is paramount to ensuring workplace preparedness and safety. At Absolute Health Services we offer a range of high-quality fire equipment tailored to meet your specific site needs and requirements.

Choosing the Right Fire Extinguisher:

Class A fire – Solid combustible materials. Any material that will burn and leave an ash behind is classified as a Class A fire;
Class B fires – Flammable liquids. Any flammable liquid e.g. petrol, paraffin, etc. is classified as a Class B fire;
Class C fires – Electrical fires. When fires are caused by electricity they are classified as Class C fires;
Class D fires – Fires caused by burning metals are classified as Class D fires;
Class K fires – When cooking oils, grease or animal fats used in the kitchen catches on fire it can be classified as Class K fires.

The different types of fire extinguishers, how to identify them and what fire to use them on are as follows:

Water fire extinguisher – Has a red colour coded label and is used on Class A fires only.
CO2 fire extinguisher – Has a black colour coded label and can be used on Class A, B, C and D fires. Do not use these extinguishers in very confined spaces with little to now ventilation, the user may be overwhelmed by the CO2 and become unconscious.
DCP (Dry Chemical Powder) fire extinguisher – Has a blue colour coded label and can be used on Class A, B, C and D fires. The DCP consists of very fine powder that can cause damage to sensitive electrical equipment. In areas where sensitive equipment is kept rather use CO2 extinguishers.
Foam fire extinguisher – Has a cream colour coded label and can be used on Class A and B fires only. Remember that foam contains water and the user may be electrocuted when used on an electrical fire.

First Aid Kits in the Workplace

The General Safety Regulation Section 3 (OHS ACT 85 of 1993), subsection (2) states that where more than five employees are employed at a workplace, the employer of such employees shall provide a First Aid kit or kits at or near the workplace, which shall be available and accessible for the treatment of injured persons at that workplace.

The General Safety Regulations state that the type of injuries that are likely to occur at a workplace, the nature of the activities performed and the number of employees employed at a workplace shall determine the amount of First Aid kits needed. It is therefore industry specific but the law does stipulate the minimum requirement for a workplace First Aid kit and it includes the following:

1 x Cetrimide Solution – 100ml
1 x Gauze Swabs – 100’s
1 x Cotton Wool 100gr
2 x Swabs Sterile – 5’s
1 x Plastic Forcep
1 x Safety Pins – 12’s
1 x First Aid Scissors – 10cm
4 x Triangular Bandages – Non-Woven
4 x Conforming Bandages – 75mm
4 x Conforming Bandages – 100mm
1 x Fabric Roll Plaster – 25mm x 3m
1 x Anti Allergic Tape (Paper Plaster) – 25mm x 3m
1 x Box of Plasters – 20’s
4 x F.A.D.3 – 75x100mm
4 x F.A.D.5 – 150x200mm
2 x Wooden Splints
4 x Pairs Latex Gloves
2 x CPR Mouth Pieces

We stock both the Regulations 7 and Regulation 3 options as well as first aid kit refills for your existing first aid box.

Fire Blankets

Fire blankets are a crucial and the ideal tool for swiftly handling small fires, especially in kitchens and areas with flammable materials. Constructed from fire-resistant fabric, these blankets are available in various sizes, including 1.2 x 1.2 m, 1.2 x 1.8 m, and 1.8 x 1.8 m. The larger size can be wrapped around an adult if clothing catches fire. They should also be kept in kitchens, so that they are available to place over burning cooking pans etc.

To ensure effectiveness, a fire blanket should be:

Clearly visible
Easily accessible in emergencies
Regularly inspected (included in monthly Fire Warden checks)

Used fire blankets must also be replaced immediately and not reused. Remember don’t compromise on workplace safety and regularly inspect your firefighting and all safety equipment.

OHS Act poster set

As per the OHS Act companies or organisations need to have a set of 3 posters namely the OHS Act, Employment Equity Act and Basic Conditions of Employment Act poster, which must be displayed in your workplace where employees have visible access to them. We supply the A1 sets of three and can also supply aluminium snapper frames to mount on the walls and protect the posters. We recommend displaying them in an area where there is a lot of traffic e.g a canteen.

Loud & Clear Device

As an employer, it is important to have a reliable means of alerting employees to impending dangers and emergency situations that may require evacuation. Loud & Clear Devices offer a practical and affordable alternative to elaborate electrical fire alarm systems. They are highly effective and easy to use, and when strategically placed they ensure effective communication throughout your premises. Once used the devices can easily be replaced by Absolute Health Services.

Emergency Evacuation Floor Plans

It is a legal compliance requirement for evacuation floor plans to be prominently displayed within the workplace, be easily accessible and legible to all occupants of the building. They provide critical guidance during an evacuation and must be permanently fixed in strategic locations through the entire working area, for easy viewing and reference by all employees. Common positioning locations include:

Every floor near primary entrances, lifts or stairs
Within rooms (e.g., hotels on the back of the doors)
Cafeterias, offices, meeting rooms
Main intersections and junctions within large buildings

Key elements on an evacuation floor plan include:

Evacuation procedures to follow
Primary and secondary (alternative) escape routes
Locations of firefighting and first aid equipment and alarms
Emergency evacuation aids, such as stair chairs
Refuge and assembly points

During an emergency, it is important to assist all individuals, especially those who are disabled, injured, children, the elderly or pregnant women. An evacuation floor plan is a crucial piece of safety equipment and plays a crucial role in ensuring everyone is evacuated quickly. Our custom drawn floor plans are tailored to your specific building layouts, providing accurate and current information. We also supply protective aluminium snapper frames where the floor plans can be mounted in for display and added durability.

Site Safety Signs

According to the OHS and emergency preparedness legal requirements, employers are required to prominently display notices, or signs indicating the location of emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers, hose reels, first aid boxes etc.

Compliance with the SANS mandates that these signs remain visible at all times and be manufactured from photoluminescent material, covering fire, information, emergency exits, danger, or warning signs. They should bear the SABS mark on the face of the sign. We supply photoluminescent signs used indoors to ensure visibility even during power outages, glowing in the dark to aid quick evacuation. For outdoor use we supply chromadek signs for their durability and UV resistance.

Evacuation Chair

Evacuation chairs were designed to evacuate injured or disabled employees from multi-storey buildings during an emergency evacuation. The employee is secured into the chair with straps and pushed over a flat surface on the 4 wheels. When the rescuers approach stairs the wheels fold away and the chair can be pushed down the stairs on a set of tracks ensuring a comfortable and stable descent. This invaluable piece of equipment prevents additional injuries from rescuers trying to carry injured or disabled employees down stairs or difficult terrain. The evacuation chair folds up neatly and can be hung on a wall out of the way.