Glossary

Terms used in industrial maintenance, inspection and equipment hire in South Africa, each with a short definition and its source.

A

Air receiver(receiver, air tank): The vessel that stores compressed air before it enters the pipes or tools, covering short peaks in demand that the compressor cannot meet alone.; Source: Atlas Copco South Africa, What is an air receiver?; Read: Compressor hire in South Africa: how many cfm and what pressure your tools need, and the paperwork to ask for
Angularity(angular misalignment): The angle between two coupled shafts, often given as a gap difference over a stated coupling diameter, such as 100 mm.; Source: PRUFTECHNIK LTD (distributed in the US by LUDECA), A Practical Guide to Shaft Alignment, edition 4; Read: Laser shaft alignment vs dial gauge: when it is worth paying for and what the job must deliver
Approved inspection authority(AIA): An inspection body approved by the chief inspector, after accreditation (by SANAS for a South African body), to inspect and test pressure equipment within the scope of its approval.; Source: Government Gazette 14918, Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993; Read: AIA inspection: how often a pressure vessel must be inspected in South Africa, and by whom
Artisan: Under the Skills Development Act, a person certified as competent to perform a listed trade; the artisan qualification requires a trade test at an accredited trade test centre.; Source: The Presidency (Government Gazette 31666), Skills Development Amendment Act 37 of 2008 (inserting sections 26A to 26M, artisan development, into Act 97 of 1998); Read: Coded welder: what a welder's code covers in South Africa, and what to check before welding starts
Authorised person: Under the Pressure Equipment Regulations, a person registered as competent, within a stated scope of work, by an organisation the chief inspector has approved; only such a person, employed by a permit holder, may service a fire extinguisher.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 41256), Guidance Notes to the Pressure Equipment Regulations, Revision 2 (GN 1265), with the text of each regulation; Read: Fire extinguisher service in South Africa: how often, who may do it and what to get in writing

B

Bracket sag(indicator bracket sag, bar sag): The droop of the bar and bracket that carry a dial gauge across a coupling, which gives a false reading at 6 o'clock unless it is measured and added to the readings.; Source: PRUFTECHNIK LTD (distributed in the US by LUDECA), A Practical Guide to Shaft Alignment, edition 4; Read: Laser shaft alignment vs dial gauge: when it is worth paying for and what the job must deliver
Builder's shed: In regulation F10 of the National Building Regulations as Overstrand Municipality publishes them, a temporary shed that an owner or a person doing building or demolition work may put up on the site of that work, to the local authority's satisfaction, and must remove when the work ends.; Source: Overstrand Municipality, National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act 103 of 1977, as amended, with the National Building Regulations (unofficial consolidated text, M. Keuter); Read: Container office rental in South Africa: sizes, 2026 prices and what to prepare on site

C

Certificate of compliance(CoC, Electrical CoC): The numbered Annexure 1 certificate, with its test report, in which a registered person declares an electrical installation inspected, tested and reasonably safe when properly used, under South Africa's Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 31975), Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 (GN R.242), with Annexures 1 to 6; Read: Electrical certificate of compliance: who may issue a CoC for a commercial or industrial installation
Chemical toilet(portable toilet, mobile toilet): A self-contained toilet cabin that collects waste in a holding tank, dosed with chemicals to limit odour and partly disinfect it, whose contents go to a sewage treatment facility when the tank is full.; Source: Pioneer Plastics, Portable Chemical Toilets; Read: Portable toilet hire: what sets the price, how many toilets a site needs and how often they are serviced
Class of construction works(Class of works): The kind of work a CIDB grade applies to, shown by the two letters after the grading digit, such as GB for general building, CE for civil engineering or ME for mechanical engineering.; Source: Construction Industry Development Board (cidb), Overview of the Register of Contractors; Read: CIDB grading: what a contractor's grade means, how to check it and what it does not tell a buyer
Coded welder: A welder who has passed a welder qualification test, called coding in South Africa, to a named construction standard such as ASME IX, AWS D1.1 or ISO 9606, for a given process, position and material.; Source: Southern African Institute of Welding (SAIW), Practical Welding Course; Read: Coded welder: what a welder's code covers in South Africa, and what to check before welding starts
COIDA(Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, COID Act): The South African Act 130 of 1993 that provides for compensation for disablement or death caused by occupational injuries or diseases of employees, and requires employers to register with the Compensation Fund and pay assessments.; Source: Government Gazette 15158, Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993; Read: COIDA registration: how to check a contractor's letter of good standing before work starts
Competent person: Under the Construction Regulations, 2014, a person with the knowledge, training, experience and, where applicable, qualifications specific to the work or task, who is familiar with the OHS Act and its regulations.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 37305), Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R. 84); Read: The OHS Act and contractors: what the client answers for, and what to see before work starts
Confined space: An enclosed, restricted or limited space in which a hazardous substance may accumulate or an oxygen-deficient atmosphere may occur, including a pipe, container, valve, pump or sump, as the General Safety Regulations define it.; Source: Department of Manpower, Government Notice R1031 (Government Gazette 10252), General Safety Regulations, 1986: regulation 1 (definitions) and regulation 5 (work in confined spaces); Read: Hydroblasting vs high-pressure washing: pressures, uses and what to ask a South African contractor
Construction health and safety agent(client's agent, PrCHSA): A competent person registered with the SACPCMP whom a client appoints in writing to manage health and safety on a construction project for it; compulsory where a construction work permit is needed.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 37305), Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R. 84); Read: Construction regulations in South Africa: what the client, principal contractor and contractor must each do
Construction work: Work connected with building, altering, renovating, repairing, demolishing or dismantling a building or similar structure, or with civil works such as roads, dams, sewers, earthmoving, excavation and piling (Construction Regulations, 2014).; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 37305), Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R. 84); Read: The OHS Act and contractors: what the client answers for, and what to see before work starts
Construction work permit: A written permit with a site-specific number that the provincial director issues to the client before larger construction work may start; under Notice 850 of 2018 it is needed for work over 365 days and 3,600 person days, or in CIDB grades 7 to 9.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 37305), Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R. 84); Read: Construction regulations in South Africa: what the client, principal contractor and contractor must each do
Core loss test(Loop test): A test that magnetises the stator core to measure its losses and find hot spots; done before burnout and again after the winding is removed, it shows whether the rewind process damaged the core.; Source: EASA (approved as an American National Standard), ANSI/EASA AR100-2025: Recommended Practice for the Repair of Rotating Electrical Apparatus; Read: Electric motor repair: when to rewind, when to replace, and what the workshop should test
CRS number(CIDB registration number): The number the CIDB gives each registered contractor, one per contractor however many grades and classes it holds; it is how you look a contractor up on the Register of Contractors.; Source: Construction Industry Development Board (cidb), Overview of the Register of Contractors; Read: CIDB grading: what a contractor's grade means, how to check it and what it does not tell a buyer

D

Design pressure: The gauge pressure used in the design formulae to size the parts of pressure equipment; the Pressure Equipment Regulations apply from 50 kPa.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 41256), Guidance Notes to the Pressure Equipment Regulations, Revision 2 (GN 1265), with the text of each regulation; Read: AIA inspection: how often a pressure vessel must be inspected in South Africa, and by whom
Displacement(displacement cfm): The theoretical capacity of a compressor's pump, before real losses; for a positive displacement compressor, free air delivery is the displacement multiplied by its volumetric efficiency.; Source: Quincy Compressor, CFM, free air (glossary); Read: Compressor hire in South Africa: how many cfm and what pressure your tools need, and the paperwork to ask for

E

Earth electrode resistance(Earth resistance): The resistance of an earth electrode to the ground around it, measured in ohms, usually by the fall-of-potential method.; Source: IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology), Inspection and testing of earth electrodes; Read: Earth resistance test: what is tested, when it is due and who may sign in South Africa
Electrical tester for single phase(ETSP, Single-phase tester): A registered person who may certify only installations supplied single-phase at the point of control, and none in explosive atmospheres, the petroleum industry, hazardous locations or medical locations.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 31975), Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 (GN R.242), with Annexures 1 to 6; Read: Electrical certificate of compliance: who may issue a CoC for a commercial or industrial installation
Establishment and de-establishment(Mobilisation): The charge for bringing hired plant to site and removing it afterwards; a 2025 municipal request asked for it as one line apart from the hourly rate.; Source: Theewaterskloof Municipality, Quotation LP 03/2025/26: leasing of a 1-ton mini excavator to Grabouw Sportsfield (schedule, special conditions and specifications); Read: Rent a mini excavator in South Africa: which size, how hire is priced and what delivery adds

F

Fall protection plan: A documented plan, required on construction work, covering the risks of working from a fall risk position, the procedures and methods to eliminate the risk of falling, and a rescue plan.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 37305), Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R.84); Read: Cherry picker hire in South Africa: choosing the machine, who may operate it and what the hire must include
Fall-of-potential method: A way of measuring earth electrode resistance with a three- or four-terminal tester, a temporary test electrode some distance away and intermediate potential spikes, reading the resistance from the voltage drop.; Source: IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology), Inspection and testing of earth electrodes; Read: Earth resistance test: what is tested, when it is due and who may sign in South Africa
Free air delivery(FAD, cfm, free air): The air a compressor actually delivers at its outlet, converted back to the conditions at its inlet; ISO 1217 sets how it is tested.; Source: International Organization for Standardization (copy published by Public.Resource.Org, an unofficial host), ISO 1217:2009, Displacement compressors: Acceptance tests (fourth edition); Read: Compressor hire in South Africa: how many cfm and what pressure your tools need, and the paperwork to ask for

H

Health and safety file(safety file): The file or other record, kept on site by the principal contractor and by each contractor, holding the documents the OHS Act and the Construction Regulations require; the client receives a consolidated file at completion.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 37305), Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R. 84); Read: Construction regulations in South Africa: what the client, principal contractor and contractor must each do
Health and safety specification(site-specific health and safety specification): A site, activity or project specific document the client prepares, based on its baseline risk assessment, setting all health and safety requirements for the construction work; the principal contractor's health and safety plan must be based on it.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 37305), Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R. 84); Read: Construction regulations in South Africa: what the client, principal contractor and contractor must each do

I

IA certificate: The certificate issued for explosion-protected apparatus after testing by an accredited test laboratory; in South Africa's surface industries every new, converted, re-designed or repaired item for hazardous locations must display its number before use.; Source: Department of Employment and Labour (Government Gazette 46750), National Code of Practice for Electrical Machinery in Hazardous Locations: regulatory requirements for explosion-protected apparatus, Notice 2398 of 2022; Read: Electric motor repair: when to rewind, when to replace, and what the workshop should test
IE3(Premium efficiency): The premium efficiency class of IEC 60034-30-1, above IE1 (standard) and IE2 and below IE4 (super premium); in South Africa the minimum for new motors of 0.75 to 375 kW under VC 9113.; Source: US Department of Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office, Premium Efficiency Motor Selection and Application Guide: A Handbook for Industry (DOE/GO-102014-4107); Read: Electric motor repair: when to rewind, when to replace, and what the workshop should test
Installation electrician(IE): A registered person who may certify any electrical installation except those in explosive atmospheres, the petroleum industry, hazardous locations and medical locations.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 31975), Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 (GN R.242), with Annexures 1 to 6; Read: Electrical certificate of compliance: who may issue a CoC for a commercial or industrial installation
ISO 18436-2: The ISO standard that sets the training, experience and examination requirements for vibration analysts in four categories, I to IV.; Source: International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 18436-2:2014 Condition monitoring and diagnostics of machines: requirements for qualification and assessment of personnel, Part 2: Vibration condition monitoring and diagnostics (catalogue entry and abstract); Read: Vibration analysis: route survey, online monitoring or a one-off diagnosis, and how to read the report
ISO 20816: The ISO series for measuring and evaluating machine vibration, which has replaced parts of the ISO 10816 and ISO 7919 series; part 1 gives the general guidelines and part 3 covers coupled industrial machines running between 120 and 30 000 r/min.; Source: International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 20816-1:2026 Mechanical vibration: measurement and evaluation of machine vibration, Part 1: General guidelines (edition 2, catalogue entry and abstract); Read: Vibration analysis: route survey, online monitoring or a one-off diagnosis, and how to read the report
ISO 3834: The international standard for quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials, against which SAIW Certification certifies South African fabricators at comprehensive, standard or elementary level.; Source: SAIW Certification, Southern African Institute of Welding, Certification of welding and fabrication companies in accordance with ISO 3834; Read: Steel fabricators: what a quote should include and how to compare rates per ton

L

Letter of good standing(LOGS, COIDA letter of good standing): The Compensation Fund's certificate that an employer is registered, has submitted its returns of earnings and has paid its assessments under COIDA, with a certificate number anyone can check online and an expiry date.; Source: Compensation Fund, Department of Labour, Letter of goodstanding printing online (LOG); Read: COIDA registration: how to check a contractor's letter of good standing before work starts
Licensed mutual association(Licensed compensation insurer, Licensee): An insurer licensed under section 30 of COIDA to insure employers against their liabilities under the Act; an employer holding its policy for its full liability, with the Commissioner's approval under section 84(1)(b), is exempt from paying assessments to the Compensation Fund.; Source: Government Gazette 15158, Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993; Read: COIDA registration: how to check a contractor's letter of good standing before work starts
Lift truck(Forklift): A mobile lifting machine, in the words of the Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015; the 2024 National Code of Practice lists forklift types under codes F1 to F16.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 38905), Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (GN R. 540); Read: Forklift hire in South Africa: IC, electric or lithium-ion, and what the truck and operator must have
Lifting machinery entity(LME): A legal entity approved and registered by the chief inspector whose lifting machinery inspectors, registered with ECSA, examine and performance-test lifting machines such as forklifts at least every 12 months.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 38905), Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (GN R. 540); Read: Forklift hire in South Africa: IC, electric or lithium-ion, and what the truck and operator must have
Lifting machinery inspector(LMI): A person employed by a lifting machinery entity and registered by the Engineering Council of South Africa, who examines and performance-tests lifting machines such as cherry pickers at least every 12 months.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 38905), Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (GN R. 540); Read: Cherry picker hire in South Africa: choosing the machine, who may operate it and what the hire must include
Load centre: The distance to the load's centre of gravity, which sets how much a forklift may lift; a 1,000 mm cube of even weight has a 500 mm load centre.; Source: Bobcat Company Europe, Weighing Up Your Options: Understanding Load Centers; Read: Forklift hire in South Africa: IC, electric or lithium-ion, and what the truck and operator must have
Load chart(Load table): The manufacturer's table of the loads a crane may lift at each working radius, boom length, counterweight and support condition; the Driven Machinery Regulations require it to be posted where the operator can see it.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 38905), Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (GN R. 540); Read: Mobile crane hire: how to choose the tonnage and boom length for your lift in South Africa

M

Mandatary: An agent, contractor or subcontractor for work, who keeps their own status as an employer or user; under the OHS Act the client is presumed responsible for a mandatary's offences unless safety arrangements were agreed in writing.; Source: Government Gazette 14918, Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993; Read: Hydroblasting vs high-pressure washing: pressures, uses and what to ask a South African contractor
Master installation electrician(MIE): A registered person who may certify any electrical installation, including those in explosive atmospheres, the petroleum industry, hazardous locations and medical locations.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 31975), Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 (GN R.242), with Annexures 1 to 6; Read: Electrical certificate of compliance: who may issue a CoC for a commercial or industrial installation
Megger test(Insulation resistance test, Megohmmeter test): The everyday name, taken from an instrument brand, for an insulation resistance test, in which a high DC voltage is put across cable, board or winding insulation and its resistance read in megohms (MΩ).; Source: Megger, A Stitch in Time: The Complete Guide to Electrical Insulation Testing
MEWP(Cherry picker, Boom lift, Scissor lift): A machine that positions people, tools and materials at height, with at least a work platform with controls, an extending structure and a chassis; scissor lifts and boom lifts are both MEWPs (operator code C53).; Source: Department of Trade and Industry (Government Gazette 30874), Standards Act, 1993: standards matters (GN 304), issue of SANS 16368:2007, SANS 18878:2007 and SANS 18893:2007; Read: Cherry picker hire in South Africa: choosing the machine, who may operate it and what the hire must include
Mobile plant: In the Construction Regulations, 2014, any machinery, appliance or similar device that can move independently and is used for construction work on a construction site, such as an excavator.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 37305), Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R.84); Read: Rent a mini excavator in South Africa: which size, how hire is priced and what delivery adds

N

Noise zone: An area, or plant without a fixed location, where noise exposure reaches the noise-rating limit (85 dBA over 8 hours, or a 137 dBC peak), or the action level with ototoxic chemicals or whole-body vibration.; Source: Department of Employment and Labour (Government Gazette 52226), Noise Exposure Regulations, 2024 (Government Notice 5953); Read: Compressor hire in South Africa: how many cfm and what pressure your tools need, and the paperwork to ask for

O

Offset(parallel misalignment): The distance between the centrelines of two coupled shafts, measured at the coupling in the vertical and the horizontal plane.; Source: PRUFTECHNIK LTD (distributed in the US by LUDECA), A Practical Guide to Shaft Alignment, edition 4; Read: Laser shaft alignment vs dial gauge: when it is worth paying for and what the job must deliver
Online vibration monitoring(continuous vibration monitoring): Vibration measurement by sensors fixed to the machine that collect data throughout operation and send them to software for alarms and analysis.; Source: Fluke Corporation, What Is Vibration Analysis? A Complete Guide; Read: Vibration analysis: route survey, online monitoring or a one-off diagnosis, and how to read the report
Operating weight: The mass of a machine ready to work; one excavator manufacturer states it with a full fuel tank, a 79 kg operator, a general-purpose bucket, the arm, the counterweight and the track shoes fitted.; Source: John Deere, 210G and 210G LC excavators: specifications (DKAX210G); Read: Rent a mini excavator in South Africa: which size, how hire is priced and what delivery adds
Opportunity charging: Charging a forklift battery in short spells during tea breaks, lunch and shift changes instead of one long charge; lithium-ion batteries allow it, lead-acid batteries do not.; Source: Cape Business News, Electric forklifts lead the charge in material handling; Read: Forklift hire in South Africa: IC, electric or lithium-ion, and what the truck and operator must have

P

Point of control: The point at which a user or lessor can switch off an electrical installation on any premises from the electricity supplied from the point of supply.; Source: Department of Labour, Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 (GN R.242); Read: Container office rental in South Africa: sizes, 2026 prices and what to prepare on site
Potentially emerging enterprise(PE status): A contractor owned at least 50%, managed and controlled by previously disadvantaged persons, marked PE on the CIDB register, which a client with a targeted development programme may award work one grade above its own.; Source: Construction Industry Development Board (cidb), Inform Practice Note 3: Applying the register of contractors in construction works contracts, version 3; Read: CIDB grading: what a contractor's grade means, how to check it and what it does not tell a buyer
Principal contractor: An employer appointed by the client to perform construction work, under the Construction Regulations, 2014; like every contractor on site, it carries the regulation 30 duty to provide toilets.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 37305), Construction Regulations, 2014 (GN R84); Read: Portable toilet hire: what sets the price, how many toilets a site needs and how often they are serviced

R

Reasonably practicable: Practicable having regard to the severity and scope of the hazard or risk, what is reasonably known about it and about ways to remove or mitigate it, the means available, and their cost against the benefits (OHS Act, section 1).; Source: Government Gazette 14918, Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993; Read: The OHS Act and contractors: what the client answers for, and what to see before work starts
Registered person: A person registered by the chief inspector under the Electrical Installation Regulations as an electrical tester for single phase, an installation electrician or a master installation electrician; only a registered person may issue a CoC.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 31975), Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 (GN R.242); Read: Earth resistance test: what is tested, when it is due and who may sign in South Africa
Return of earnings(ROE): The yearly statement to the Compensation Fund of the earnings an employer paid its employees, on which the Fund assesses what the employer owes; an employer that has not submitted it cannot be in good standing.; Source: Government Gazette 15158, Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993; Read: COIDA registration: how to check a contractor's letter of good standing before work starts
Risk-based inspection(RBI): An inspection scope, including inspection and test intervals, based on the results of a formal risk assessment; under the Pressure Equipment Regulations a certified system can replace the fixed 36-month interval.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 41256), Guidance Notes to the Pressure Equipment Regulations, Revision 2 (GN 1265), with the text of each regulation; Read: AIA inspection: how often a pressure vessel must be inspected in South Africa, and by whom
Route survey(walk-around vibration monitoring): Periodic vibration monitoring in which a technician measures a fixed list of machines and points with a portable collector at a set interval.; Source: Fluke Corporation, What Is Vibration Analysis? A Complete Guide; Read: Vibration analysis: route survey, online monitoring or a one-off diagnosis, and how to read the report

S

Safe working load(SWL): The mass load applicable to a piece of equipment or system as determined by a competent person taking into account the environment and operating conditions.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 38905), Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (GN R. 540); Read: Mobile crane hire: how to choose the tonnage and boom length for your lift in South Africa
Sanitary facility: Under the Facilities Regulations, 2004, a sanitary fixture as defined in the SABS 0400 building code; the Construction Regulations, 2014 require at least one for each sex and for every 30 workers on a construction site.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 26636), Facilities Regulations, 2004 (GN R924); Read: Portable toilet hire: what sets the price, how many toilets a site needs and how often they are serviced
SANS 10105-1(SABS 0105): The South African standard for the use and control of portable and wheeled fire extinguishers, incorporated into the Pressure Equipment Regulations and named in Johannesburg's Emergency Services By-laws for servicing and maintenance.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 40713), Incorporation of health and safety standards into the Pressure Equipment Regulations, 2009 (GN R. 262, replacing the schedule); Read: Fire extinguisher service in South Africa: how often, who may do it and what to get in writing
SANS 10142-1(The wiring code, The wiring of premises Part 1: Low-voltage installations, Code of practice for the wiring of premises): The South African standard for low-voltage wiring in premises, made compulsory by the Electrical Installation Regulations, against which a registered person inspects and tests an installation before issuing a Certificate of Compliance.; Source: SABS, SANS 10142-1:2026 (Ed. 3.03), The wiring of premises Part 1: Low-voltage installations
SANS 121: The South African standard, related to ISO 1461, that specifies the properties of hot-dip galvanized coatings on fabricated iron and steel articles and how they are tested; the current edition is 3 of 2024.; Source: SABS (South African Bureau of Standards), SANS 121:2024, Ed. 3, Hot dip galvanized coatings on fabricated iron and steel articles: specifications and test methods (catalogue entry with scope); Read: Steel fabricators: what a quote should include and how to compare rates per ton
SANS 1475-1: The South African standard for the production of reconditioned fire-fighting equipment, covering portable and wheeled rechargeable fire extinguishers; it is incorporated into the Pressure Equipment Regulations and anchors the extinguisher servicing permit.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 40713), Incorporation of health and safety standards into the Pressure Equipment Regulations, 2009 (GN R. 262, replacing the schedule); Read: Fire extinguisher service in South Africa: how often, who may do it and what to get in writing
SANS 2001-CS1: The South African construction standard for structural steelwork in buildings and other structures, excluding bridges, offshore structures, mobile equipment, mine shaft steelwork and mining conveyances; the current edition is 1.02 of 2017.; Source: SABS (South African Bureau of Standards), SANS 2001-CS1:2017, Ed. 1.02, Construction works Part CS1: Structural steelwork (catalogue entry with scope); Read: Steel fabricators: what a quote should include and how to compare rates per ton
SANS 347: The South African standard, incorporated into the Pressure Equipment Regulations, that sets how pressure equipment is categorised and which conformity assessment each category needs.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 41256), Guidance Notes to the Pressure Equipment Regulations, Revision 2 (GN 1265), with the text of each regulation; Read: AIA inspection: how often a pressure vessel must be inspected in South Africa, and by whom
SAQCC(South African Qualification and Certification Committee): A South African Qualification and Certification Committee; in welding, SAIW Certification runs the SAQCC programmes that certify NDT personnel and inspectors with statutory duties under the Pressure Equipment Regulations, under SANAS accreditation to ISO 17024.; Source: SAIW Certification, Certification; Read: Coded welder: what a welder's code covers in South Africa, and what to check before welding starts
Section 37(2) agreement(mandatary agreement, 37(2) agreement): A written agreement in which an employer or user and its mandatary set the arrangements and procedures for the mandatary's compliance with the OHS Act; with it, the employer is no longer presumed to have committed the mandatary's offences.; Source: Government Gazette 14918, Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993; Read: The OHS Act and contractors: what the client answers for, and what to see before work starts
Soft foot: A machine foot that does not sit flat on its base, so tightening its bolt strains the casing and bearing housings; it is checked on every foot and corrected before an alignment.; Source: PRUFTECHNIK LTD (distributed in the US by LUDECA), A Practical Guide to Shaft Alignment, edition 4; Read: Laser shaft alignment vs dial gauge: when it is worth paying for and what the job must deliver
Specialised electrical installation: Under the Electrical Installation Regulations, an installation in an explosive atmosphere, the petroleum industry, a hazardous location or a medical location; of the three registration categories, only a master installation electrician may certify one.; Source: Department of Labour (Government Gazette 31975), Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 (GN R.242); Read: Earth resistance test: what is tested, when it is due and who may sign in South Africa

T

Telehandler(Telescopic handler, Telescopic boom handler, Variable-reach truck): A rough-terrain lifting machine whose telescopic boom reaches forwards and upwards from the chassis, carrying forks, a bucket, a hook or a work platform to lift loads to height and out in front.; Source: Department of Employment and Labour (Government Gazette 51711), Incorporation of the National Code of Practice for the Training Providers of Lifting Machine Operators, 2024, into the Driven Machinery Regulations 2015 (Notice 5526)
Temporary building: In the National Building Regulations as Overstrand Municipality publishes them, a building its owner declares will be used for a specified purpose for a specified limited period, excluding a builder's shed; it can get provisional authorisation for a limited period.; Source: Overstrand Municipality, National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act 103 of 1977, as amended, with the National Building Regulations (unofficial consolidated text, M. Keuter); Read: Container office rental in South Africa: sizes, 2026 prices and what to prepare on site
Tender value range(Tender value limit): The band of contract values, VAT included, that a CIDB grade allows a contractor to take on in public-sector work, from up to R500 000 at grade 1 to no limit at grade 9.; Source: Department of Public Works (Government Gazette 42561), Notice 357 of 2019: Tender value range adjustments in terms of the Construction Industry Development Regulations, 2004 (as amended); Read: CIDB grading: what a contractor's grade means, how to check it and what it does not tell a buyer
Thermal growth(thermal expansion): The rise or shift of a machine's shaft as it heats up to operating temperature, which the cold alignment offsets in advance so the shafts line up when running.; Source: PRUFTECHNIK LTD (distributed in the US by LUDECA), A Practical Guide to Shaft Alignment, edition 4; Read: Laser shaft alignment vs dial gauge: when it is worth paying for and what the job must deliver
TLB(Tractor loader backhoe, Backhoe loader): Short for tractor loader backhoe, a wheeled machine with a loader bucket at the front and a digging arm, the backhoe, at the rear, used to dig trenches and load material.; Source: George Municipality, Vacancy: Driver Operator (Tractor Loader Backhoe (TLB) Operator), George, reference 3410437

U

Ultra-high-pressure water jetting(UHP water jetting): Water jetting above 1,700 bar, the line the SAQA unit standard for water jet surface cutting draws; one South African supplier sells units up to 2,800 bar.; Source: South African Qualifications Authority, Unit standard 377740: Use a high pressure water surface cutting system; Read: Hydroblasting vs high-pressure washing: pressures, uses and what to ask a South African contractor

W

Waste manifest: The control document that accompanies a load of hazardous waste from where it was generated to the waste management facility, completed by the generator and the transporter for each consignment.; Source: Department of Environmental Affairs (Government Gazette 36784), Waste Classification and Management Regulations, 2013 (GN R634); Read: Hydroblasting vs high-pressure washing: pressures, uses and what to ask a South African contractor
Wet rate(Wet hire): An hourly hire rate that, in a 2025 municipal request for a mini excavator, covered the machine with the supplier's certified operator, with fuel kept available and all associated costs included.; Source: Theewaterskloof Municipality, Quotation LP 03/2025/26: leasing of a 1-ton mini excavator to Grabouw Sportsfield (schedule, special conditions and specifications); Read: Rent a mini excavator in South Africa: which size, how hire is priced and what delivery adds
Working height: The height a person on the platform can work at: the platform floor height plus an allowance for the operator's reach, which one MEWP manufacturer sets at 1.82 m.; Source: JLG Industries, Learn the lingo: common MEWP terms; Read: Cherry picker hire in South Africa: choosing the machine, who may operate it and what the hire must include
Working radius(Radius): The horizontal distance from a crane's slewing centre to the hook, on which every capacity in its load chart depends.; Source: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen, LTM 1050-3.1 mobile crane: technical data and load charts; Read: Mobile crane hire: how to choose the tonnage and boom length for your lift in South Africa