Period Pains & How To Kick Them
February 12th, 2020 by Nick AlersIf it’s that time of the month and the thought of getting out of bed, nevermind doing a full day’s work, makes you want to scream, we get you. Snuggling up in bed with a hot water bottle and downing pain pills is one way to do it. But doctors say that you can get some pain relief from Vitamin D. That doesn’t mean you can just take it whenever period pains strike. It’s all about getting your dose daily. It’s also important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles – which we women need to look after. So where do you get it from?
Sunlight – the best way to get your daily dose of Vitamin D is to expose your skin to sunlight for at least 15 minutes a day. You don’t have to stand in harsh sun, just ensure you get some sunshine on your skin each day.
Food – red meat, eggs and fish (tuna and sardines) are all good sources of Vitamin D.
Shifting Health: The Benefits of Sleep
Women are used to doing many things at once and living with little sleep. But, getting your beauty sleep is actually really important. If you’re working shifts, it’s not always so easy, especially when your neighbour’s teenager plays his music full blast all day or the guy down the road insists on renovating his bathroom. Scientists say that noise and light can seriously impact your sleep. So, if you are coming off a night shift, try to stick to a routine. Spend some time relaxing before jumping in to bed, to give your mind and body time to chill. Eat something light – such as a banana with oats and a teaspoon of honey. All those ingredients help your body relax and release the chemicals needed for good sleep. Do some deep breathing – take just five minutes and sit with a straight back and concentrate on taking deep breathes in and out. Try to block out all the light in your room, as well as sounds so you can have a good, quality rest.
Good for you
February 12th, 2020 by Nick AlersLooking for a quick lunchtime snack that will give you enough energy to get you through the afternoon? A tin of pilchards in tomato sauce is filled with vitamins and minerals that are really good for you. This is what is in a tin: vitamin B12, omega 3, vitamin D, selenium, lycopene, iodine, phosphorus, niacin, biotin, riboflavin(B2) and calcium. You can opt for taking just a tin of pilchards to work (don’t forget the tin opener), or you can use this simple recipe and make fish cakes for you and your family – they’re great eaten warm or cold.
Fish Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 large tin pilchards in tomato sauce
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1 medium onion
- 2 medium eggs
- Salt
- Flour
- Oil
Method
- Chop the sweet potatoes and boil them.
- Chop the onion into small pieces.
- Beat the eggs and add in the onion and pilchards. Mix well.
- Once the sweet potatoes are boiled and soft, add them to the pilchard mix and add salt to taste.
- Using your hands, mix well and then create balls out of the pilchard and potato mix.
- Squash the balls a little bit so they look like patties. Dust them with flour.
- Heat up a pan and put ½ a centimetre of oil in it. Once hot, fry the patties for about five minutes on each side.
Recipes
February 12th, 2020 by Nick AlersBREAKFAST MUFFIN RECIPE
These are great because you can make them the night before and eat them as snacks during the day as well. If you don’t have a muffin pan, you can get silicone muffin moulds at most grocery stores for about R180, or a muffin pan for about R60.
- Makes 6
Ingredients
- 4 Eggs
- 2 Spinach leaves
- 1/2 Cup milk
- Salt to taste
Method
1. Heat oven to 180°C
2. Beat the eggs, milk and salt until frothy.
3. Chop up the spinach leaves and add to the egg mix.
4. Pour the mixture into muffin pan or moulds, about halfway full.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the mixture is solid, but not dry.
6. Remove from moulds or pan.
Tip: If you want them extra fluffy, you can add 1/2 a teaspoon of baking powder to the mix.
FISH AND RICE DISH
- Serves 8
Ingredients
- 1 Medium tin pilchards in tomato sauce
- 4 Medium handfuls rice
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 3 Medium carrots, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Canola oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Method
1. Boil the rice until almost soft.
2. Fry the onion and carrots in a little bit of oil until the onions are see-through and the carrots slightly soft.
3. Once the rice is cooked, add it to the onion and carrots and mix well on low heat.
4. Add in the pilchards and mix on the stove top until warmed all the way through.
Tip: You can add leftovers to your fish and rice dish for the next day’s lunch.
So, it is possible to eat healthy stuff on a budget too! We hope you are as excited about the meal plan and shopping list as we are. We’ll be finding new ways of serving up the ingredients and bringing you our top pick recipes.
We’d love your feedback on your experiences. Please send us a mail at editor@sisi.co.za with your recipe ideas or any ingredients we might have missed out.
Healthy eating that won’t break the bank
February 12th, 2020 by Nick AlersEating healthy on a budget… is it possible? We weren’t sure either, until we did some research and asked experts at Stellenbosch University and the Heart Foundation for some advice. We also checked out the prices of food items and compiled a list of foods that you can buy each month to keep your family healthy, without draining your bank account.
A great tip is to shop only once or twice a month. If you shop more often than this, you’re probably going to spend more. Also, never go shopping when you’re hungry because you’ll end up buying stuff that’s not on your list (as well as buying a chocolate or something not very good for you).
Here’s a list of healthy foods you can buy on a budget and why they are important:
- Eggs – they increase your good cholesterol, contain antioxidants that are good for the eyes, are filled with vitamins and iron and are very low in fat. Eggs are also a brilliant source of protein and they make you feel full.
- Bananas – they are naturally full of protein and fibre. They are also a very good source of potassium, which helps to reduce your sodium levels (too much salt can lead to heart disease).
- Tomatoes – these are filled with lycopene, which is an antioxidant with many health benefits, like reducing heart disease and cancer. They also have loads of vitamins, like Vitamin C, Vitamin K, potassium and folate.
- Onions – these are great sources of various vitamins and minerals and are also great for reducing heart disease.
- Carrots – carrots also contain loads of vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre. They’re important for reducing cancer risk and are healthy for your eyes.
- Chicken – this meat is high in protein, which is important for muscle mass.
- It’s also full of calcium and phosphorous that help keep your bones strong.
- Beef – this is filled with vitamins and iron, as well as protein. It’s a great staple, but it’s also best to not eat it every day.
- Spinach – spinach is bursting with vitamins and minerals your body needs. When you cook spinach, your body is able to absorb all the goodness even better.
- Maize meal – releases substances that fight cancer, such as butyric acid, in the colon. Butyric acid fights off the colon cancer cells produced by cancer-causing chemicals that are formed in charred meat, including braaied meat.
- Pilchards – a great source of protein and omega-3, which is essential for a healthy heart.
- Lentils – lentils are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals that you need, as well as fibre and protein. If you eat more lentils than meat, you’re doing your health a big favour.
- Samp and beans – beans are full of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. They are also great for heart health and for keeping your blood sugar in check. Both samp and beans are low GI, which means you stay fuller for longer and they are good sources of fibre.
- Peanut butter – this is also a great source of protein.
Read the full Magazine here.
Sisi Takes Another Step For Women’s Safety
November 1st, 2019 by Nick AlersLocal manufacturer, Sisi Safety Wear, adds an economical chukka boot to their current range, as well as two new steel midsole variants, in response to product gaps in the local female safety footwear market.
Sisi Safety Wear – a market-leading female safety brand within the BBF Safety Group stable–recently launched a steel midsole variant in two of their leading shoes and boots, as well as introduced an affordable split-leather safety boot option, in yet another move that addresses the gaps in the choice of local safety footwear available to women.
The popular Sisi Cate and Nicole safety footwear, that customers have come to trust for its quality, durability and comfort, will now be available in a steel midsole variant, says Vanessa Ronald, Senior Brand Manager for Sisi. The company is also unveiling Yvonne, Sisi’s first split-leather chukka boot, an economical solution targeted at contract workers and those on a budget.
“The new product offerings were inspired by the fact that a lot of women in industry are still wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) designed for men, as manufacturers have been slow to accommodate the specific needs of women. This has further compounded when it comes to local manufacturing solutions,” Ronald explains.
Despite certain environment specifications requiring a steel midsole, there is currently no female-specific safety footwear product locally manufactured that meets this specification and not many options available internationally either.
As a result, women requiring these levels of protection have had no choice but to purchase ill-fitting male footwear to ensure their safety. “This often causes discomfort, which leads to a loss of productivity, and can even result in health problems affecting the knees, hips and back, in the long run,” says Ronald.
When it comes to economical chukka boots, the market has an abundance of variations for men within a certain price point, but is lacking locally manufactured styles that cater to the contours of women’s feet.
“By replacing full grain leather with split leather, we are able to reduce the price by roughly 17% per boot. This will assist those in non-heavy industry or contract workers who previously had no choice, due to price constraints, other than to be issued with split leather male boots,” Ronald says.
“We were also very calculating in terms of the colour and designs for this boot. We opted for a more conservative look so that the women wearing these boots blended in with their male counterparts and were not advertising their differences through a ‘girly’ looking boot, that opened the door for critism.”
These product developments are testament to Sisi’s commitment to women’s safety needs and ongoing dedication to research and improvement.
“There is a high influx of women in industry and we want to convert them to wearing PPE designed specifically to fit the female anatomy. By doing so, women will enjoy better health and safety and will also be able to focus their full attention on the job at hand, increasing their productivity on site.”
Cate and Nicole:
- Full grain leather upper
- Dual Density PU/PU Sole
- SRC Slip Resistance
- Available with and without a steel midsole.
- EN 20345
Yvonne:
- Genuine Split Leather upper
- Dual Density PU/PU Sole
- EN 20345
Our Final Featured BBF Superwomen
August 30th, 2019 by Nick Alers#SalutingIndustrySuperwomen
Behind BBF Safety Group is a team of strong, talented, ambitious woman driving our business. Over the past three weeks, we’ve been finding out more about their journeys to where they are today, the challenges they’ve overcome and why they remain fiercely committed to the safety industry.
Here are the final four featured formidable ladies of BBF Safety Group:
Thulie Khumalo- Making Supervisor
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
Being a Supervisor. I enjoy dealing with people and the communication with employees. As a supervisor, I need to make sure my communication is always strong and open to be trusted by the team.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
As a mother, I feel concern when someone is struggling emotionally and things aren’t going well for them. So, I often find myself taking on a ‘social worker’ role when I see that employees are not performing and ask them questions and listen to their problems. This can be tough emotionally, but I care about the people I work with.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
I trust God, which helps me overcome any challenges. I don’t let challenges stand in the way of my work. – I stick to my goals.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
I believe in myself and what I can do, even though the industry is tough. I believe in sticking to your goals – no industry is easy, there will always be challenges.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
I think it helps to build good relationships with people and develops strong leadership skills.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
We need to be strong and firm. We must know what they want to achieve and go for it.
Cynthie Thakurpersadh – Group Procurement Manager
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
Continuous progression and reaching Management levels in a short space of time.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
Two of the greatest challenges have been resistant and undermining authority and not being seen as an equal.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
By standing my ground and being persistent and enforcing teamwork, thereby ensuring co-operation and building good work relationships.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
I am very passionate about my job and I do not give up easily.
I love challenges and learning new things, and I know for a fact there’s always a solution to every problem.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
Women have proven time and time again that they are capable of handling any task or situation.
Being in a senior position in a challenging industry helps build confidence and self-esteem and adds significant value to many aspects in this industry.
We need more woman in this industry to share more great ideas and innovation and to add to the enhancement and growth of the future.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
Do not give up. Have a positive approach in any situation. Believe in yourself.
As Marie Curie says “nothing in life has to be feared; it is only to be understood.
Now is the time to understand more so that we may fear less”.
Dingiwe Makhubu – Receptionist
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
How I’ve grown at BBF. I started working in the factory as a moulder and am now a receptionist.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
As a woman, sometimes you get undermined but you can definitely prove them wrong.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
Having self-esteem has helped me a lot. Being told that I can’t do certain things motivated me to show them that I could.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
My motivation is what keeps me committed. That’s what got me from working in the factory to a receptionist – and nothing and nobody can take that away from me.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
I think it’s an industry that helps people grow into stronger, better people and women have the right to the opportunity to be a part of that.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
There will always be obstacles along the way, but you are strong and can overcome them with enough determination. Don’t give up.
Lebogang Mokwele- SOE Sale Manager
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
This is the only company that I’ve worked for that has had such a steep growth path. Being a part of a company that’s the leader in its industry, being a part of the transformation of the business and acquiring new skills and challenging myself has been a huge highlight for me.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
As a new entrant into the market, with experience in sales and management but new to the industry and lacking in industry-specific knowledge, my first challenge was to position myself as being on par with my colleagues.
Secondly, it’s an emerging market in the sense that there’s still a lot of room for growth but there are old role players and it’s quite a close-knit community, so breaking those walls and being in a position to work together with people of a different mindset and have them accept me, that has been the greatest challenge.
Diversity management has been quite key and a challenging issue for me.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
I do not allow circumstances surrounding me to affect how I react to them. I make sure my reaction is professional and make sure that how I respond is a good projection of myself. I haven’t always been successful at it, but that has been the greatest learning path for me. I can’t control how people react to me, how they behave towards me and what people do but I can control how I react.
I keep my eye on the ball – I’m here to do a job, to learn about the industry and most importantly, I’d like to be part of the growth of BBF.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
I’m committed quite selfishly to my own personal growth first and foremost. I’ve always approached any situation knowing that there is ‘Lebogang Inc.’ I have a service of value that I want to offer to the company and as long as I’m in a position to grow ‘Lebogang Inc.’ and positively contribute to the company, that is what keeps me going. I love my job.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
I don’t feel that it’s important only for more people who are female to be a part of this industry but for there to be more new entrants overall, so that there can be more innovation.
Most importantly, we need more diversification. I do believe that there are certain situations that I would look at from a female perspective, that a male colleague would not be able to so therefore it would improve the overall wellbeing of the company having a more diversified perspective.
The more you have a representation of the people you’d like to sell to and the people of the country, the better understanding you will have of your customers.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
I’ve always looked at myself as a person, as opposed to a woman first. So, I would say, always keep yourself accountable to your own growth and development and be true to yourself and the rest will follow. Be honest, willing to learn and most importantly, have integrity in your dealings with others.
This Week’s Resilient Superwomen
August 23rd, 2019 by Nick AlersFor more than a decade, Sisi has been supporting and celebrating women in industry by designing safety wear that caters to their specific needs. This Women’s Month, Sisi has been celebrating the women in our own business who play a significant role in keeping people safe at work.
Here are another 4 of the remarkable women of BBF Safety Group, sharing their journeys and challenges faced in the industry.
Verna Lavens – Senior Supervisor
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
Becoming a Team Leader was a great highlight for me. Then, a year later, I was made Supervisor, followed by Senior Supervisor. I’m very proud of these accomplishments.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
I have experienced being undermined as a woman. Men often treat women as though they don’t have the skills or knowledge for certain roles.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
I have always believed in myself. I don’t let anyone let me think less of myself and I don’t feel intimidated by men.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
I love my work. I love being with people – helping and motivating them.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
To empower themselves. And to empower all women. I think it’s important for women to set an example to help shift the mindset of women – to not think any less of themselves because of the actions of others. Woman power!
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
Don’t ever, ever give up. Ever. Don’t feel intimidated by anyone – not only men. Just believe in yourself.
Thembisile Mogale – General worker
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
The highlight of my career has been moving from being a first aid packer in medical to being a machinist in the factory.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
I think people often think women are weaker than men and not as smart or strong. I think women feel that they have to work harder than men to show that they can do it.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
I pay attention to what I’m doing and focus on always delivering the best results.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
I love what I do, I’m passionate about my work. I have seen that working hard and believing in yourself in this industry pays off.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
I think women need to challenge themselves and empower themselves and show other women they can do it too.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
Every challenge is a stepping stone to success, that’s how you grow character. Don’t give up.
Keshnie Moodley- Financial Manager Coastal
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
The growth of my role within the business. I started out as an accountant and grew to my current role as a Financial Manager.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
Being a mother, my greatest challenge has been trying to balance my work and personal life. The demands of my work and of raising my two little boys, coupled with being a good wife – there just aren’t always enough hours in a day.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
I have good support from the executive leadership of the business, they are well aware of the challenges of working mothers in industry. I also have an excellent support structure at home with my husband.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
I don’t look at these as challenges but rather, as an opportunity to prove – not only to the industry, but to myself – that I can do it.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
The demands of the industry shape your character and personality. There are two character traits that I think are very important; being a perfectionist and having structure in your life.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
Never give up. You can do it. You dictate your own destiny.
Eulanda Mabunda – Engineering Assistant
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
Learning how to do mould changes, maintenance and driving a forklift.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
When I first started doing mould changes, it was a big challenge because of having to carry heavy loads. I think some people thought I couldn’t do it.
- How did you overcome this challenge?
By not being afraid. To me, every day and every challenge is a learning process. I always try to work together with the guys in the workshop and focus on doing the best I can at everything I do.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
Being in the Engineering industry has been my passion since I was in high school. Even though I knew it is a male-dominated industry, that didn’t stop me.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
I think it’s important for women to empower themselves to be independent in their life.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
We, as women, should come together to show the world that we can do it and that it is possible.
#SalutingIndustrySuperwomen | Week 2
August 16th, 2019 by Nick AlersIn case you missed last week’s post, this Women’s Month, we’re celebrating and saluting the formidable women within the BBF Safety Group who help shape and contribute to the safety industry. They opened up about the challenges they’ve faced in a male-dominated industry and how they’ve overcome them.
Here are this week’s featured BBF Safety Group Superwomen:
Sharonessa Kemp- Senior Supervisor
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
Being promoted to a Senior Supervisor.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
My greatest challenges have been overall inequality and a lack of acceptance.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
I had to work twice as hard to gain respect and feel like part of the team amongst men.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
I’ve been in the industry for almost 25 years and have grown such a deep passion for every aspect of my work. That is what drives my commitment.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
I think women have been so influenced by media and opinion and as a result, often think that big, important job titles are only for men. We must change our mindset, set bigger goals for ourselves and go for them – any women can achieve anything in life.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
Believe in what you want so much that it doesn’t have a choice but to materialise.
Virginia Qobo – Production Coordinator
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
I’d say it’s been overcoming challenges to get where I am today. When I look back and see how far I have come, I feel that there is nothing impossible, there’s nothing that a woman can’t do. When you say you can do it, you’re right. If you say you can’t do it, you’re also right. You must go for it and believe you can.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
There have been many challenges along the way. Times when you don’t feel as accepted as men or as respected. But whenever I see a challenge, I see an opportunity. And that’s when I prove to myself that I can do it. There is no challenge that we as humans, and as women cannot overcome.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
Staying strong and positive is what’s helped me overcome these challenges. You must face every challenge head-on, go the extra mile to overcome them and find the lesson in every challenge.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
When you do something that you don’t like, you won’t do it right. I love what I do. I treat my work and my workplace as though it was mine – how I would want to treat it and go the extra mile if it was my own business. I don’t treat my work as though I’m only here for a salary. I want to have a positive impact on everyone I come in contact with.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
This industry is about helping others. The more you help others, the stronger you make them and the stronger you become yourself. I think that women in this industry have the power to inspire other women – to help them be stronger. I think women often think differently to men or have different ways of doing things. If they work together, put their minds together, I think women and men can add a lot of value and achieve anything they want to.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
Women must go out there and not be afraid to join a male-dominated industry. Not everything is easy, but everything is achievable – you can do it. You are strong enough to do it. You must push yourself to reach your goals and your potential. Whatever a man can do, a woman can do.
I believe women can do it even better than men. (laughs)
Samantha Dewraj – Credit Control Supervisor
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
I have a lot of highlights at BBF. The most exciting one for me is being a part of a team and organisation that’s so dynamic and diversified in what they do, not only does the business focus on its key customers, but also works to grow its SMME partners. It’s exciting to be a part of an organisation that’s really going to great heights.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
Change. I think a lot of people are very old school, so changing the way that they do things and changing their mindset is a big challenge. In the industry, it’s important to keep up with the latest trends and more innovative ways of doing things and of pleasing customers. Often when you suggest a new way of doing things, people aren’t always very receptive to change and it’s often met with resistance.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
I try to give my team enough training and be a mentor to them and guide them in what is required. I think it’s important to give them coaching and counselling, to upskill them and give them the tools and support they need to overcome these challenges related to changes in the organisation. As an individual, I’m very motivated – you can’t motivate your team if you aren’t motivated yourself. I try to benchmark myself against other industry leaders in terms of how I support my team to make sure I’m always at the top of my game and that they are benefitting as much as possible in the long term in their careers.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
I really do believe in the brand. The best part about my job is that I get to interact with people at different levels and departments. I love seeing the huge talent pool that we have amongst us and I believe that, through using the strengths of our people, we can really grow and thrive as a company, which is really exciting.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
With more and more women joining the workforce in South Africa, I think that having more women in this industry is important to understand and cater to the specific safety needs of women, and can also give us – as a business – a competitive advantage. After all, who knows women better than women?
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
The best way to predict the future is to create it. You’ve got to persevere, push yourself and upskill yourself – feed your mind. You’ve got to constantly keep abreast of what’s happening in the industry, what’s happening around you. Stick to your guns and go out there and achieve your goals.
Sisi Salutes Industry Superwomen
August 9th, 2019 by Nick AlersFor more than a decade, Sisi has been proudly servicing the workplace safety needs of female workers.
As one of BBF Safety Group’s market-leading brands, Sisi supports the right of women in industry to safety wear that’s designed specifically to suit the needs of the female anatomy, as opposed to that of their male counterparts.
The Sisi range of safety footwear, workwear and most recently, fall-arrest systems, gives women the freedom to work with the comfort and dignity that they deserve, allowing them to focus on the task at hand by eliminating distractions caused through ill-fitting PPE.
Industry women have spoken and Sisi has heard them.
This Women’s Month, Sisi celebrates the formidable women within the BBF Safety Group who make a remarkable contribution to the business and the manufacturing industry at large. Each week this month, we’ll be featuring several of these women who opened up to us about their journeys to where they are today, the challenges they’ve overcome and why they remain fiercely committed to the safety industry.
Here are this week’s featured BBF Safety Group Superwomen:
Wendy Vaaltyn – Production Supervisor
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
Having the opportunity to work for and grow with the business for 25 years has been an amazing experience. I have felt such appreciation from the company for my potential, ability and loyalty.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
Shifting the mindset of some employees around female women in the industry – especially in leadership – has been my greatest challenge.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
I’ve always believed in having an open door policy to listen to employees’ concerns and issues and show genuine concern for the wellbeing of staff. I think that this has definitely helped with winning them over to accept me as their leader.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
(Beaming with pride) Wow, I just love my work. I love working with people. I love this business.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
I think it’s important for women to empower themselves and be independent. The fact that an industry is male-dominated shouldn’t dictate their right to be in that industry.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
We, as women, must speak up when we feel unhappy, so that issues around gender inequality can be heard and changed.
Lena Baloyi – Factory Supervisor
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
I can say that I honestly find my job interesting and fun, particularly the work for the medical industry – manufacturing bandages, sourcing raw materials and booking orders. I think that loving my work is the highlight for me.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
People don’t always treat you the same as the men you work with. They don’t always take you as seriously or value your opinion as much. It takes a lot of work to prove yourself.
- How have you overcome these challenges?
I make sure that I’m strong, that I always put in the extra effort in everything I do and always stay positive. I try to remember that I have the power to set a good example to all those around me.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
Knowing that I’m helping people and helping to save lives, that is what this job is about for me and why I’m committed to it.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
I think women need to change the thinking that women belong at home and that this industry – and other industries – are only for men. It’s a tough industry, but women are also tough and can do the job.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
Empower yourselves. Whatever you do, do the best that you can. You can do anything.
Beryl Snyman- Finishing Supervisor
- What has been the highlight of your career journey?
My highlight was definitely becoming the first female Supervisor in the Finishing Department. With the company now having more female Supervisors, it shows how we are growing in gender equality.
- What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced, being a women in a male-dominated industry?
I think that the need for physical power in the industry has been a challenge. Sometimes you need to lift or carry something very heavy that a man may have more physical strength to do. I am lucky that my department is actually female-dominant, so we don’t experience a lot of the issues that a lot of women in the industry experience, like being pushed aside.
- How have/do you overcome these challenges?
I think that being a shop steward before this role taught me to speak up, so when I need something or have a problem, I speak up and voice my opinions to be heard.
- Why are you so committed to the industry, despite these challenges?
When you work with people every day, you form relationships with them and they become your ‘family’. So, when I get up for work, I feel like I’m leaving my family at home, to come to my other family at work. And, like any family, we have our ups and downs, but I’m committed to my work family.
- Why do you think it’s important for more women to be part of this industry?
I think there’s a need for more women in upper management in the industry because I believe that a woman can do anything that a man can do. I believe that it’s time that we start learning to voice ourselves and to show people that we are capable of doing anything and shouldn’t be undermined.
- What message do you have for other women facing challenges and obstacles in their career journeys?
Persevere. Perseverance takes you a long way. It teaches you to learn and how to handle situations and challenges better.
Sisi unveils Fall Arrest System for women
July 31st, 2019 by Nick AlersExtending its commitment and support to women in industry, Sisi unveils a new product range – fall arrest systems for women working at heights.
Sisi Safety Wear has taken yet another step in its effort to support women working in industry by unveiling a range of fall arrest systems (harnesses with permanently attached lanyards), specifically designed for women who work at heights.
“This is a very exciting move for Sisi, which once again underscores our commitment to women who work in traditionally-male dominated industry sectors. We believe that women should have access to Personal Protective Equipment that has been designed to fit the female anatomy and not that of their male counterparts,” says Vanessa Ronald, Senior Brand Manager at Sisi.
The leading local manufacturer of women’s PPE has unveiled five different harnesses in its Core and Core+ Ranges, adding to the already trusted line of Sisi-branded protective clothing and footwear designed for women.
The Core Range offers three standard harnesses with permanently attached, single- or double-leg shock absorbing lanyards, with snap or scaffolding hooks, while the Core+ Range includes two belted harnesses with permanently attached, double-leg, shock absorbing lanyards with snap or scaffolding hooks and adjustable shoulder straps.
Sisi Fall Arrest Specialist, Ruaan Breedt, explains that what is especially unique about the Sisi Fall Arrest range, is its consideration of the female form through the development of its adjustable and elasticated chest strap. For women, the risk of injury does not stop when the fall does. If placed below the bust area, polyester webbing (typically found in men’s harnesses) can rise aggressively up and over the bust at the end of a fall resulting in secondary injuries to the wearer.
“By replacing the polyester webbing in the chest strap with an elasticated webbing that stretches in the event of a fall, we are able to substantially reduce the pressure on the bust area,” explains Breedt.
Another consideration of the chest strap that illustrates Sisi’s understanding of its users, is its adjustable feature. “Women with larger bust areas have shared their dissatisfaction of wearing chest straps that sit under their bust, further eccentuating their breasts amongst a largely male workforce. By allowing them to move the chest strap they are able to position it in the area that is most comfortable to them, thereby increasing their confidence and focus on site,” states Ronald.
“With the rise of women entering into industrial environments once dominated by men as traditional gender-based barriers are steadily coming down, there has never been a more pressing time to acknowledge the difference between the anatomy of men and women and their need for gender specific safety wear,” concludes Ronald.
The Sisi range of Fall Arrest Systems are proudly manufactured in South Africa and available to order through leading PPE distributors. To view the range visit www.sisi.co.za
To view the Sisi fall arrest range click here
