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Are you using the right heater in your office?

15 May 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Supplied

Heaters — Embrace the warmth of safety: Stay cozy with approved quartz heaters such as the Goldair GHQ-100G, keeping our campus secure and snug.

As winter approaches, the University of the Free State (UFS) is expecting increased heater usage. The Department of University Estates is proactively addressing this surge in energy demand caused by colder weather to safeguard our campuses and help mitigate the risk of loadshedding, ensuring uninterrupted operations for our staff and students.

By addressing the surge in energy demand caused by colder weather and promoting energy-efficient practices, UFS aims to play its part in alleviating the strain on the power system and contributing to national efforts to mitigate loadshedding.

With South Africa enjoying a recent break from loadshedding, Nicolaas Esterhuysen, Director of Engineering Services, stresses the importance of wise electricity usage to prevent outages and maintain safety. “During this uninterrupted power supply, it’s crucial to be mindful of our electricity usage, especially regarding heating in winter,” Esterhuysen emphasises. “By adopting energy-efficient practices, we contribute to the university’s energy-efficiency goals and create a safer environment."

In line with promoting energy efficiency, the Office for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is rolling out a comprehensive campaign to remove unauthorised heaters, minimising fire risks in residential and office areas.

Thato Block, Deputy Director of OHS, explains: “With the structural fire season approaching, UFS is prioritising campus safety. As colder weather looms, heaters and other warming devices will be in high demand, prompting preemptive action. OHS and the Electrical workshop will commence removing unauthorised heaters from residences and offices starting May 2024.”

Guidelines for heater usage

To ensure compliance and safety, UFS has established specific guidelines for electrical heater usage on its premises. The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines permissible and prohibited heater types, along with safety measures.

According to the SOP, only quartz heaters meeting specific criteria, such as the Goldair GHQ-100G model, are permitted on campus. These heaters are designated for offices without air conditioning, prioritising energy efficiency and safety. Furthermore, heaters are not permitted in residences due to the presence of centralised heating systems.

Prohibited models like bar, fan and oil heaters are strictly banned due to their high energy consumption and fire risks. Any unauthorised heaters found on campus will be confiscated to prevent electrical circuit overload and ensure emergency power system reliability.

In addition to regulating heater types, the UFS has implemented a stringent purchasing procedure overseen by the Department of University Estates Electrical Engineers. Approval is required before requisitioning heaters, with only quartz heaters meeting purchase criteria. This proactive approach aims to effectively manage electricity consumption, especially during peak demand periods in winter.

Safety precautions

The UFS community is reminded to exercise caution when using heaters, including maintaining a clutter-free environment around the device, and avoiding covering it. It’s also important to ensure adequate distance between the heater and flammable materials, switch off heaters when unattended, and disconnect them from power sources during prolonged periods of non-use.

Commitment to campus safety

The UFS remains committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of its community. Through proactive measures and fostering safety awareness, the university aims to create a secure environment conducive to teaching and learning throughout the year.

News Archive

UFS PhD student receives more than R5,8 million to take agricultural research to African farmers

2015-07-06

Prof Maryke Labuschagne and Bright Peprah. (Photo: Supplied)

Bright Peprah, a Plant Breeding PhD student from Ghana in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State received an award from the competitive Program for Emerging Agricultural Research Leaders (PEARL) of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) for one of his projects.

From the more than 750 proposals for funding that were received from African researchers, only 19 received funding from PEARL. PEARL is an agricultural initiative by the BMGF to take agricultural research products to African farmers. It also aims at involving the youth and women in agriculture.

Peprah’s proposal to introgress beta carotene into farmer-preferred cassava landraces was part of the final 19 proposals funded. The project is being led by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)Crops Research Institute (CRI), and has the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) as international partners with Peprah as the principal investigator.

The development of nutrient-dense cassava cultivars needs attention to eliminate the ramifications of malnutrition among the poor in an inexpensive and more sustainable way.
Photo: Supplied

He received $473 000 (R5,8 million) for his project on the improvement of beta-carotene content in cassava.

Peprah decided on this project because the populations of underdeveloped and developing countries, such as Ghana, commonly suffer undernourishment and/or hidden hunger, predisposing them to diseases from micronutrients deficiencies. “Vitamin A deficiency constitutes an endemic public health problem which affects women and children largely,” he says.

“In Africa, cassava is widely consumed by the populace. Unfortunately, in these areas, malnutrition is endemic to a significant extent, partly due to the low micronutrients in this tuberous root crop, which is a major component of most household diets. It is for this reason that the development of nutrient- dense cassava cultivars needs much attention to eliminate the ramifications of malnutrition among the poor in an inexpensive and more sustainable way.

“To date we have selected top eight genotypes from germplasm collected from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) which are high in carotenoids and also poundable, a key trait to Ghanaian farmers. These eight genotypes have been planted at different locations in Ghana, and being evaluated by different stakeholders (consumers, researchers, producers, commercial farmers, processors, etc.). If found suitable, the genotypes will be released to farmers, which we hope will solve some of the micronutrient problems in Ghana.

“My projects seek to develop new cassava varieties that will have both high dry matter and beta carotene which has been reported to be negatively correlated (as one increase, the other decreases). The breeding method will be crossing varieties that are high in beta carotene with those with high dry matter, and checking the performance of the seedlings later. Developing such new varieties (yellow flesh cassava) will increase their adoption rate by Ghanaian farmers,” he said.

Prof Maryke Labuschagne, Professor in Plant Breeding in the Department Plant Sciences and Peprah’s study leader, said: “This project has the potential to alleviate vitamin A deficiency in the West African region, where this deficiency is rampant, causing blindness in many people, especially children."

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