Tanker operator OneLogix United Bulk has been awarded International Standards Organisation (ISO) 39001 certification – an achievement the company says makes it the first dangerous goods transporter in South Africa to achieve the certification.

The ISO 39001 recognition – awarded to the company by certification body JC Auditors after an extensive audit and inspection process – is an internationally recognised standard that aims to help save lives and mitigate road traffic safety risks.

JC Auditors MD and long-standing member of the international ISO Road Traffic Safety Technical Committee Oliver Naidoo says ISO standards enable an organisation to tangibly demonstrate its commitment to good governance.

OneLogix United Bulk successfully completed the requirements for the certification, which is designed to enable an organisation that interacts with the road traffic system to reduce death and serious injuries.

OneLogix United Bulk safety, health, environment, risk and quality head Andries Helm says the achievement reflects the company’s keen interest in applying best international practices in traffic safety. “We have successfully integrated the elements of the ISO 39001 road traffic safety [RTS] into our existing management system.”

A key requirement was identifying risk exposure factors and developing associated RTS performance factors, he says.

“The acid test was achieving the final safety outcomes of the standard, effectively demonstrating that we had proactively implemented all possible measures to mitigate the likelihood of crashes due to company error,” explains Helm.

OneLogix United Bulk’s decision to work towards ISO 39001 demonstrates its commitment to continually improving its services and track record.

The standard is considered a significant contributor to the United Nations’ second Decade of Action for Road Safety. It aims to help save lives, support social responsibility programmes, improve road traffic safety results and, subsequently, reduce accident-related costs and work interruptions.

According to Naidoo, ISO 39001 provides a mechanism, developed with the support of experts from 40 countries and 16 liaison organisations, to implement a structured management system that effectively regulates road safety performance.

“The standard can be implemented by any entity that interacts with the road network such as transporters, road agencies, toll concessionaires, consignors and consignees,” he says.

An important requirement for the implementation, says Naidoo, is that intermediate safety outcome factors are integrated into an organisation’s practices and systems. This is done following a range of criteria, including the use of appropriate roads, based on vehicle type and cargo, driver fitness, safe journey planning and safe vehicles, besides other factors.

“The achievement by OneLogix United Bulk is very significant,” states Naidoo, adding that he hopes it will prompt other entities to also embrace international road traffic safety best practices within their operations.

JC Auditors encourages companies to look at integrating standards such as ISO 39001, ISO 45001 and South African National Standards 1395 RTMS into existing management systems.

“This ISO 39001 standard is an invaluable tool for OneLogix United Bulk, as we recognise the advantages of implementing a RTS management system. The certification is a testament to our desire to always perform at the highest level of quality, safety and efficiency,” concludes Helm.