Leading the way

Certification, conformance and compliance within the logistics sector reduces the number of injuries on duty, as well as the number of vehicle accidents, while boosting efficiency.

After much hard work the RTT Group (a logistics and supply chain management provider), announced that it has been awarded International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 39001 certification, and GC-Mark conformance for its road traffic safety (RTS) programme.

The ISO 39001 standard assesses aspects of road safety including speed, vehicle condition and driver awareness to help improve road-safety management. In a similar fashion, the GC-Mark is an international seal that indicates that a product, service or organisation operates in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and codes of conduct.

Gavin Rimmer, RTT Group CEO, says: “This achievement is the result of many months of dedicated work by our SHEQ team. A large percentage of RTT’s employees spend their days on the road, delivering parcels to clients and customers. As such, a formal Road Traffic Safety (RTS) policy is a critical part of our overall risk-management plan and occupational health and safety initiatives.”

RTT started the process with a RTS management system based on the ISO 39001 standard, to help prevent and reduce the risk of road-related deaths and serious injury. Part of the programme included the upgrade of yard signage at RTT’s facilities. This meant that all employees were educated on the principles of the RTS programme regardless of whether or not they were involved in road-related activities at work.

Danie Els, RTT Group SHEQ manager, says: “A successful RTS programme requires a high level of commitment, which needs to be cascaded down through the organisation by senior management, with emphasis on the demonstration of leadership and sustainable management processes at all levels.”

A further part of achieving ISO 39001 certification was to ensure RTT’s third-party providers were aware of the standards RTT expects with regard to road safety.

An RTS awareness day was held to introduce all relevant parties to this important initiative and encourage their commitment. “We were gratified by how willing our partners were to adopt the same approach across their own operations,” says Els.

Quantifiable benefits achieved so far include reduced injuries on duty, fewer vehicle accidents and savings on associated costs and fuel usage. Other benefits include increased legal compliance and improved work attendance.