Sasol is a major player in the Dangerous Goods transport arena in the country and a front-runner in the implementation of strict quality and safety measures to ensure efficient delivery of its products. Jaap Breed is the transport manager at Sasol's Alrode depot where tankers fill up around the clock with diesel and petrol for delivery to bowsers and tanks around the nation. With a lot more Sasol branded tankers being seen out on the roads than in the past,
FleetWatch's Paul Collings paid him a visit to ask him for his take on the state of play in the DG arena from a fuel transport perspective.
 |
Contract transporters need total compliance with DG legislative requirements before being allowed into a Sasol gantry. |
A major problem facing Sasol is finding drivers of sufficient skill to meet the demands of the job. It starts with a DG driver needing at least a matric certificate to drive a Sasol tanker - but that's not all they need.
"It is a highly stressful job and drivers live with the threat of a major tanker disaster every day. When Sasol recruits drivers, candidates are put through rigorous screening processes that test their ability to operate calmly in stressful situations. These include psychometric and psychomotor tests where drivers are exposed to simulated accident scenarios and other difficult driving situations. Only four out of every ten recruits make the grade," says Jaap Breed.
"What really makes it difficult for us is that once drivers have passed through the Sasol training process, they get swallowed up by the market. DG drivers are in huge demand right now," he adds.
 |
Jaap Breed
and artisan/mechanic's assistant Lawrence Silango checking the sensors. |
Municipal hindrances
In order to meet the ongoing demand for fuel, Sasol uses tanker contractors for its 'bridge transport', the running of fuel to retail fuel outlets across the country. These vehicles are subject to stringent examination before being allowed to carry Sasol fuels.
"All vehicles need a Certificate of Fitness (COF) not older than six months, an Operators Permit for dangerous goods and a 'flammable' permit from the fire department. The problem is that fire departments have different requirements in different regions. The fire departments in Pretoria, for example, will not accept a 'flammable' permit from the Alberton fire department. They will insist the vehicle be cleared at the Pretoria fire station and this is a problem. You have to make an appointment to take the vehicle there which all takes time and removes the vehicle from its duties."
Breed also laments the fact that the registration of vehicles is also bound up by municipal traffic laws. "I personally have to go to Polokwane and register vehicles that come from Johannesburg but operate in Limpopo Province. The same applies to many other areas because the local authorities want the licence fees. Whether this is fair or not is not the case here. It simply is extremely time consuming and an added running cost for my department."
Unforeseen delays
As with most transport operations, Breed also has to deal with unforeseen delays that crop up - and here's an interesting one.
With so many tankers under his 'wing', Breed does his vehicle registration 'in bulk', requisitioning a cheque from Sasol Head Office for a specified amount stated by the licencing office. This generally makes matters easier but, explains Breed, "in the case of the municipal strike earlier this year, the licencing office was closed for a week so our licences were not renewed. When the strike ended, the fees had increased and I had to start the requisition process all over again and Sasol had to pay the increase despite the fact that the application was made before the increase. What's worse is that some vehicles were unable to run because the new licences hadn't been supplied, simply because there was a 'legal strike'."
Tanker checks
The lack of uniformity and standardisation that plagues the DG industry generally right now extends to vehicle hardware as well. "There are no standardised couplings in the fuel tanker industry and our vehicles often have problems at the offload site where the truck couplings are incompatible with the gantries and tanks at client sites. Some customers insist on tankers having mass and overfill sensors as well before any transfer of fuel is allowed. If we don't check the exact requirements of the customer, the vehicle has to return to base with its load undelivered," explains Breed.
Part of Chapter VIII requirements is that consignors have a co-responsibility to check DG vehicles. Sasol has a 'consignor checklist' in place at every one of its depots. Breed explains: "Security personnel at the gate check the vehicle for signs of leaks etc as well as the driver's and the vehicle's documentation and licences. Once cleared for entry, the vehicle is checked at the loading gantry. Couplings, hoses, fill levels and stop blocks are all looked at from a safety point of view. On leaving the depot, security personnel check for leakages again and any other untoward signs of compromised safety."
|
|
|
A new Sasol tanker receiving some fine tweaking before undergoing its COF testing. |
Auditing for safety
Sasol, being an industrial giant with an international reputation, takes its DG transport responsibilities very seriously. Despite strict contractor policies and accreditation processes in place (Sasol itself has an integrated ISO1400/9000 Quality Assurance System in all its operations), accidents do happen and the organisation always treads a fine line when it comes to 'ownership' of an incident.
"Our contractors and other customers are carrying Sasol product and even when they have left our premises and have legally become the 'owners' of that product, Sasol will always be highly involved in clean-up operations should a spill occur. Environmental departments like Water and Land Affairs will be kept informed on an on-going basis of the progress of the rehabilitation process," says Breed.
In addition, Sasol conducts ongoing audits of its transport contractors as well as emergency response operations around the country to ensure an effective network of personnel and equipment to cover both safe delivery of product and the safe handling of DG spills. The list of all these service providers is distributed throughout the company so that in the event of a hazardous spill, the matter can be dealt with as quickly as possible.
Parting shots
Breed offers a final word of warning to truckers parked at truck stops, one of which is the new Sasol-sponsored facility in Sasolburg.
"Truck drivers must be careful not to park too close to one another if they're carrying DG. Tankers carrying waxy oils, for example, have a burner in them which prevents the liquid from setting. Tankers carrying flammable fuels and products should park far from these. Likewise, trucks carrying fertilizer should steer clear of fuel tankers and drivers should be extremely careful when using primus stoves near a DG load."
Transport operators should take Breed's sage advice to heart when he says "every incident is a free lesson in safety." Indeed. Let's keep our ears to the ground and learn from each other so the number of DG incidents is significantly lowered.
