QUALITY, HEALTH, SAFETY
AND ENVIRONMENT
SamSyndicate (Pvt Ltd is one of Bangladesh’s leading Clearing and forwarding agent, with offices in Chittagong and Dhaka The company has
a highly efficient network and dedicated staffs which enables it to monitor its operations from the beginning to accomplish and offer clients
customized business solutions that are cost effective and time saving
Quality
Customers are at the heart of Sam Syndicate’s business. We continuously evaluate their needs and satisfaction and as a result align our services to their requirements. With our fully integrated management system we support the steady optimization of the quality and sustainability of our services following highest standards. Every employee is responsible for the high level of service we deliver to our customers
Health and Safety
Sam Syndicate is devoted to the highest standards concerning health and safety issues. We provide safe workplaces to our employees on every level. But occupational health and safety is also strongly influenced by employee behaviour. We firmly ensure our employees’ attention to safety concerning all aspects of their daily work. In this respect we support them with specially developed training programs.
Environment
Sam Syndicate is committed to minimize the environmental impacts of all its activities. We believe that environmental stewardship makes good sense. Therefore, we actively strive to reduce the impact of our work on the global environment. We continuously evaluate the environmental aspects of our activities to deliver environmentally sound services.
Quality
OUR MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT
Full responsibility to meet all customer requirements.
The management of Sam Syndicate forges and enacts all the objectives of our integrated management system. All necessary responsibilities, authorities and resources to implement, to uphold and continuously improve the system are delegated to our fully trained responsible staff members. They ensure and implement the promotion of all our quality, health, safety and environmental measures within the organization. For this reason the focus lies on the fulfilment of all customer requirements. Employees on every level of Sam Syndicate are obliged to act according to the system and are held accountable for the accomplishment of its objectives.
THE SCOPE OF OUR INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
We are focused directly on the individual customer’s needs
Precise formal guidelines and standards for all parties involved
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPI)
Constantly monitoring and analyzing our performance
DOCUMENT CONTROL
Our procedure to maintain document control at any time
We ensure the identity of all documents throughout our organization and the proper issue through our Document Management System. The responsibilities for issue, revision and approval of the documents are clearly defined.
INTERNAL AUDIT
Comprehensive reviews are part of our core business
These internal audits also serve to determine problems affecting our efficiency, to identify best practices and to assure the systematic surveillance, evaluation and development of our quality standards. Beyond that they are an ideal platform for the knowledge transfer between Sam Syndicate entities.
INCIDENT HANDLING
Any type of irregularity is an incident in our business
We understand our process concerning the handling of incidents as the foundation for continual improvement and striving for a minimization of incidents and accidents. This process is one of the cornerstones of our quality management system. We are always striving to enhance our operational quality and service effectiveness towards our customers as well as the effectiveness of our quality management system.
INCIDENT ANALYSIS
To identify potential weaknesses
CORRECTIVE ACTIONS
To foreclose the repetition of problematic occurrences
PREVENTIVE ACTIONS
Against nonconformity and potentially undesirable situations
Sam Syndicate is constantly developing specific processes for its customers. Rigorous preventive action is an important requirement for us. We identify potential problems and detect all their possible causes. We then decide on appropriate actions to stop the risk and immediately put our plan into work. Afterwards, we ensure that our preventive action has solved the problem.
We always try our best to make continuous improvement of our processes and services.
Health and Safety
The health and safety of all our employees is of the highest concern for us. We are committed to provide safe and healthy workplaces worldwide. Health and safety are integral parts of our integrated management system. Our approach to reduce risk is systematic, evidence based, unfailingly observant and reasoned. With the support of our well-trained employees we manage risks proactively by implementing preventive measures to ensure safe operations. Reducing incidents and health issues are a top priority. Problems are regarded as opportunities to further minimize risks. Employees on all levels are obliged to act responsibly as occupational safety is effected by their behaviour. Our performance is audited regularly and corrective measures are taken where necessary insuring that we achieve continuous improvement at all our sites.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Continuous and accurate risk management
Sam Syndicate’s health and safety risk assessment and management are organized in a very broad manner. It allows us to accurately identify, describe and manage potential risks in our working environment. Should we identify a new risk for our employees, we take immediate action to eliminate or at least minimize it. We closely follow any changes concerning public and local health conditions in all relevant countries vigilantly. If we notice any significant changes or problems we act accordingly and appropriately until the hazard has passed.
HEALTH INFORMATION
Transparent and up to date
Information is an essential element where health issues are involved. For this reason Sam Syndicate circulates specific documentations and reports on health risks and appropriate preventive measures to all our employees. Prevention and information campaigns on local diseases, hygiene and vaccinations as well as health checks and trainings are further instruments used to increase the well-being of our employees. Of course we follow and incorporate all local laws and regulations regarding public and industrial health where our activities are located and strive to go beyond the legal requirements.In the world of transport and logistics health and safety is a multifaceted subject. Sam Syndicate aims to minimize any exposure to hazards that can occur related to the handling, storage and transportation of cargo. Aspects such as safe behaviour, safe equipment and safely operating equipment are crucial factors regarding health and safety at work and form an important part of the company’s culture. Employees on all levels must be committed to health and safety.
SAFE WAREHOUSING AND TRANSPORT
Fundamentals and basic principles
It is a matter of course that Sam Syndicate globally observes all local codes of practice and all legal standards regarding warehousing and transport. We also act in compliance with the regulations of IATA (International Air Transport Association) and IMO (International Maritime Organization). It goes without saying that all our employees have to follow our high safety and security standards. Only top qualified workers are allowed to lift, shelve and store cargo in Sam Syndicate’s warehouses using state-of-the-art equipment. Drivers have to respect road safety guidelines. All cargo must be properly lashed and secured on vehicles. The vehicles themselves must be properly maintained and checked prior to haulage operations.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Enforced whenever and wherever needed
If hazards cannot be completely eliminated, Sam Syndicate provides personal protective equipment (PPE) of the highest quality. All our employees are thoroughly informed about hazards in their specific line of work and trained periodically in the correct use of the PPE.
SAFE EQUIPMENT OPERATION
All equipment must be verified as fit for use
All equipment and machinery used at Sam Syndicate must be regularly checked and verified as safe and fit for use. The strict compliance with this standard minimizes accidents. Equipment must be risk assessed, maintained and regularly inspected by our qualified person: it is a rule at Sam Syndicate to use the right equipment for a job with no room for improvisation.
SAFE BEHAVIOR
A question of culture
Employee behaviour has a strong impact on occupational health and safety. We see it as an on going task to promote a health-and-safety-minded culture. Integrating management and staff, emphasizes the importance of the right behaviour and assists in the improvement of our overall safety performance. Sam Syndicate aims to create an open atmosphere allowing for problems and risks to be identified and resolved. Accidents, incidents and even near misses must be reported and the findings communicated as learning lessons to all Sam Syndicate business segments and sites.
PERMISSION TO WORK
Only with special authorization for hazardous goods, oversized and overweight special commodities
Qualified and competent personnel, efficient equipment, area-specific restrictions and various control measures support professional handling of dangerous goods all over the country. Whoever wants to conduct the operations below for Sam Syndicate must obtain special authorization:
• Working with hazardous goods
• Working with oversize and overweight special commodities
• Working in environments with the risk of explosions
• Working in confined spaces such as environments presenting an increased risk of entrapment, engulfment or exposure to toxic or flammable gases.
The transportation of modules, vessels, transformers, gas compression equipment, oil and gas processing equipment, as well as forestry, mining and earth moving equipment is very much a part of the Sam Syndicate operation. Moving over dimensional cargo can present certain hazards to the people involved in the move, as well as the general motoring public. With this system in place, Sam Syndicate pushes the limitation and mitigation of many risks associated with critical operations.
PRE-TRIP AND POST-TRIP INSPECTIONS
Important component in avoiding roadside breakdown
Road “breakdowns” are time consuming, costly and a source of bad publicity. In the event of a mechanical failure enroute, it is important to accurately determine, whenever possible, the nature of the problem. Once the problem has been identified contact dispatch and/or the maintenance department. The problem will be further assessed and a course of action will be determined as quickly as possible.
SECURING THE LOAD
All cargo must be secured on a commercial vehicle
❑ A bulkhead, sideboards and end-gate if they are securely attached to the vehicle.
❑ Have no opening large enough to permit any part of the cargo to pass through.
❑ By straps, chains, webbing or other similar tie-downs.To determine the method of securing a load by tie-downs, the driver must satisfy two requirements:
❑ The cargo must be secured by not less than the minimum number of tie-downs.
❑ The (aggregate) “Safe Working Load” of the tie-downs must not be less than the weight of the cargo secured
To determine the method of securing a load by tie-downs, the driver must satisfy two requirements:
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
Minimize possible injuries, casualties and material losses
Emergency response installations and equipment such as fire extinguishers, first-aid kits and emergency exits are installed and well maintained in our workplaces. Our emergency readiness program is further supplemented by Sam Syndicate’s regulations about dangerous goods handling and by the business continuity plan.
Sam Syndicate always adopts a planned and systematic approach to the implementation of policies. It is our aim to minimize any risks to health and safety created by work activities, products and services. Risk assessments and risk portfolios deliver the basis to set priorities and objectives to reduce risk to levels that are as low as reasonably practicable.
SAFETY IS A NATURAL PART OF OUR PROFESSIONAL AND MORAL DUTY
Environment
Sam Syndicate considers environmental protection to be a key obligation. We strive to reduce the environmental impact of the forwarding and logistics operations by providing our customers with concepts such as cargo consolidation, modal shift and HazMat (hazardous material) handling.
CARGO CONSOLIDATION
A program for eco-efficient forwarding
The consolidation of cargo is a multifaceted task to create eco-efficient forwarding. With our approved methods such as co-loading with other suppliers, joint delivery and full-load round trips, we continuously optimize our sub hubs, warehouses and other distribution centres to reduce emissions and to overcome traffic congestions.
MODAL SHIFT
To facilitate the combined use of alternative transportation modes
Changing transport modes can have a significant positive impact on CO2 emissions. A shift from trucks to more energy-efficient modes of transportation such as rail and vessel – or from air to ocean is a proven method to reduce emission. Sam Syndicate continually explores options to switch to the most ecologically sound transportation mode. We also strive for minimal empty container movement and promote back-to-back utilization of transport.
HAZMAT HANDLING
Handling hazardous goods with the utmost diligence.
Sam Syndicate takes its responsibilities when handling hazardous goods seriously. Whenever and wherever transporting chemicals, biochemical, radioactive substances and explosives, we operate with certified personnel exclusively and use an efficient safety infrastructure.
ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES
Reducing consumption and preventing waste.
Sam Syndicate conducts various environmental initiatives to manage the purchase, consumption, reuse and recycling of office and packaging material as well as other resources such as electricity, water, fuel and gas. All employees have been trained on our environmental program.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Promoting general resource consciousness
A strict waste management policy is utilized at all Sam Syndicate sites and promoted to all our employees. The reduction, separation, recycling and reuse of waste materials are matters of course for Sam Syndicate. Thoughtful resource conserving behaviour is at the core of these activities.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
Applied whenever possible
Sam Syndicate evaluates and applies ecological technologies and alternative resources such as biofuel and green energy – wherever and whenever possible.
Sam Syndicate aims to establish a sound balance between the ecological, economic and social needs regarding its international activities in the field of logistics. Eco consumption is a portfolio of waste reduction, alternative resource and further environmental initiatives promoting an efficient and environmentally responsible performance at Sam Syndicate by reinforcing a resource- conserving, reuse-oriented and recycling-based philosophy. It is our conviction that today’s methods of transport should not compromise future generations’ right to live in an environment that is as pure and safe as humanely possible – and still holds opportunities for further development.