Sasol’s Regional Operations and Asset Services (ROAS) hosted its quarterly Service Provider Engagement Session on 28 January 2026, bringing together contractors, operational leaders and safety specialists to reinforce a shared commitment to Zero Harm and operational excellence ahead of the 2026 shutdown period.
The session centred on strengthening safety culture, improving frontline leadership capability, tightening procedural discipline and recognising service providers who continue to uphold exemplary safety performance across Sasol operations.
A Stronger Safety Culture Through Leadership
Leaders reaffirmed that Zero Harm is achievable through clear communication, sufficient resourcing and visible leadership presence in the field. The discussion highlighted the importance of human factors in safety, encouraging supervisors to provide daily guidance, build trust and support their teams beyond operational demands.
Sasol’s 11 Life Saving Rules (LSRs) were again emphasised as non negotiable, supported by real incident case studies that illustrated the consequences of procedural drift and unsafe decision making.
Learning From Incidents to Prevent Recurrence
The session reviewed several recent and historical incidents—including electrical isolation failures, mechanical fatalities and lockout bypass events. Common themes included:
• Incorrect or unclear instructions
• Failure to follow established procedures
• Inadequate PPE or risk assessment
• Schedule pressure and shortcuts
These learnings reinforced the need for strict adherence to procedures, stronger risk awareness and empowered frontline employees who feel confident to stop unsafe work. Leaders also highlighted the value of daily wellbeing checks and proactive mental health engagement.
Introducing the CARE Check Programme
A new, simplified daily engagement tool – C A R E – was introduced to support supervisors:
• C – Condition: Physical readiness
• A – Attention: Mental focus
• R – Resources: Tools, PPE and information available
• E – Execution: Understanding risks and required controls
Designed to strengthen trust and reduce preventable incidents, the CARE Check will be supported through coaching, train the trainer sessions and a full rollout toolkit.
Preparing for the 2026 Shutdown
With the upcoming shutdown expected to bring increased activity and elevated risk, Sasol urged early planning, sharper situational awareness and unwavering adherence to Life Saving Rules. Leaders emphasised:
• Fatigue management
• Consistent field supervision
• Managing schedule pressure
• Effective coordination among all service providers
Updates to Service Provider Safety Management periodic safety assessment process
Two important changes were shared:
- Qualifying Tier 3 Service Providers may now complete periodic safety self assessments—streamlining processes while maintaining compliance.
- Safety Assurance Inspection Booklets have been updated, replacing “Majors” with LSR Non Negotiables, enabling clearer accountability and deeper risk insight through tactical audits.
Service Provider Showcases
Contractors presented their 2026 “Reset and Refocus” initiatives, demonstrating commitment to continuous improvement:
• SharpShell Engineering: SOP refreshers, deviation management and personal handprint pledges.
• Petrochemical Piping Services: Strengthened hazard identification, emergency readiness and near miss reporting.
• African Heating Services: Workforce appreciation, multilingual safety training and proactive communication.
Celebrating Top Performers
Sasol honoured service providers with outstanding safety performance during 2025:
• Kijima Construction: 2 years injury free (Best performing civil Service provider)
• Hydra Arc: 1 year injury free (Best performing welding Service provider)
• Top Fix: 17 months injury free (Best performing AIP Service provider)
• Smet Jet Africa: 4 years 1 month injury free (Best performing industrial cleaning Service provider)
These teams demonstrated exemplary discipline, deviation management and commitment to Sasol’s Life Saving Rules.
A Unified Commitment to Zero Harm
The session closed with a shared call to action: every worker, every shift, every day must return home safely. Sasol reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening leadership accountability, elevating workforce care and driving operational excellence as the organisation moves toward the 2026 shutdown.
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