Schneider recently renewed its certification with the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Responsible Care Management System.
To earn this recertification, Schneider Bulk demonstrated its commitment to achieving high company performance standards in safety, security, employee health and sustainability, the company said.
The Responsible Care Management System was developed in 1984 by the ACC as a voluntary initiative intended to improve the standards of the chemical industry and prevent dangerous incidents from occurring in the future. Today, more than 250 companies in the US are a part of the system, forming a national platform for industry heavyweights to share best practices, define standardized processes and mitigate risk.
Schneider Bulk, which hauls more than 40,000 loads of hazardous materials per year, became involved with the Responsible Care initiative in 1995. In 2007, the ACC created a certification program for responsible care, and Schneider became one of the first bulk carriers to obtain certification. Keeping true to its motto of “Safety First and Always,” the company has remained a certified and active participant ever since.
“We’ve been committed to safely delivering bulk liquid commodities since we began offering this service in 1969, long before we earned the Responsible Care certification,” said Jason Howe, vice president and general manager of Schneider’s Bulk division. “Safe transportation is what our associates, customers and the motoring public expect; this certification only reaffirms our commitment and expertise.”
One requirement to achieve recertification is inspection approval granted by an independent, accredited auditor. Audits occur on a three-year cycle, which ensures that the participating companies in the Responsible Care Management System have a process in place to measure, manage and verify performance. Each review cycle, auditors inspect a company’s corporate headquarters and other facilities that manage a high level of risk. Audits were conducted last year at Schneider’s corporate headquarters in Green Bay WI and operating center in Savannah GA. Both facilities passed with distinction, Schneider said.
Auditor feedback praised Schneider’s extensive driver training program, which emphasizes the importance of safe handling procedures. Schneider’s program requires adherence to standard policies and a careful process to select trainers and curriculum that create a thorough training experience.
Other ways that Schneider commits to Responsible Care’s guidelines include:
- It voluntarily participates in the EPA SmartWay program, which actively works to enhance freight transport efficiency and decrease its carbon footprint.
- The company assigns HAZMAT-certified instructors as project leads for shipments that involve high-risk material to prevent incidents and ensure emergency response preparedness.
- Schneider Bulk continues to work with Responsible Care to improve processes, and it was the first partner carrier to certify under the new Responsible Care 2019 program.
“The ACC has successfully created a community where industry experts collaborate to raise the bar for the chemical industry as a whole when it comes to the responsible handling of hazardous material,” Howe said. “We are proud to be included amongst these esteemed experts and strive for continual improvement with procedures related to environmental health, safety and security concerns.”
To learn more about Schneider’s bulk transport services, visit schneider.com/bulk-transport.