There is a strong trend within the construction industry to specify professionally readymixed concrete in order to ensure quality construction and mitigate the risk of structural failures.

For this reason readymix firms that have been audited and found to comply with quality, safety, health, environment and road transport standards in line with ISO 9002 (Standardization), 14001 (Environmental) 39001 (Road transport and safety management system) OHSAS 18001 (Legal) and SANS 878:2004 (Quality) are being preferred to non-compliant readymix suppliers – for obvious reasons.

In Southern Africa the only organization that is able to audit and accredit readymix concrete suppliers is the Southern Africa Readymix Association (Sarma). It has developed a strict accreditation process that requires member companies to undergo rigorous auditing processes at least annually in order to ensure compliance with local legislation, as well as pass its own ISO based safety, health, road transport, environment and quality standards.

Sarma quality assured

“When developing infrastructure, building roads, houses, shopping centres or any other structure it is important to specify concrete from an accredited Sarma member. In this way users have peace-of-mind that the plant has been audited by external auditors and has passed the strict requirements to be able to produce quality assured concrete.

“In South Africa there is no law to govern the quality ofreadymix delivered and this means that supply is open to abuse by unscrupulous companies. Sarma however only represents quality suppliers and has made it ourmission to self-regulatesthe industry and thereby ensure quality is upheld.

“All audits are done by third party auditors with no allegiance to individual companiesand unlike un-certified suppliers, Sarma members cannot simply hide behind untested, unaudited claims,” says Sarma general manager Johan van Wyk.

He adds that Sarma has begun working closely with construction industry bodies representing civil engineering contractors, consulting engineers, municipal engineers, road pavement authorities, mining developers and many others to highlight the importance of compliance with standards and the importance of dealing Sarma accredited members.

Converting specifications

“Communication between these bodies has also begun to bear fruit and in recent months a number of large construction companies, municipalities and mining houses have begun converting their tender documentation to specify concrete only from Sarma accredited suppliers.And it is easy to see why they are doing this when one looks at the spate of structural collapses we have seen recently.

“By specifying Sarma approved concrete suppliers users are assured that they will get ethical concrete products that are made according to the right specification for the requirements – every time.In addition members can also offer insurance against concrete failure which will come into force if concrete is found to be defective. In such instances the special insurance available to Sarma members will come into force and ensure the faulty concrete is removed and replaced at no cost to the user.

“These and other benefits are in line with our commitment to leave a positive legacy wherever we are asked to deliver concrete throughout Southern Africa. For this reason we recommend purchasing concrete only our membership list available here: SARMA – MEMBERSHIP -ASSOCIATES AND PRODUCERS 2014.

 

Disclaimer
Please note: the member list was correct at time of publishing. To view the latest listing please visit our website at www.sarma.co.za. To ensure you remain up to date with the latest developments in readymix concrete please subscribe to the Sarma newsletter by visiting the website www.sarma.co.za or email:office@sarma.co.za or contact Mary-Ann Sutton on (011)791 3327

 

Prepared on behalf of the Southern African Readymix Association, Johan van Wyk,Tel:(011) 7913327, Fax: 086 647 8034, Email: johan@sarma.co.za, www.sarma.co.za

By Media Savvy Communications, Raymond Campling, Tel: (011) 979 7207, Email: media@mediasavvy.biz, www.mediasavvy.wozaonline.co.za