Last Updated on Tuesday, 19 January, 2021 at 9:18 am by Andre Camilleri
50% reduction in accidents in six years
Malta Public Transport is proud to announce that it has been awarded the occupational health and safety management system certification by the International Organization for Standardization (150 45001:2018). The achievement certifies that the public transport operator meets strict international requirements and proactively invests in improved safety practices for the benefit of its passengers and employees.
“This is a major accomplishment that recognises our ongoing commitment to the safety of our employees and our customers,” said Konrad Pulé, Malta Public Transport General Manager. “Safety is at the forefront of everything we do, and we are proud to obtain this prestigious certification by the ISO, thanks to the commitment of our employees. Through this certification we hope that our passengers can be confident in our commitment to safety.”
The certification is part of a broader effort by Malta Public Transport to prioritise safety. The company’s ongoing training programme continues to improve drivers’ skills and provides specialised, tailor-made retraining to address any shortcomings. MPT has also established an Advanced Driver programme and Safety Awards to acknowledge and reward drivers with the best track records.
Effective measures in the last years have successfully reduced the rate of accidents significantly, falling by half since 2016. Accidents have been in consistent decline year on year, as a result of the company strategy to identify potential risk and address it. While the Covid-19 pandemic undoubtedly contributed to the decline in accidents in 2020, due to limited activity and less vehicles on the roads, the company successfully managed to reduce the number of at fault accidents by an even greater margin this year.
As part of its commitment, Malta Public Transport investigates all accidents and incidents and monitors them for emerging trends that help avert future risks. Moreover, the company conducts routine and random inspections to ensure drivers are able to do their jobs professionally, while all the buses in its fleet undergo a rigorous and maintenance procedure once a month.
The health and safety certification was accredited following an independent, thorough process of testing and verification. This is the second ISO certificate for Malta Public Transport, having already obtained the standard in quality management systems (ISO 9001:2015).
