In temperature-controlled logistics and food production environments, precision is everything. The cold chain depends on disciplined processes, strict compliance and uncompromising safety standards to protect product integrity and export credibility. Yet one often-overlooked risk to operational continuity is workplace alcohol testing – particularly when breathalyser results are later challenged in disciplinary or legal proceedings.
For cold stores, packhouses, refrigerated transport fleets and food processing plants, a disputed alcohol test can disrupt shifts, delay dispatches and undermine safety programmes that are fundamental to maintaining export standards. Against this backdrop, ALCO-Safe has reached a significant industry milestone, becoming the first privately owned laboratory in South Africa to achieve accreditation by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) for breathalyser calibration, and the only privately owned provider accredited to manage the full lifecycle of handheld breathalysers – from sales and servicing to calibration – under a single accredited framework.
This accreditation by SANAS formally recognises the technical competence of ALCO-Safe’s calibration laboratory and confirms that its breathalyser calibration and verification processes meet strict national and international standards for accuracy, consistency and traceability. For safety-critical supply chains, including cold chain operators serving export markets, that level of assurance carries meaningful operational value.
Turning uncertainty into defensible certainty
In the absence of a prescribed national standard for workplace breathalyser testing, employers are often required to justify the credibility of their testing equipment after the fact, particularly during CCMA or Labour Court proceedings.
“Without an independent benchmark, employers can find themselves trying to prove the accuracy of their instruments every time a result is challenged. SANAS accreditation removes that uncertainty by confirming that our calibration procedures, documentation and accuracy calculations have already been independently assessed and approved,” explains Rhys Evans, managing director at ALCO-Safe.
The accreditation process required ALCO-Safe to demonstrate not only the precision of its calibration instruments, but also the robustness of its quality systems. Detailed procedures, traceable records and repeatable methods ensure calibration results remain consistent, regardless of which technician performs the work.
For cold chain businesses where operational downtime can compromise product quality and contractual obligations, the ability to rely on defensible test results reduces the risk of disruption.
Protecting safety programmes and labour outcomes
For organisations operating in food processing, refrigerated warehousing, transport, manufacturing and related export sectors, the risks associated with inaccurate alcohol testing extend beyond compliance. Questionable results can undermine zero-tolerance policies, expose employers to costly disputes and weaken overall safety cultures.
“The real risk of using non-accredited calibration services is not just technical, it’s operational and legal. If a breathalyser result cannot be defended, employers may be forced to reinstate employees or settle cases, even when safety was genuinely at risk,” Evans notes.
In cold chain operations – where heavy machinery, ammonia refrigeration systems, forklifts and strict hygiene protocols are the norm – safety lapses carry amplified consequences. SANAS accreditation strengthens the legal defensibility of test results, giving employers confidence that alcohol testing outcomes will stand up to scrutiny when challenged.
Making audits simpler and compliance stronger
The benefits of SANAS accreditation extend into day-to-day operations, particularly during audits and food safety reviews. Cold chain businesses serving export markets are frequently subject to third-party inspections, retailer audits and certification requirements that demand documented proof of compliance and risk management.
“When customers are audited, they can point directly to the SANAS certificate of the laboratory that supplies and calibrates their breathalysers. That single document carries significant weight and removes the need for lengthy technical explanations or repeated verification requests,” Evans says.
The certification reduces administrative burden by streamlining audit processes and minimising delays linked to calibration challenges – an important advantage for export-driven cold chain operators working to tight seasonal timelines.
Raising the compliance bar in safety-critical supply chains
With this accreditation, ALCO-Safe has strengthened its position as a leader in breathalyser distribution, maintenance and calibration in South Africa.
“This accreditation is about more than compliance. It’s about trust – trust in the numbers, trust in the process and trust that employers are making decisions based on results that are accurate, fair and defensible,” says Evans.
Source: Supplied by ALCO-Safe, edited by Eamonn Ryan