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KARACHI, Nov 28 (APP): The University of Karachi has formally launched a comprehensive KU’s Transport Safety Management Plan on Friday aimed at elevating the KU’s transport safety standards to align with national and international benchmarks under the supervision of Vertex HSE (Pvt) Ltd.
The initiative was approved during a recent meeting on transport safety management, chaired by the KU’s Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi.
The KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi was briefed that in the first phase, a complete assessment of the transport system will be carried out to identify existing shortcomings and develop effective strategies for improvement.
The project aims to enhance campus transport safety, reduce risks, and ensure full compliance with national and international standards, particularly ISO 39001:2012.
On this occasion, the KU’s faculty member, and the focal person of safety assessment project Dr Waqar Ahmed shared that the assessment will cover conditions and physical fitness of university buses, routes, terminals, control points, driver behavior, vehicle condition, safety management practices, and operational procedures. Route maps, documentation, and maintenance records will also be reviewed to highlight high-risk areas and critical deficiencies.
He mentioned that compliance will be evaluated against local transport laws, National Highway and Motorway Police standards, and international guidelines. This includes driver qualifications, licensing and medical fitness, seatbelt use, and speed limit enforcement.
The Director Vertex HSE Syed Hassan Habib informed the meeting that a comprehensive risk mitigation plan will be developed to address root causes of potential hazards such as accidents, driver fatigue, and maintenance failures. The plan will incorporate engineering, administrative, and behavioral control measures.
He added that in the second phase, practical steps will be implemented, including defensive driving and safety awareness training sessions for drivers and transport supervisors. Workshops on incident reporting, vehicle inspections and emergency response will also be conducted. Management will receive training on improved monitoring and continuous enhancement of safety systems.
KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi was informed that the KU’s transport unit is further working on establishing a Transport Safety Management System (TSMS) based on ISO 45001 and ISO 39001 principles.
This includes developing suitable KPIs for safety performance, reviewing accident trends, and forming a Transport Safety Committee to ensure sustained compliance.
At the conclusion of the project, deliverables will include a comprehensive assessment report, compliance gap analysis, risk register, risk mitigation plan, training records, policies and SOPs, a Transport Safety Management Framework, and a final executive summary.