What can be achieved?

• Reduced effort (time and costs) for both parties concerned
• Objective evaluation, determining strengths and weaknesses
• Increased transportation security due to mutual sharing of responsibility
• Combined assessment of transportation companies on the basis of SQAS and ISO 9001 (plus ISO 14001)

What happens during a DQS assessment ?

• An SQAS assessment does not represent a certification; its objective is to evaluate the quality of a safety, health, environmental or quality management system on the basis of demonstrated facts. For this reason, there is no “pass” or “fail”, but instead a strength-and-weakness profile that can be used as basis for continual, focused system improvement.
• Following the evaluation, SQAS assessment results are documented in a report and archived in a database which the company may access at www.sqas.org. This report also serves to confirm performance of the assessment.
• The evaluation is based on the “Richtlinien für die SQAS Beurteilung (Guidelines for the SQAS assessment)” and the “SQAS-Fragenkatalog (SQAS Questionnaire)”, developed jointly by representatives of the chemical industry and forwarders. The auditor verifies the degree to which requirements have been fulfilled. Analysis of results and deduction of corresponding improvement measures are up to the transportation company itself, possibly in cooperation with their contracting party.

First step: Initial information, get to know DQS and its service portfolio.
Second step: Pre-meeting on-site, preparation for certification of the company, explanation of the procedures. Pre-evaluation for SQAS. Explanation of weak points found.
Third step: Assessment. Assessment on the company’s premises according to the “Richtlinien für die SQAS Beurteilung (Guidelines for the SQAS assessment)” and the “SQAS-Fragenkatalog (SQAS Questionnaire)”, including an evaluation report for the SQAS database. On request, a confirmation may be issued. The evaluation is valid for a maximum of three years.
Fourth step: Repeat assessment. Recommendation: after three years at the latest, less in case of noticeable gaps.

The SQAS – ROAD – Questionnaire is a way to evaluate security, health, environmental and quality aspects. A total of 443 questions add up to a maximum of 557 points. The evaluation covers six major subjects:

Management	max.	118	questions
Sicherheit, Security, health and environmental protection	max.	93	questions
Equipment	max.	54	questions
Operations	max.	105	questions
Facility security	max.	9	questions

SQAS Guidelines:

They contain concise information for the transportation company and instructions to the background of each question for the auditor. The SQAS model is designed in modular format: Aside from the so-called “core questions” relevant to anybody dealing in transportation (e.g. carriers, forwarders), there are special modules for various means of transportation:

• Transport Services
• Cleaning Stations
• Rail Operators
• Distributors / ESAD II
• Packages Warehouses