DEKRA Industrial champions a safety-first approach across high-risk industries
DEKRA Industrial continues to lead from the front in industrial safety, compliance and customer-
centric performance. As the company celebrates a century of safety and service this year, it does so
with purpose and pride: bringing innovation, rigour and care to some of South Africa’s most complex
and high-risk environments.
As part of DEKRA Global’s SEMEA region, DEKRA Industrial RSA is strategically positioned to offer
expanded services across Southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including oil-rich markets
such as Saudi Arabia.
Unique approach to high-risk challenges
A key aspect of DEKRA Industrial’s success is its ability to respond to industry realities. “We operate
in high-risk sectors where the margin for error is razor-thin,” notes Managing Director Johan Gerber.
“Whether working in petrochemical plants, power stations or confined industrial spaces, our teams
apply expertise and behavioural safety principles to prevent incidents before they happen.”
The challenges facing South African industry – including mental fatigue, overwork and economic
strain – are top of mind for the company. “One of the biggest hazards today is complacency,” Gerber
cautions. “Employees are under pressure, and it is easy to slip into shortcuts. That is why our
training also addresses mindset and awareness: focusing on practical, repeatable habits that
reinforce safety,” Gerber explains.
DEKRA Industrial’s internal culture campaign #WhyIWorkSafe encourages personal ownership of
safety and integrates human connection into its HSE protocols. This approach, combined with an
investment in digital tools and AI platforms, provides the company with real-time data on
performance, reaction times, and improvement areas.
Holistic safety offering
From advanced inspection services and NDT (non-destructive testing) to Learning Management
System (LMS) training and occupational development, DEKRA Industrial and the DEKRA Institute of
Learning – the company’s adult-based education and training division – provide a fully integrated
safety solution. Together, these two arms of the business combine operational precision with
human-centered training – delivering measurable value to clients across high-risk sectors.
As Johan Gerber explains, NDT is not just for critical failures: “There are thousands of examples
where a potential hazard is identified and prevented daily. These include detecting hydrogen leaks
in turbine systems, identifying defects in boiler tubes which – if not repaired – could lead to load
shedding, and uncovering serious faults during inspections at high-risk industrial sites. Any one of
these could have escalated into a catastrophic incident without early intervention,” he advises.
This proactive approach is embedded in the DEKRA culture. The company continues to assist
clients to mitigate and reduce risk, maintain regulatory compliance and ensure long-term operational
safety through a blend of global innovation and local execution.
A culture of safety is the best defense
In an era of accelerating workplace pressures, ageing infrastructure, skills shortages and shifting
regulatory demands, DEKRA Industrial is doubling down on its safety-first approach, backed by both
global benchmarking and local excellence.
“Safety is a deeply embedded value at DEKRA Industrial. It is more than a department: it is how we
operate, how we think and how we grow,” says Gerber. “Whether it is through advanced training,
on-site inspections, or the digitisation of compliance systems, we believe that safety is the
foundation on which everything else is built.”
This commitment is reflected in DEKRA Global’s implementation of the Net Promoter Score (NPS)
as a key performance indicator Group-wide. The company recently achieved a global NPS of 55.7 –
an increase of 1.1 points from 2023. A score above 50 is considered excellent according to Bain &
Company benchmarks, indicating high levels of client trust and loyalty.
Safety in practice
Alongside customer satisfaction, DEKRA Industrial has rolled out targeted LMS training across its
teams on global standards for compliance, data protection and information security. “We have
ensured that every employee – from field staff to managers – has access to clear, structured training
modules,” explains Chris Mörsner, Head of Training and Consulting at DEKRA Institute of Learning.
“This includes sessions on anti-corruption, personal data handling and safeguarding sensitive
information. We believe knowledge is a safety tool in itself.”
The organisation’s 10th consecutive NOSCAR Award, awarded in 2024, further underscores its
industry leadership. Conferred after a rigorous audit process, the NOSCAR represents more than
just compliance – it signals a culture of ongoing, proactive safety management. The company also
achieved its highest-ever NOSA audit score in 2024 and continues to record zero Lost Time Injury
Frequency Rates (LTIFR) and zero Disabling Frequency Rates (DFR).
As the company enters the next 100 years of iconic global safety leadership, its strategy remains
clear: to evolve with industry needs, invest in its people, and deliver a holistic value proposition to
clients.
“We are proud of where we have come from – and very excited about where we are going!”
concludes Gerber.
About DEKRA Industrial and DEKRA Institute of Learning
With 100 years in 2025 across many vertical industry sectors through its global parent company,
DEKRA Industrial SA has established a formidable reputation as a leader in inspection services,
non-destructive testing (NDT), material testing, laboratory services, Advanced NDT, asset integrity
services, and NDT inspection and corrosion control with rope access and lifting. The company also
offers comprehensive vendor inspection and expediting services, as well as vehicle mapping.
Together with these services, DEKRA Industrial also offers industry training through its adult-based
education and occupational skills training division, the Institute of Learning (IOL). The IOL is QCTO-
accredited and delivers online learning across all industries, in both public and private sectors, with
training pitched to all levels of competency, focusing on HSE, ISO and continuing professional
development (CPD)-aligned courses. Classroom-based and distance learning are also available.
DEKRA Industrial’s service portfolio and offering is powerfully integrated, complementary and
comprehensive. Rooted in a ‘safety-first’ mindset and driven by process safety awareness, DEKRA
Industrial and the IOL offer clients a completely holistic solution.
As part of the global DEKRA group, which has a presence in more than 50 countries on five
continents, DEKRA Industrial RSA provides solutions its holistic service offering across a multitude
of industries, including power generation, oil and gas, construction, petrochemical, manufacturing,
fabrication, pulp and paper, rail, mining, steel industry and foundries within South Africa and pan-
Africa.
DEKRA Industrial SA has 51 percent black woman ownership and has achieved a current overall
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) status of Level 1.
The company is also RD 0034-compliant – a nuclear safety compliance standard – and is one of the
few NDT companies locally to hold the ISO 45001:2018 certification; as well as DNV certification,
giving DEKRA Industrial access to many inspection opportunities in the maritime sector.
As part of DEKRA Global’s SEMEA region, DEKRA Industrial RSA is strategically positioned to offer
expanded services across Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, including oil-rich markets
such as Saudi Arabia.
DEKRA Industrial, together with the IOL, strive to be recognised as the ‘heroes of safety’ and to
make a tangible difference to their clients and communities.
