Caribbean Cement Company Limited donates five breathalyzers to the Road Safety Unit
(KINGSTON, January 29, 2019) Caribbean Cement Company Limited today presented five breathalyzer to the National Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport and Mining.
The Honourable Robert Montague, Minister of Transport and Mining received the equipment on behalf of the Road Safety Unit from Peter Donkersloot, General Manager of Carib Cement.
The donation is in keeping with Carib Cement’s ongoing work in the area of road safety. The Road Safety programme is part of the safety focus of the CEMEX Group, of which Carib Cement is a member.
Mr Donkersloot explained that road safety is a national development matter which requires collective responsibility.
“Carib Cement is committed to building a greater Jamaica and this means also building a safer Jamaica, so we want to do our part to help make the roads safer. We do not believe road safety is the government’s responsibility alone, instead, it is the collective role of private companies and individual citizens to help make the roads safer. As such, we are pleased to hand over these five breathalyzers to enhance the work of the Road Safety Unit, “Mr. Donkersloot said.
As part of its road safety and awareness programme, Carib Cement’s team members have visited schools and have facilitated training for truck drivers. Since 2016, more than 1500 students have received safety awareness demonstrations while truck drivers have received training in areas such as protecting vulnerable road users; safe management of road-side breakdowns; defensive driving techniques and anger management. In February, Carib Cement will begin a driving school for the more than 180 truck drivers who work with the company through contractors.
Minister Montague lauded Carib Cement for this initiative.
“As a company that moves a lot of cargo along the road network, Carib Cement sees it as in their interest that other users of the road are not under the influence of alcohol and are playing their part in making the road safe. I congratulate them on the upcoming driving school programme for truck drivers and encourage other fleet owners to do the same, as every life we save, is worth every investment,” Mr. Montague said.
The AlcoBlow breathalyzers are described by its makers, Lion Laboratories, as “a simple to use, rapid response instrument that is used simply to determine whether or not a person has any alcohol in their breath at all. It uses the Lion fuel cell sensor, so the reading is very unlikely to be affected by anything but alcohol in the subject’s breath. There is no physical contact between the subject and instrument, so there is no mouthpiece to replace for each test.”
Mr. Donkersloot shared that breathalyzers are used by CEMEX at its plants globally and everyone who enters the plant is required to do a quick breathalyzer test. “It is simply safer for everyone to be sure that the person who is either operating equipment, working in an industrialized area or driving – whether a car or a large truck, is not under the influence of alcohol.”
