1. What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that a website places on your computer, tablet, or mobile device when you visit. They allow the website to remember your actions and preferences over a period of time, such as language choices, menu states, and form inputs.
Along with cookies, modern web platforms may use similar client-side storage technologies, such as browser LocalStorage and SessionStorage, to store user-initiated calculations and form progress securely on your own device.
2. How Safety Management Group uses cookies
SMG uses cookies and browser storage for practical, functional reasons. We do not sell your personal data or browsing behavior to third-party ad networks or data brokers.
Our website utilizes cookies to:
- Enable smooth navigation across our primary sections, mega-menu, and branch tabs.
- Preserve your review progress on interactive tools such as our workplace safety checklist, audit template, and training calculator.
- Measure website performance, high-traffic resources, and technical errors so we can continually improve speed and user experience.
3. Categories of cookies we use
We classify the cookies on our site into the following functional categories:
| Category | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | Required for technical operation, page loading, mobile menu toggle state, and security headers. Without these, the website cannot function properly. | Session / 1 year |
| Functional & State | Remembers chosen tabs (such as Cape Town vs Sandton branch details in the footer) and preserves interactive inputs on safety screening tools. | 30 days to 1 year |
| Performance & Analytics | Collects anonymous metrics regarding visited pages, referral sources, and load speeds to help us understand which safety topics our visitors need most. | Up to 2 years |
4. Local storage for workplace tools
When you use our Safety Checklist, Audit Template, or Compliance Calendar, the answers you record are saved directly into your device's browser storage.
This ensures that if your connection drops, or if you navigate to inspect another section of the site, your workplace review progress is not lost. Your answers remain entirely on your own device until you explicitly choose to email the action summary to yourself or to SMG.
You can clear this saved data at any time by clicking the "Clear all answers" button within the tool, or by clearing your browser cache.
5. Third-party services & fonts
Our website utilizes selected external services that may deploy their own cookies or technical headers:
- Google Fonts: We load typography via Google Fonts to maintain readable, modern layout standards. Google may collect IP addresses strictly for serving font assets securely.
- Interactive Maps: When you open directions to our Cape Town, Sandton, or Port Elizabeth offices, external map links redirect directly to Google Maps, which operates under Google's privacy policy.
- Document & Video Embeds: When viewing webinar clips or accreditation credentials, third-party content hosts may set session cookies for streaming optimization.
6. Managing and disabling cookies
You have the right to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer:
- Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Third-party cookies.
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data.
- Apple Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Block all cookies.
- Microsoft Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions.
Please note that if you choose to block strictly necessary cookies, certain features of the site (including interactive calculators and saved checklist states) may not function as intended.
7. Updates to this policy and contact details
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our operational tools, regulatory guidance, or legal requirements under POPIA.
For questions about how we use cookies or how we protect your personal information, please review our POPIA and Privacy Policy, or contact our National Information Officer at [email protected].