Toco Lifting (Pty) Ltd operates under full South African regulatory compliance. We are the sole authorised distributor of Vital® chain blocks and lever hoists in the Republic of South Africa, an approved Lifting Machinery Entity (LME 008) registered with the Department of Labour since 2005, and active members of both LEEASA and COET. All in-house inspections are conducted by Anton van Staden, an ECSA-registered Lifting Machinery Inspector under the Engineering Profession Act, 2000.
Sole Authorised Vital® Distributor — Republic of South Africa
Issued by: Vital Chain Block Mfg. Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
Date: 20 July 2018 · No expiry on face
Toco Lifting is the sole authorised distributor of Vital® chain blocks and lever hoists in the Republic of South Africa. Vital Chain Block Mfg. Co., Ltd. was founded in 1933 in Osaka and is one of the most established chain block manufacturers in Japan. The distributorship covers Toco’s full Vital® range supplied into South African mining, construction, marine, and industrial sectors.
Customers sourcing chain blocks or lever hoists from Toco receive genuine Vital® equipment supplied through the original manufacturer’s authorised channel, with full technical and after-sales support. Browse our Vital® chain block range or Vital® lever hoist range.
View Vital® authorised distributor certificate (PDF)
LME No. 008 — Lifting Machinery Entity
Issued by: Department of Labour, Republic of South Africa
Date: 28 April 2005 · Active
Toco Lifting is an approved Lifting Machinery Entity (LME 008), authorised under Driven Machinery Regulation 18(5) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993. LME approval authorises us to examine and performance-test chain blocks, steel wire ropes, chain slings, steel wire slings, and flat webbings.
All lifting equipment supplied, repaired, or re-certified by Toco leaves our facility with compliance documentation traceable to LME 008. See our testing & certification services and lifting equipment repairs.
View LME 008 Department of Labour certificate (PDF)
Anton van Staden — ECSA Registered Lifting Machinery Inspector
Issued by: Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)
Date: Registered 16 September 2011 · Reg. No. 201112078
Anton Cornelis van Staden is a Registered Lifting Machinery Inspector (LMI) under the Engineering Council of South Africa, registration number 201112078, in terms of the Engineering Profession Act, 2000 (Act No. 46 of 2000). Anton is the Technical Manager of Toco Lifting and provides technical oversight for all inspection and certification work carried out under LME 008.
Having an ECSA-registered LMI on staff means inspection work and technical sign-offs are performed by a professionally-registered individual with statutory accountability under the Engineering Profession Act — not an unaccredited general technician.
View ECSA LMI registration certificate (PDF)
LEEASA Standard Company Member
Issued by: Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa
Date: 4 March 2026 · Valid to 31 December 2026
Toco Lifting is a Standard Company Member of the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa (LEEASA), membership number LEEASA-SUB-00102, certificate number 00233. LEEASA is an ECSA-recognised Voluntary Association (VA number A0028) and sets industry competence standards for lifting equipment engineering in South Africa.
LEEASA membership entitles Toco’s ECSA-registered engineers to 1 CPD point per membership year, keeping our technical staff current with evolving SANS and DMR regulations.
View LEEASA membership certificate (PDF)
COET Company Member — Chamber of Engineering Technology
Issued by: Chamber of Engineering Technology (COET)
Date: 1 January 2017 · Active · Membership #8000134
Toco Lifting is a Company Member of the Chamber of Engineering Technology (COET), membership number 8000134. COET is a not-for-gain Voluntary Association recognised by the Engineering Council of South Africa. Membership signals Toco’s ongoing participation in the engineering technology profession.
View COET Company Member certificate (PDF)
How these credentials apply to your lifting work
For a South African mining, construction, marine, or manufacturing buyer, Toco’s credentials combine to cover every risk a procurement manager or safety officer audits:
- Product authenticity — Vital® distributorship confirms genuine Japanese-engineered chain blocks and lever hoists, not parallel imports.
- Statutory testing authority — LME 008 authorises Toco to carry out statutory examinations and performance tests under DMR 18(5) of the OHS Act.
- Professional sign-off — an ECSA-registered LMI (Anton van Staden, Reg. 201112078) provides professional accountability on inspection certificates.
- Ongoing competence — LEEASA and COET memberships signal active participation in the engineering associations that set South African lifting industry standards.
This combination is uncommon among lifting equipment suppliers in South Africa. Most distributors hold one or two of these credentials; Toco holds all five.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toco Lifting certified to supply and test lifting equipment in South Africa?
Yes. Toco Lifting is an approved Lifting Machinery Entity (LME 008) under the South African Department of Labour, authorised under Driven Machinery Regulation 18(5) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993. Approval covers examination and performance testing of chain blocks, steel wire ropes, chain slings, steel wire slings, and flat webbings.
What is LME 008 and why does it matter?
LME stands for Lifting Machinery Entity. LME 008 is Toco Lifting’s registration number with the Department of Labour under DMR 18(5) of the OHS Act. It authorises Toco to perform statutory examinations and performance tests on lifting tackle. Buying from an LME-registered supplier means compliance documentation is traceable to a regulator-approved entity.
Who is Anton van Staden and what is an ECSA-registered LMI?
Anton Cornelis van Staden is Toco Lifting’s Technical Manager and a Registered Lifting Machinery Inspector (LMI) under the Engineering Council of South Africa, registration number 201112078. ECSA registration means Anton is professionally accountable for inspection work under the Engineering Profession Act, 2000. Inspections signed off by a registered LMI carry statutory weight.
Is Toco Lifting the only authorised Vital® distributor in South Africa?
Yes. Toco Lifting has held sole authorised distributorship of Vital® chain blocks and lever hoists in the Republic of South Africa since 20 July 2018, confirmed by certificate from Vital Chain Block Mfg. Co., Ltd. of Osaka, Japan. Equipment sourced from Toco is genuine Vital® product supplied through the authorised channel.
What is LEEASA and is Toco a member?
LEEASA is the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa, an ECSA-recognised Voluntary Association that sets competence standards for lifting equipment engineering. Toco Lifting is a Standard Company Member (LEEASA-SUB-00102), current to 31 December 2026.
What does DMR 18(5) mean?
DMR 18(5) is sub-regulation 18(5) of the Driven Machinery Regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993. It governs the examination, testing, and certification of lifting equipment in South Africa. Suppliers performing statutory testing must be approved as a Lifting Machinery Entity (LME) under this regulation.
Can Toco Lifting issue compliance certificates for lifting equipment?
Yes. Under LME 008, Toco issues compliance certificates for the equipment categories authorised on our approval: chain blocks, steel wire ropes, chain slings, steel wire slings, and flat webbings. Certificates are signed off under Anton van Staden’s ECSA LMI registration (201112078).
Where can I verify Toco Lifting’s certifications independently?
All five certificates on this page are available as PDFs, and numbers can be independently verified with the issuing bodies: the Department of Labour for LME 008, the Engineering Council of South Africa for Anton van Staden’s LMI registration (201112078), LEEASA for membership LEEASA-SUB-00102, COET for membership #8000134, and Vital Chain Block Mfg. Co., Ltd. for the South African distributorship.
Speak to our team
Need compliance documentation for a tender, audit, or procurement process? Get in touch with Toco Lifting directly for certified equipment and statutory testing.
