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Born from tragedy. Built on purpose.

The story of Safe-T-PunchTM — from the Westdene disaster to international adoption.

Quality Standards

Precision recognised by the world.

Our dedication to quality is formally recognised through ISO 9001:2015 certification of our quality management system. This certification ensures consistency, traceability, and reliability for every device that leaves our facility.

Today, Safe-T-PunchTM is more than a product — it's the internationally accepted term for emergency window glass-break devices. A truly remarkable South African invention, built on purpose to save lives.

Safe-T-Punch™ family

Evolution of a lifesaver

Safe-T-PunchTM Through the Years

From a compassionate response to a national tragedy to global emergency egress adoption.

Westdene Disaster Rescuers

1985

Westdene

A bus carrying schoolchildren plunges into the Westdene dam. 42 children drown, trapped behind sealed windows they could not break in time.

Witnessing the aftermath, inventor Ivan le Roux is driven by compassion to create a better emergency window solution — so no passenger would ever again be trapped behind unbroken safety glass.

Read the Westdene Survivor Account →

The Star newspaper article from 1992 about Safe-T-Punch and the first sale to Johannesburg MetrobusThe Star, 1992
First page of the 1992 South African patent for Safe-T-PunchSA patent, 1992PDF ↗First page of the 1992 CSIR report on Safe-T-PunchCSIR reportPDF ↗

1992

Three defining firsts

  • First sale to Johannesburg MetrobusShattering good news…
  • First patentThe Safe-T-PunchTM safety device is patented.
  • CSIR report
First page of the 1997 UN ECE Regulation 36 amendmentUN ECE R36 amendmentPDF ↗

1995

Influencing international regulation

  • UN ECE R36Ivan’s engagement with the German Chamber helped to bring about regulatory change.
  • Emergency-window devicesIn the 1995 amendments to UNECE Regulation No. 36, the word “device” made its first notable appearance in the rules on emergency windows.
    Read more

    The word appears in Paragraph 5.6.8.2.1, concerning the operation of emergency windows. Earlier specifications had concentrated on size or whether a window was breakable or openable; the revisions established the need for a standardised mechanical or functional apparatus for egress.

1999

UN ECE R36 becomes UN ECE R107

Design Institute Award presented to Ivan le RouxDesign Institute Award
Chairman's Award for Design Excellence presented to Ivan le RouxChairman's Award

2001

Design excellence recognised

  • Design Institute AwardIvan receives the Design Institute Award.
  • Chairman’s Award for Design ExcellenceIvan receives the Chairman’s Award for Design Excellence.
The Saulspoort bus disasterSaulspoort, 2003

2003–2004

Change in South Africa

  • Saulspoort bus disaster and inquestOn 1 May 2003 a bus drove into the Saulspoort Dam near Bethlehem in the Free State and 51 people died. At the inquest in early 2004, Ivan gave evidence that standard emergency windows could not be kicked out. The Department of Transport then said new emergency-exit rules, drawn up with the SABS, would follow.
  • Pia joins Safe-T-Punch™
First page of the July 2010 Coach & Bus Weekly magazine featuring Wrightbus and Safe-T-PunchCBW Magazine, July 2010PDF ↗Vehicle Certification Agency (UK) test report page for Safe-T-PunchVCA test reportPDF ↗

2010

First international adoption

  • Wrightbus, United KingdomWrightbus becomes the first international company to adopt Safe-T-PunchTM, featuring it in a CBW Magazine advertisement for the Wrightbus StreetLite design.
  • VCA technical complianceTechnical compliance evidence from the Vehicle Certification Agency, United Kingdom.
First page of the United States patent for Safe-T-PunchUSA patent, 2018PDF ↗

2018

United States patent granted

A United States patent is granted for the Safe-T-PunchTM punch device (US 9,956,438, 1 May 2018).

Golden Arrow Bus Services reference letter for Safe-T-PunchGolden Arrow referencePDF ↗

2022

Golden Arrow Bus retrofit

Golden Arrow Bus Services begins fitting Safe-T-PunchTM across its fleet in October 2022. By January 2026 it had installed more than 11,400 units.

Ivan le Roux outside an LHB rail coach at the Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, IndiaRail Coach Factory, Kapurthala

2025

First rail adoption

Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala (Indian Railways) directs that emergency windows with Safe-T-PunchTM be used in Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat and NBRR coaches, and in adequate quantity for LHB coaches (June 2025).

First page of the May 2026 Coach & Bus Weekly magazine articleCBW Magazine, May 2026PDF ↗First page of the UN ECE R107 Revision 10 documentUN ECE R107 Rev 10PDF ↗

2026

Full circle and a new revision

  • CBW Magazine full articleFull circle since the 2010 Wrightbus StreetLite feature.
  • UN ECE R107 Revision 10Adoption of Revision 10, recognising on-glass technology and the influence of Safe-T-PunchTM on international regulations.

The people behind the purpose

Meet the Team

A dedicated group of safety professionals committed to ensuring emergency exits work when everything else fails.

Ivan le Roux

Founder & Technical Director

Ivan le Roux

Ivan le Roux is the inventor of Safe-T-PunchTM and has devoted more than three decades to improving emergency escape safety for passengers and vehicle operators. Following concerns raised by the 1985 Westdene bus tragedy, he began investigating the practical realities of emergency exits and developed what would become the original Safe-T-PunchTM emergency window escape device. The invention was patented in 1992, independently evaluated by the CSIR, and first deployed on Johannesburg Metro Bus vehicles the same year.

Since then, Ivan has worked extensively with transport operators, vehicle manufacturers, testing authorities, standards bodies, and government stakeholders on emergency egress, vehicle safety, and regulatory compliance. His work has contributed to discussions surrounding emergency exit requirements, testing methodologies, roadworthiness, and the practical usability of emergency escape systems in public transport.

Today, Ivan continues to guide the technical development, quality assurance, testing, and international adoption of Safe-T-PunchTM, remaining committed to a simple principle that has driven his work from the beginning: when an emergency exit is needed, the means of escape must be reliable, accessible, and ready to use.

Pia le Roux

CEO & CFO

Pia le Roux

Pia leads the global growth and strategic development of Safe-T-PunchTM. Working closely with vehicle manufacturers, operators, regulators, distributors, and safety professionals around the world, she is passionate about ensuring that emergency escape solutions are both practical and effective.

Pia oversees business development, quality management, international partnerships, and customer engagement, helping bring Safe-T-PunchTM technology to new markets and industries while maintaining the company's commitment to safety, compliance, and innovation.

The Safe-T-Punch team standing together in a garden

A Family Business Built Around Saving Lives

For more than 30 years, the Safe-T-PunchTM team has remained focused on a single mission: providing reliable emergency escape solutions that help people reach safety when every second counts. From product design and manufacturing to international support and distribution, our team is committed to engineering simple, effective technologies that make a real difference in emergencies.

Team photo, left to right: Patson Moyo, Bradley Walker Botten, Tessa Sibanda, Ivan le Roux, Tanya Bevan, Kgosi Lefakane, Susani Ndlovu, Paul van Niekerk, Pia le Roux, Bridgette Akabondo, Jeremy Sechiari.

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BC Road Builders are pleased WorkSafeBC recognised Safe-T-PunchTM as a common-sense solution to provide a safe escape for operators of heavy equipment, where the standard escape hatch is not present.