Under new Chain of Responsibility laws, more parties to the heavy vehicle transport supply chain will have an increased duty of care. If you are involved in this industry, or engage companies involved in this industry, read on to see whether this applies to you.
If you have any concerns or queries on this subject, please contact us.
New Primary Duty laws in 2018
On 1 October 2018, the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) will be amended to provide that every party in the heavy vehicle transport supply chain has a duty to ensure the safety of their transport activities. In practical terms, this primary duty represents an obligation to eliminate or minimise potential harm or loss (risk) by doing all that is reasonably practicable to ensure safety. As a party in the supply chain, the best way to do this is to have safety management systems and controls in place, such as business practices, training, procedures and review processes that:
- identify, assess, evaluate, and control risk
- manage compliance with speed, fatigue, mass, dimension, loading and vehicle standards requirements through identified best practice
- involve regular reporting, including to executive officers
- document or record actions taken to manage safety.
Information sessions
The NHVR has further information sessions for industry planned in the next couple of months. Details and links to register for these sessions will be published on this page shortly.
COR Gap Assessment Tool
Through a series of practical questions, the CoR Gap Assessment Tool enables you to examine your business practices and systems controls against known risks and recognised best practice:
CoR Gap Assessment Tool
CoR Building capability
The NHVR held a number of information sessions across Australia to help build the capability to identify risks associated your business’ transport activities and understand how safety management systems can assist you to manage that risk and comply with your obligations under the HVNL. A video recording of one of the info sessions as well as copies of the presentations delivered can be viewed on the NHVR website (below).
source: National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
