Australia’s National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is launching a series of tools to help operators boost the safety performance of their business.
The resources include 10 guides and templates, fact sheets and an information book. Further guidance material will be released later this year.
Victorian roads and road safety minister Luke Donnellan says the guidance material and tools will drive a positive safety culture across the heavy vehicle industry.
It will provide a similar approach used successfully in maritime, rail, aviation and other industries.
“There were 211 fatalities nationally involving a heavy vehicle or a bus last year, including 44 in Victoria, so heavy vehicle safety is a priority for all Australians,” Donnellan says.
“I’d encourage the heavy vehicle industry to look at the free safety management system guidance materials and tools available and how they can be used to help meet safety obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
“Adopting and actively using these will reduce safety-related incidents.
“The tools are free for all businesses in the heavy vehicle supply chain and provide a systematic, comprehensive and proactive process to manage operational safety risks,” he says.
NHVR chief executive Sal Petroccitto says the tools are essential components of a safety management system, including policy and documentation and risk management.
“A safety management system is also an effective way for an organisation to comply with the additional responsibilities under chain of responsibility laws in the coming months,” Petroccitto says.
*Go to nhvr.gov.au/sms for more information on the NHVR’s safety management systems project.
