Issue 122 | 24 August 2021

As COVID-19 continues to impact our daily lives, I want to thank the heavy vehicle industry for your dedication and commitment in continuing to ensure there is food on the tables of all Australians. Our priority is your health and wellbeing and I encourage operators and drivers to ensure you are looking after yourself as well as your families and colleagues during this challenging time. We will keep listening to industry’s concerns and advocate where we can. Most recently, this included working with the state and territory authorities to influence practical outcomes to enable drivers to access essential facilities. We also recently re-instated temporary changes to the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme’s driver medical and audit requirements to support operators. The practical changes that meet COVID-19 restrictions will be in place until the end of January 2022 and full details are listed in this edition of On The Road. It's also important to listen to the latest health directives. Vaccinations for freight workers have now been prioritised by various state and territories and if you haven’t already, I encourage you to consider your vaccine options. I can’t stress enough that mental health always needs to be top of mind. Last week, we partnered with the Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds Foundation to launch a new Healthy Heads App that seeks to improve access to health information and tools for those on our freight frontline. Take the time to check out the app, and most importantly, please continue to look out for one another and speak up if you are struggling. Stay safe. Sal, CEO

A safer grain harvest with companies using easy nine step plan

The NHVR has released a simple 9 Step Safety Management System Roadmap to assist all parties across the heavy vehicle supply chain to support each other to operate safely. The Roadmap can assist businesses to develop and improve their heavy vehicle safety systems. Staff from the NHVR and other agencies will be out talking to grain producers and grain receivers in Queensland and NSW during August and September to discuss heavy vehicle safety during grain harvest season. > To read more about primary producer safety, click here

Improvement Notice issued to a multi-national logistics company following fatigue investigation

A multi-national logistics company has been issued with an Improvement Notice by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), after an investigation uncovered evidence of falsified records and insufficient fatigue management, compliance, and auditing practices. NHVR Investigators completed an extensive safety duties investigation after receiving a report through the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line. > Read more about the Improvement Notice here

Healthy Heads App launched to support industry

Australia’s peak body for mental health and wellbeing in the road transport, warehousing, and logistics sector, has taken a step toward improving access to mental health and physical wellbeing support for workers, with the launch of the Healthy Heads App. In recognising that most freight operators are small businesses, Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds (HHTS), with the support of the NHVR has developed an app that aims to improve ease of access to information, tools, and support when it comes to individual mental health and physical wellbeing. > To learn more about the app, click here

Mental health first aid course

Transport industry employees in Brisbane are invited to attend a free mental health first aid course. The course focusses on teaching participants about mental health and how to support people that may be suffering from poor mental health. Courses will run on 8 and 9 September in Murrarie, Brisbane and are being run via Steering Healthy Minds – a collaboration by the Transport Industry Mental Health Initiative. The initiative is one of several programs funded by the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, supported by the Commonwealth Government. > For more information and to register interest to participate in a course, please email peers@steeringhealthyminds.com.au

New notice delivers efficiencies for SPV access

Operators of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), which include cranes and concrete pumps, will have red tape cut under two new NHVR notices. NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the National Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicle (up to 40t total mass) Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2021 had been developed after extensive consultation with industry and would provide significant productivity benefits by reducing cross-border differences. “This new notice makes it easier for eligible SPVs to access networks by standardising maximum dimensions across the five participating states and territories,” Sal said. > Read more about the SPV notice here

NHVR supports accredited operators during COVID-19 restrictions

The NHVR has re-instated temporary changes to the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) driver medical and audit requirements, to support industry during the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. The practical changes would be made to the scheme’s medical and audit requirements to meet the operational and health needs of accredited operators. > To read more on the changes, click here

NHVR welcomes new Bus Industry Confederation Executive Director

The NHVR has welcomed the appointment of Roz Chivers as Executive Director of the Australian Bus Industry Confederation (BIC). NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said Ms Chivers’ knowledge of national policy and her track record in collaboration between industry and government would be welcomed in the heavy vehicle industry. > For the full statement, click here

Seatbelt and mobile phone detection cameras in Queensland

Fixed and portable cameras to detect drivers using mobile phones illegally and failing to wear a seatbelt are now live across Queensland. The Queensland Government and state police are reminding motorists that using mobile phones illegally or failing to wear a seatbelt can contribute significantly to the number of lives lost and serious injuries on Queensland roads each year. > To learn more about the detection cameras, click here