NSW Police and RMS examine combinations at facility and on highway following accident
Ron Finemore Transport’s Orange depot has been the subject of an inspection action by New South Wales authorities.
Ron Finemore Transport MD Mark Parry confirms the compliance blitz after NSW Police announced it last night during Operation Ghost, involving Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) inspectors and highway patrol police.
It follows an accident involving a company truck two weeks ago.
“RMS and Police carried out inspections of the RFT fleet at our Orange Depot and on fleet passing through Mt Boyce and Marulan inspection stations,” Parry says.
“This was a follow-up to the single vehicle incident involving one of our Liquids Drivers travelling on the M1 between Wyong and Sydney on June 28.
“The follow-up inspections today serve as a reminder that safety is and must always remain our first priority.
“As a company, and a supply chain partner to our customers, we all have a role to play in ensuring that our equipment, drivers and the cargo that we transport, have to be safe, legal and compliant at all times.
“An on time delivery is only successful if it is achieved safely. The Police and RMS form part of a network of stakeholders who have an individual and collective responsibility for keeping our roads safe.
“A total of 51 units were inspected at all 3 locations today. RFT received positive feedback, the inspections did identify a small number of minor defects and issues.
“We have already commenced rectifying these and working with our drivers and supply chain partners to put in place corrective and preventative measures to deal with the matters raised.”
Regarding the B-double accident, the company has driver safety system images and witness emails that reflect well on the driver’s response in avoiding major accident that “came about after a number of passenger vehicles in front of him braked suddenly”.
“Based on information collected from telematics and DSS we know that the driver had just taken an 8 hour break, was not speeding or driving dangerously and was not distracted prior to the incident,” Parry states.
But Police state and Parry’s statement reflects that, though both the prime mover and trailer brakes were fully operational, an air line between the prime mover and the tanker trailers had become disconnected.
During Operation Ghost, 51 truck and trailers were inspected.
“The condition of the fleet and operational practices were generally in good order,” a police statement says.
However, there were some issues found and defect notices issued, including:
Three electronic speed limiter downloads were conducted, with all three found to be compliant.
Eight infringements were issued for a range of offences
Loading practices were found to be ineffective, with loose goods falling to the ground upon inspection.
“It was pure luck that no one was injured in the crash, after a tanker’s brakes failed on a major motorway,” Acting assistant commissioner Stuart Smith of the Traffic & Highway Patrol Command, says.
“This morning’s operation serves as a reminder to any trucking company that our officers will respond to any major incident and go over their trucks, their books and processes with a fine-tooth comb.”