Company heavy vehicle breaches spur compliance action
Details on a pair of enforceable undertakings accepted by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) for company breaches in Tasmania and Victoria have emerged recently.
The first relates to a mass breach by Zezt Pty Ltd on the Bass Highway, Tasmania.
On July 1, 2020, a heavy vehicle Zezt operated was weighed at the Forest Farm weighbridge.
It is alleged that the time the steer axle weighed 7,920kg, a severe risk breach of 126.46% of the prescribed mass limit.
This breached the allowed steer axle limit of 6,500kg.
In August 2021 the NHVR accepted an undertaking of a total estimated cost of $23,430.
The tasks include:
- ensuring greater visibility of Chain of Responsibility (COR) and compliance of contractors through use of iPRO platform
- undertaking COR audits in line with planned schedule
- implementing of COR training for distribution centre leads
- dissemination of information regarding the incident on 1 July 2020 and providing a case study
- introduction of driver Load Declaration Sheet, addressing whether the vehicle has been loaded in a way so that it is evenly distributed in compliance with applicable mass requirements
- regular review meetings with transport providers to monitor CoR compliance
- all correspondence regarding transportation of products are now made via email instead of by phone to record actual requests made by Zezt to its transport providers.
Meanwhile, in July, the national regulator accepted an undertaking from Boss Logging Pty Ltd (Boss Forestry) in Victoria.
On April 3, 2020, a heavy vehicle Boss Forestry operated was weighed in Dargo.
NHVR detail on recent HVNL court outcomes, here
It is alleged that at the time the steer axle weighed 7,000kg, a substantial mass breach of 107.69%.
Breaching the allowed limit of 6,500kg.
The drive axle mass group weighed 28,350kg, an overload of 171.82%, a severe mass breach over the statutory limit of 16,500kg.
The load restraint fitted to the combination that was restraining the excavator failed to meet the guidelines.
Total estimated cost of this undertaking was $45,626 and included:
- delivery of a COR training course
- delivery of a COR training course, for all management
- delivery of a load restraint training course
- expert review of load restraint and mass management
- Assist in the development of a training and awareness program
- host a heavy vehicle safety barbeque
- produce a video to promote heavy vehicle safety in the community.