There have been a lot of regulatory changes in trucking in recent years that farmers need to comply with.
As of October 1st, 2018, for most states in Australia, the Chain of Responsibility will be further enforced into a model that follows Work, Health & Safety Law (WHS), not just the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
What is a Safety Management System? (SMS)
An SMS is simply the procedures you follow and the records you keep to manage your workplace safety.
If you are already accredited in the NHVAS Mass, Maintenance or Fatigue accreditation modules, then your auditor should be supplying some upgrades to your current safety management system.
If you are not accredited and are running general mass limits for your farm truck, then you need to organise yourself with a safety management system or upgrade your old one.
The NHVR have established a DIY Safety Management System for you to use here:
If you engage contractors for grain and fertiliser cartage, you are still within the ‘Chain of Responsibility’ so still have safety management obligations.
I do provide further assistance on this topic to my members and clients
Other Resources:
- Classes of Heavy Vehicles under HVNL – NHVR
- Heavy Vehicle Accidents – SA Fact Sheet
- Primary Production Work Diary Exemption – Fact Sheet
- SA Farm Grain Transport Mass Exemption – Information Sheet
- Speed Limiter Bulletin – SA
- FINAL Fatigue Management for Farmers – NHVR
- The Grain Carriers Code of Practice is not being revised