POPULAR WORDS

April 1, 2010

A Victorian local government has installed weigh scales on its garbage trucks to reduce the risk of chain of responsibility breaches

Hume Council has installed the wireless weighing devices on its 15-strong fleet to ensure vehicles are not overloaded.

Under chain of responsibility, all parties involved in the transport chain must take steps to ensure vehicles do not exceed their permitted mass.

“The biggest risk for us came with not knowing what was in the rubbish bin we were loading,” Trevor Pickett from the council says.

“We pick up over 200 bins a day at times and the inconsistency in these sorts of loads means you never know whether you are picking up bubble wrap or something illegal like a dozen car batteries.”

He says drivers in past did not know the weight of the vehicle until it got back to the weighing station at the council depot. Pickett says drivers now have control over the weight of a truck while sitting in the cab.

“It’s easy to use and it means that from a management perspective we are providing our drivers with all the tools to make sure they don’t overload,” he says.

The council has received positive feedback after installing weigh devices, with Pickett saying drivers are more informed and in control of what they are doing.

“As a council body it is important that we are seen to be complying with all the legislation and ultimately setting a benchmark for all road users,” he says.

Those who breach chain of responsibility face fines and even a conviction depending on the level of overloading.