Victoria formally recognises TruckSafe as an industry code of practice under the state’s Road Safety Act
October 12, 2011
The Victorian Government has formally recognised the trucking industry’s safety accreditation program, TruckSafe, as an industry code of practice under the state’s Road Safety Act.
Australian Trucking Association (ATA) Chairman David Simon made the announcement when he opened the 2011 TruckSafe Forum in Sydney yesterday. The forum is part of the Technical and Maintenance Conference.
The ATA says Victoria’s decision now makes it easier for TruckSafe accredited companies to prove they have taken reasonable steps to prevent breaches of the road safety laws.
The scheme, run by the ATA, requires operators to meet stringent standards to maintain their accreditation. This includes maintenance, driver health and training. Compliance with the standards is audited regularly by external auditors.
“Under the chain of responsibility laws, all parties in the supply chain must take reasonable steps to prevent breaches of the driver fatigue, speed, and mass, dimension and load restraint rules,” Simon says.
“And now the Victorian Government has recognised that proven compliance with the TruckSafe standards is evidence that you have taken reasonable steps to prevent safety breaches in the areas covered by the standards. It’s an extra level of assurance for TruckSafe operators and their customers or prime contractors.”
Simon says a growing number of customers are now requiring firms to be accredited so they can meet their own chain of responsibility obligations.