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NHVR plans industry fatigue forum

Thirty professionals to gather for discussion of fatigue handling initiatives ahead of reforms to law

 

Australia’s National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) will host a forum of 30 industry members as part of a process for the reform of the nation’s heavy vehicle laws.

To be held in Sydney on October 2 and 3, the NHVR Fatigue Safety Forum will help the regulator seek industry input into driver fatigue and drowsiness detection, as well as looking into reducing regulation for fatigue safety and increasing productivity through more flexible work arrangements.


The National Transport Commission expects to draft a whole new Heavy Vehicle National Law after it completes its reveiw, chief executive Paul Retter says. Check out our story here.


NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto says the forum will also help the NHVR better understand many of the current initiatives being used by operators and drivers to manage fatigue.

“Many of our current heavy vehicle fatigue laws are almost two decades old and in that time the heavy vehicle industry has made strong gains in reducing driver fatigue incidents,” he says.

“Better education, technology and new procedures are regularly emerging and it’s important that future fatigue regulation continues to encourage these initiatives.”

Petroccitto said information on improving understanding, monitoring and reporting of driver fatigue risks would also be sought.

“I support a comprehensive review of the fatigue laws and I believe most people in the industry feel the same way based on the wide ranging discussions we had with all sectors of the industry,” he says.

The outcomes of the forum will be made publicly available ahead of a proposed wider review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law to be considered by Responsible Ministers later this year.

“We’ll be asking those attending the forum to provide the essential elements for a new draft fatigue management regulatory framework, before undertaking wider industry consultation,” Petroccitto says.

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