Migrant exploitation, safety concerns uncovered in NHVR operation

Over half of vehicles assessed in the recent ‘Operation Vigilant’ between the NHVR, South Australia Police, Australian Border Force and SafeWork SA have been found to be non-compliant according to NHVR COO Paul Salvati, who has labelled the results as “disappointing”.

Operation Vigilant was the first time the four agencies had been involved in conducting a local operation and assessed a range heavy vehicle safety and compliance targets across a two-day period.

More worryingly, four individuals of concern were identified by ABF Officers from the Department of Home Affairs during checks related to migrant worker exploitation.

Among them were two unlawful non-citizens and two individuals suspected of breaching visa work conditions.

One person was detained while another was granted a bridging visa to facilitate their departure from the country.

“Operation Vigilant was a significant collaborative effort by the NHVR, SA Police, the ABF and SafeWork SA, with all agencies working together to ensure the safety of our roads and to protect both drivers and the wider community,” Salvati says.

“The operation was undertaken at Monteith Checking Stations and saw 32 cross agency officers conduct in-depth compliance checks in relation to heavy vehicle and bus compliance, work conditions and workplace safety.

“Through this joint effort, a range of safety concerns were addressed including, mechanical breaches, driver fatigue, drug and alcohol offences and work conditions.

“Operation Vigilant demonstrates the commitment of all agencies involved to enhancing road safety – by working together, sharing resources and expertise, we can reduce road trauma and save lives.

“This unified approach is pivotal to driving meaningful change and delivering improved safety outcomes – not just for industry, but all those who use our roads.”

SafeWork SA Director Compliance and Enforcement Brett Pfeffer says the operation was an important tool to monitor the heavy vehicle industry’s compliance with the Work Health and Safety Act.

Pfeffer expressed his disappointment at the extent of the WHS non-compliance found.

“Our Inspectors issued 75 improvement notices relating to breaches of the WHS Act. These ranged from defective, poorly maintained or absent fire extinguishers and first aid kits to non-compliant vehicle maintenance and load restraint maintenance.

“A further five notices were issued in relation to carrying dangerous substances.

“The number of notices issued exceeded our expectations, which indicates the heavy vehicle industry has more work to do to comply with their WHS obligations in South Australia.”

There were 75 targeted intercepts undertaken over the course of the two-day sting to check for vehicle compliance with the HVNL including mass and dimension, driver fatigue and load restraint.

Overall, the NHVR issued 38 defect notices throughout the operation, three of which were classified as major.

The most prevalent offences were mechanical defects such as faulty brakes, and issues with steering and suspension and wheels, tyres and hubs.

“It’s disappointing to see drivers and operators doing the wrong thing, especially with more than 179 lives lost in crashes involving a heavy vehicle last year – by failing to maintain your vehicle or adhere to work and rest requirements, you are not only jeopardising your own safety, but the safety of all other road users,” Salvati says.

“To ensure drivers understood how to comply with their safety obligations, SCOs provided education during 24 of the intercepts conducted, guided by the NHVR’s inform, educate and enforce approach.

“We encourage industry to access the NHVR website, where we have a wide range of safety and compliance related resources available to help with education, including guidelines, training videos and contacts for support.”

“South Australia Police will continue to have a coordinated approach to heavy vehicle regulation and welcome the support of our partner agencies,” SA Police Acting Inspector Tiffany Gray says.

“Operation Vigilant and our daily operations will continue to ensure the compliance of heavy vehicle drivers for not just their safety but all road users.”