The regulator recommends constantly checking underneath heavy vehicles and bringing forward maintenance inspections to stay safe in flood-affected regions
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has released a safety checklist for heavy vehicles post-floods.
The recommendations come after flooding has affected eastern Australia this month, including New South Wales and Queensland, following previous flood events that impacted South Australia earlier this year.
Operating a heavy vehicle during these times of extreme weather can see some heavy vehicle drivers working in conditions they aren’t used to, including travelling through standing water, on roads impacted by mud and debris and through route diversions that go onto dirt or mud roads.
Other different conditions include having to park heavy vehicles in water and water rising around a parked vehicle.
The NHVR says operating heavy vehicles in these wet environments can have mechanical impacts on it, meaning it’s important to consider these impacts and adjust maintenance systems to match.
When it comes to debris, the NHVR checklists recommends checking under the vehicle for lodged debris, inspect wheels, brakes and suspension, and check all signs and identifiers before beginning a journey through flood-affected regions.
The checklist suggests bringing forward routine maintenance inspections to ensure all parts are intact and no leaks have occurred, while rapid component cooling, electrical systems and brakes should all be checked to ensure they don’t have any water damage or debris impacting their performance.
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Other simple tips for heavy vehicle operators include checking oil to ensure it hasn’t been contaminated by water (if it has been contaminated it will look cloudy or milky), spraying electrical connections with an approved water dispersant lubricant and checking the undercarriage of vehicles for foreign objects.
The NHVR notes these extra checks don’t count as routine vehicle maintenance – head to the NHVR website to check out the entire checklist.