The NHVR has announced the completion of ‘Operation Fortified’, targeted at addressing safety risks posed by heavy vehicles during freight harvest season across multiple jurisdictions.
Safety and Compliance Officers (SCOs) conducted over 270 heavy vehicle inspections over the course of the operation, which took place in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
Fatigue management, monitoring and identifying potential grape spillage incidents, and undertaking mechanical inspections were the focus of the inspections.
“Heavy vehicles are currently hitting the road in force as the grape harvest season peaks, however it’s important to remember that safety is always in season,” NHVR COO Paul Salvati says.
“We know this is a busy time of year for the agricultural sector, but we can’t afford to let any lapses in safety spoil what should be a very productive season.
“Some of the primary tasks related to grape harvest transportation include driver fatigue, particularly at the end of night shifts or from wait times to either load of offload, in addition to spillage due to overloading.
“Grape spills have a significant impact on the safety of other road users, creating slippery surfaces that can lead to a vehicle losing control and increasing the risk of catastrophic accidents occurring.
“This operation was a crucial step forward in our ongoing efforts to reduce crashes and ensure the safety of everyone on the road.”
This was the fifth time Operation Fortified had been undertaken in South Australia and Victoria, with over 800,000 tonnes of grapes valued at $622 million produced in South Australia lone in 2021-22.
Drivers were provided education on how to meet their safety obligations in 88 of the intercepts conducted, which represents and continuing reduction in reported non-compliance over the course of the operation’s history.
“This is the fifth time Operation Fortified has been undertaken in both SA and Victoria, and each time the NHVR has led this operation we have seen the rate of non-compliance steadily decrease,” NHVR Acting Director of the Southern Region Stephen Bryers says.
“We detected a non-compliance rate of around 38 per cent during this year’s operations, with the majority of offences either mechanical, fatigue or permit related.
“This is down from a non-compliance rate of 42.2 per cent in 2023, 59 per cent in 2022, and 61 per cent in 2021.
“This is a true testament to the industry’s collective efforts in driving continuous improvement, and we are optimistic that non-compliance will only continue to decline.
“We know heavy vehicle play a critical role transporting the harvest, but it’s essential that vehicles are roadworthy, and drivers are fit to operate them safely.”
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