CoR: Heavy Vehicle Safety and Roadworthiness Requirements

Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Chain of Responsibility (CoR)

Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) parties in the CoR have an obligation to ensure all transport equipment is properly maintained, safe, roadworthy and ‘fit for service’. This includes where any heavy vehicle used to carry goods by road must meet all relevant Heavy Vehicle Standards and Australian design rules and be maintained in a safe and roadworthy condition at all times. Those responsible must ensure that proper and routine inspections are carried out and any necessary maintenance and repairs are conducted in a timely manner.

Managing Heavy Vehicle Safety & Roadworthiness

Managing Heavy Vehicle Safety & Roadworthiness in your Business includes:

• Conducting a risk assessment of your heavy vehicle safety and roadworthiness obligations.
• Documenting policies and procedures relating to heavy vehicle safety and roadworthiness that outline the control measures.
• Consulting with other parties on how heavy vehicle safety and roadworthiness, are managed within their business.
• Conducting regular contract reviews of the effectiveness of controls implemented by others in the supply chain.
• Ensuring contracts and agreements do not cause or encourage the parties to operate vehicles that are unsafe or defective.
• Ensuring commercial arrangements include prescriptive requirements to comply with legal obligations.

Vehicle Standards

Under the Vehicle Standards you must ensure vehicles comply with Australian Design Rules and are able to be legally registered.

Maintenance Programs

Maintenance Programs involve conducting regular servicing of vehicles, components and equipment. As a minimum, service schedules should be aligned with the manufacturer’s recommendations. This could include asking the driver when the last service was conducted or when the next service is due. Maintenance and repairs should be carried out by a person with appropriate skills, experience and qualifications.

Daily visual pre-start check to should be conducted to detect problems with critical safety components and formalise this process for management to inspect daily pre-start checks to ensure they are being completed.

Defects

Responsibilities for reporting and management of defects applies to both operators and drivers and other supply chain parties.

Record Keeping

In accordance with HVNL and the NHVAS Maintenance Management Standard, record keeping requires documented evidence that will be maintained to demonstrate the effective operation of the Maintenance Management System, by retaining pertinent records and all records are to be retained for three (3) years.

Zenergy eLearning Program Chain of Responsibility (CoR) for Operational Staff

This online course introduces you to requirements and obligations of Fatigue Management, Speed Compliance and Heavy Vehicle Safety and Roadworthiness, Load Management including Mass and Dimension and Load Restraint as they relate to Chain of Responsibility and the Heavy Vehicle National Law and the key aspects of these risks and how to manage them in accordance with the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

This course includes Module 3. Roadworthiness – Provides an overview of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Regulations requirements and obligations for managing Heavy Vehicle Safety and Roadworthiness.

Click on the following link to review further course details: Chain of Responsibility (CoR) for Operational Staff

Zenergy – Heavy Vehicle National Law and Chain of Responsibility (CoR)

Zenergy experienced consultants can assist in the development of CoR Transport Safety Management System (TSMS) documentation, conducting independent audits of your Management System documentation for management of transport safety, including Chain of Responsibility (CoR), to ensure it meets your responsibilities under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

For more information on our services feel free to email us at info@zenergygroup.com.au or call 1300 333 400.