These changes will apply a direct duty of care on local government and more and more closely align the laws with Work Health & Safety laws. Breaches will be considered a criminal offence, which can include large fines and/or imprisonment.
On 1 October 2018, amendments to the Chain of Responsibility (CoR) laws will come into effect.
The aim of CoR is to makes sure everyone in the supply chain actively manages the risks associated with transport activities.
Where councils are involved in any transport activities, that include a vehicle weighing over 4.5t when loaded (regardless of whether it is owned by council or a contractor), council will have a shared responsibility to ensure safety and that risks are adequately managed.
LGAQ’s Heavy Vehicle Access Liaison Officer recently interviewed NHVR’s CoR Manager Kym Farquharson-Jones on the commonly asked questions from local government, the video can be viewed here.