THANK YOU TO OUR NATIONAL SPONSOR BYRNE TRAILERS
DRIVER AND ANIMAL WELFARE
Last week the ALRTA National Council allocated a budget to commence a campaign to raise awareness of the National Ramp Standard, so this week the ALRTA Driver and Animal Welfare Committee met to plan the campaign. We are aiming to supply interested members with a hard copy of the standard, produce a promotional brochure for distribution along the supply chain, cooperate with state associations on regional advertising and write to key stakeholders.
ALRTA will soon commence a survey about injuries or near misses associated with livestock transport. We also want to know about frequency, type of injuries, reporting channels and persons most at risk. The survey builds on a similar initiative undertaken by LRTAV which found wholly unacceptable risk and injury levels. Please look out for the survey and take a few minutes to respond.
N PRACTICE: AFM AND LIVESTOCK
Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM) is a non-prescriptive approach to work and rest hours. AFM enables operators who adopt a risk management approach to managing driver fatigue to benefit from flexible work and rest arrangements.
Peter Callanan, Transport Manager at Shanahan’s Livestock Transport, says the company applied for AFM looking for flexibility – drivers will be able to take short breaks as needed to manage their fatigue while livestock are on board, and the ability to drive for longer hours means drivers are able to get home for quality rest rather than spending a night in the truck. So, the obvious benefits are increased safety, efficiency and driver job satisfaction.
Peter reports that the NHVR has been very helpful in assisting Shanahan’s to achieve accreditation. The feedback received was that the application from Shanahan’s was written to effectively address the 10 AFM standards.
The NHVR recommends that a manual (policies and procedures) should be easy to read. The process is outlined on the NHVR website so if applicants use the information on the website they should be on track. Completing the risk assessment (the Fatigue Risk Assessment Tool) from the website provides applicants with an assessment of their proposed work and rest arrangements, via a risk score. The process helps operators to identify fatigue risks and prompts the development of countermeasures. This information forms part of the operator’s safety case.
While some applicants may wish to consider the option of engaging a consultant or ‘purchasing’ their AFM manual, an operator may develop their own manual (management system), which needs to be fit for purpose. Transport operators do have the essential workplace expertise to document clearly how the operation actually runs and the relevant industry experience to identify risks and address them. In addition, the NHVR has AFM templates specifically developed for livestock operators available on their website.
The NHVR has advised Shanahans that their AFM has been approved. The next step is to carry out an induction for drivers at Wodonga and Toowoomba.
For more information about applying for AFM see the NHVR website.
RURAL TRUCKING MATTERS
PowerTorque is Australia’s premier truck and trailer magazine. Each edition the ALRTA contributes an article in the ‘Rural Trucking Matters’ section. In the March/April edition Mick Debenham writes an article headed “Agriculture over-represented in workplace injuries.” 
Mick Debenham has strong views on the need to bolster safety culture around livestock transport at the farm interface. In this column, the former Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association Vice President, and Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Victoria President, sets out the issues involved.
Read the full article.
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CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST TO JOIN THE TRUCKSAFE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TruckSafe is seeking expressions of interest from suitable people to join its Board of Directors. You would be joining a progressive and motivated group of industry professionals who are passionate about seeing tangible safety outcomes for industry through comprehensive industry accreditation.The TruckSafe board plays an integral role in developing the TruckSafe standards and business rules and promoting industry safety to operators, customers, governments and community.
TruckSafe is a not for profit organisation and a subsidiary business of the Australian Trucking Association.
Time commitment
The TruckSafe board meets formally four times a year either in person or via video conference. Face to face board meetings are held in conjunction with other industry events when ever possible. Additionally, the board meets each month for one hour via video conference.
Skills and attributes
TruckSafe Board Directors must have a strong belief in and commitment to TruckSafe’s goals, charter and to continuous improvement in transport and logistics industry safety, along with the:
- Skills, expertise and experience to support TruckSafe strategic and business development goals
- Knowledge of the trucking industry as an operator, customer or industry professional with specialist expertise
- Ability and willingness to represent the best interests of TruckSafe
Expressions of interest are now being accepted with a closing date of 19 March 2021. If you are interested in submitting an expression of interest to join the TruckSafe Board please contact Melissa Weller for further information 02 6253 6900 or melissa.weller@truck.net.au
DRAFT NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY
The draft National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 is now available for public consultation.
The draft strategy sets the direction of Australia’s road safety objectives, key priorities for action and road trauma reduction targets for the decade to 2030 to set us on the path to achieve Vision Zero by 2050 – meaning zero deaths and serious injuries from road crashes.
To view the draft strategy or make a submission, visit www.officeofroadsafety.gov.au/nrss
OPERATOR CHARGED: ENGINE REMAPPING
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has charged a South Australian company with a primary duty offence for allegedly remapping the engines of heavy vehicles.
The charges stem from a South Australia Police operation in June 2020.
The NHVR will argue that the checks conducted during the operation indicated the vehicle was not using Adblue, suggesting its emissions control system had been tampered with. Examinations were conducted on other heavy vehicles registered to the company which form the basis of additional charges.
It is alleged that the operator of the vehicles disabled the emission controls on the heavy vehicles.
LAND TRANSPORT OF HORSES
The Australian Agriculture Ministers Forum has instigated a review of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines on Land Transport of Livestock to ensure they are suitable for horses.
If you transport horses and would like to be involved in the review please contact the ALRTA Secretariat via office@alrta.org.au.
PBS TYRE TESTING COMMENCES
NHVR has commenced testing the effect of variations in tread depth, vertical loads, different inflation pressures, road surface characteristics and the performance characteristics of different tyres. It is hoped that more knowledge will lead to more options for PBS vehicles.
$12M FOR SAFETY INNOVATION GRANTS
Funding is now available to support a safer road system and drive down road trauma, with applications open under Round 2 of the nationwide $12 million Road Safety Innovation Fund.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Road Safety Innovation Fund program will provide grants to fund innovative research and technology development, supporting the Australian Government’s road safety agenda.
Application close on 29 March 2021. For further information, including application guidelines, visit www.grants.gov.au.
AFRICAN SWINE FEVER
There has been increasing media coverage in relation to a heightened risk of African swine fever (ASF) in the Asia and Pacific region. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations issued an alert which outlined that this risk stems from two key factors:
- Intensified travel around the Lunar New Year (12 February 2021)
- Possible circulation of new variants of the ASF virus.
The Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud is urging heightened biosecurity vigilance following reports of new variants of ASF emerging in our region. Key points from his media release of 10 February 2020 include:
- Variants are showing less obvious signs of the disease which increases the likelihood of it going undetected and uncontrolled.
- With Lunar Chinese New Year celebrations in February, more gift items arriving and increased travel in the region, this is the perfect storm of risk.
- People who are unsure about the biosecurity status of goods that they have brought into Australia or received in the mail should report a biosecurity concern by calling the ‘See. Secure. Report.’ hotline on 1800 798 636 or completing an online reporting form.
NTI UNVEILS LATEST CLASSIC TRUCK RESTORATION
An electric blue 1946 Jailbar is the latest truck that will be raffled to raise money for Motor Neuron Disease research.
The trucker dubbed “Jolene” took 1,500 hours to restore and can be yours by purchasing raffle tickets online now.
All money from tickets sales will go directly to MND and Me and MND Research Australia.
TRUCK DRIVER INFORMATION DAYS
NHVR are conducting truck driver information days in NSW and VIC:
- NSW: Tue 2 Mar – Moree 10am–6pm AEDT
- VIC: Thu 11 Mar – Traralgon East 8am-4pm AEDT
- VIC: Tue 16 Mar – Dandenong 6am-2pm AEDT
FRIDAY FUNNY
Two Irishmen are travelling to Australia. Before they leave home, one of their dads gives them both a bit of advice: “You watch them Aussie cab drivers. They’ll rob you blind. Don’t you go paying them what they ask. You haggle”.
At the Sydney airport, the Irishmen catch a cab to their hotel. When they reach their destination, the cabbie says, “That’ll be twenty dollars, lads.”
“Oh no you don’t! My dad warned me about you. You’ll only be getting fifteen dollars from me,” says one of the men. “And you’ll only be getting fifteen from me too,” adds the other.
SAVE THE DATES FOR 2021
LRTAQ Conference – Roma QLD – 9-11 April 2021 – Registration Information
Brisbane Truck Show – 13-16 May 2021 – ALRTA will have a booth
LRTASA Conference – Adelaide SA – 18-19 June 2021
LRTAV Conference – Bendigo VIC – 20-21 August 2021
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