NEW provisions for Chain of Responsibility coming into effect in July mean anyone who consigns, packs, loads or receives goods as part of their business could be held legally liable for breaches of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) even if they have no direct role in operating a heavy vehicle.
Additionally, companies, directors, partners and managers are accountable for people under their control under the Chain of Responsibility, and from July, penalties for CoR breaches are to be up to $300,000 for an individual and up to $3m for companies, plus possible five-year prison terms.
The aim of these rules is to ensure everyone in the supply chain ensures breaches do not occur – this is where training is important.
Training is an important part of a "reasonable steps defence" and the FTA and APSA are now offering an e-learning course that aims to help learners identify what must be managed to avoid CoR-related road-safety breaches.
Content includes:
- Know what the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) is, its purpose, and your duties under it
- Understand Chain of Responsibility;
- Understand HVNL and Chain of Responsibility legislative requirements (including State and Territory regulations), offences and penalties;
- Recognise the role State and Territory authorities play in the management and enforcement of HVNL laws;
- Recognise who can be held responsible under Chain of Responsibility;
- Know the importance of safe load restraint, appropriate load mass and dimension, and prevention of driver fatigue and speeding;
- Understand specific responsibilities of certain parties in the transport chain.
The course takes about an hour and a half and upon passing the online assessment, learners get a certificate valid for two years, 4.5 CPD points are also in the mix.
For more information contact the FTA.