Purpose
This Chain of Responsibility (CoR) procedure applies to all heavy vehicle activities and any person involved in the transport activities of Scott McKenzie Transport. The aim of Chain of Responsibility (CoR) is to make sure all personnel in the supply chain share the responsibility for ensuring breaches of road transport laws do not occur.
The requirements of this procedure are defined by the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
Scott McKenzie Transport will achieve compliances to this legislation by allocation of responsibilities to designated roles and implementing a risk management processes to identify and control health and safety risks arising from its transport activities
1. Scope
This procedure applies to all employees, contractors and organizations who work with Scott McKenzie Transport. By law, each person identified in the supply chain must take reasonable steps to ensure a heavy vehicle driver can perform their duties without breaching road transport laws.
2. Overview
CoR is a requirement of legislation which imposes responsibilities and systems for the safe loading and movement of loads by heavy vehicles. The CoR process has assigned multiple accountabilities for Scott McKenzie Transport and its contractors that extend beyond traditional boundaries of control.
3. Responsibilities
The responsibilities imposed by CoR are a key requirement. At any time, an employee or contractor may be required to adopt a role that is defined by CoR. More than one role in CoR may be adopted by an individual depending on activity. For example, a person in control of loading operations would be deemed a “Loader” under CoR. if that same person undertakes packing duties on another occasion they have responsibilities as a “packer” for these activities.
- 4.1. General Duty
Workers must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their work when carrying out transport activities. This means:
- Complying with the requirements of CoR and Scott McKenzie Transport health & safety requirements.
- Undertaking risk assessment and controlling hazards to acceptable levels.
- If people’s activities or work areas are perceived to be at risk, then workers must stop work, make the area safe and report the issue.
- Complying with reasonable directions of Scott McKenzie Transport in order to minimize safety risks arising from transport activities.
- Roles under CoR
- Consignor– a person or company commissioning the carrying of goods
- Packing – placing goods in packages, containers or pallets
- Loading/ Loading Manager – placing or restraining the load
- Driving – the physical act of driving a heavy vehicle (>4.5 t GVM)
- Operating – operating a business which controls the use of a heavy vehicle
- Scheduler – the person who schedules the transport of passengers or goods
- Consignee – paying for the goods/taking possession of the load
- Employer – A person who engages someone else to drive a regulated heavy vehicle
4.2 Management Responsibility
- Complying with HVNL and CoR Responsibilities.
- Consulting with drivers and others within the chain
- Maintaining work systems to enable compliance with Heavy Vehicle National Law
- Ensuring Management exercises relevant supervision and control over CoR systems.
- Addressing and monitoring breaches or concerns raised
- Provide CoR Awareness training
- Provide the resources to achieve this commitment
4.3 Contracting Companies Responsibility
- Implement systems that comply with Cor requirements or comply with Scott McKenzie Transport systems for CoR.
- Ensure Subcontracted companies also comply with CoR requirements.
4.4 Consignors (those who send freight)
- Ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that delivery requirements do not require or encourage drivers or contracted carriers to exceed speed limits, regulated work and rest hours or drive whilst impaired by fatigue.
- Ensure that loads do not exceed vehicle mass or dimension limits.
- Ensure goods carried on consignor’s behalf are appropriately secured.
- Operators carrying freight containers have a verified Container Weight Declaration.
4.5 Drivers
- Comply with relevant fatigue management work and rest laws and procedures to implement them.
- Retain relevant documentation (including a complying Container Weight Declaration if carrying shipping containers) before commencing a journey.
- Make sure you make the most of your rest breaks by sleeping in dark, quiet and comfortable places
- Respond to changes in circumstances (such as delays) and report these to your base (if possible) to implement short-term fatigue management measures
- Ensure that heavy vehicles and their loads comply with relevant mass and dimension requirements.
- Obey all road rules including speed.
- Do not travel at an unsafe speed given the conditions
- Monitor and report on vehicle defects
- Don’t operate an unroadworthy or unsafe vehicle
- Ensure your load is appropriately restrained
- Remain fit for work. This includes driving within regulated driving hours, meeting minimum rest requirements, not being impaired by drugs, alcohol or fatigue.
4.6 Employers (of Drivers)
- Ensure drivers keep records of work and rest time.
- Ensure that their business practices do not require or encourage drivers to exceed speed limits, exceed regulated driving hours, fail to meet minimum rest requirements or drive while fatigued.
- Ensure that heavy vehicles and their loads comply with relevant mass and dimension requirements.
- Training provided so employees understand their National Heavy Vehicle law responsibilities.
- Appropriate, serviceable and well-maintained loading and restraining equipment is provided.
- Suitable and appropriate vehicles and/or combinations are provided.
- Systems are in place to manage safety and all requirements and obligations of the National Heavy Vehicle Law.
4.7 Packers
- Goods packed are marked correctly and documentation is accurate, and not false or misleading.
- Goods packed appropriately secured.
- Goods packed in freight containers do not cause that container’s gross weight or safety approval rating to be exceeded.
- Delays in loading packed goods are prevented.
4.8.1 Loaders
- Check that loads do not exceed vehicle mass or dimension limits.
- Goods carried are secured and restrained by the loader.
- Reliable weight information is provided to drivers/
- Load documentation is accurate.
- Loading delays are prevented.
- A risk assessment is carried out when loading items.
- Drivers and other personnel are to be confined to a safe zone unless they have a defined role and are competent to perform that role.
- Loading activities do not require or encourage drivers to exceed speed limits, exceed regulated driving hours, and fail to meet minimum rest requirements, or drive while fatigued.
4.8.2 Unloaders
- Unloading delays are minimized as delays may encourage drivers to exceed speed limits, exceed regulated driving hours, fail to meet minimum rest requirements, or drive while fatigued
- A risk assessment is carried out when unloading items.
- Check if any load is unsecured or damaged where it could create a risk when unloading.
- Drivers and other personnel are to be confined to a safe zone unless they have a defined role and are competent to perform that role.
4.9 Consignees (Receivers)
- Delivery requirements do not require or encourage drivers to exceed speed limits, driving hours, fail to meet minimum rest break or drive while fatigued.
- Operators carrying freight containers have a verified Container Weight Declaration.
4.10 Scheduler
- To ensure that the schedule for the transport of goods does not impose unsafe expectations of drivers or personnel involved in the supply chain in terms of journey time, regulated driving time, breaks, speed, routes etc.
- All necessary scheduling, journey and route information is accessible.
- Transport operators Schedulers are responsible for scheduling driver work and rest hours and work rosters within strict fatigue management requirements. Other than suspending an activity because of a potential risk to health and safety.
- No person other then the driver or scheduler must not alter, direct or seek to influence a Driver’s schedule
5 CoR Control Processes
- 5.1 Management Systems
Scott McKenzie Transport and contractors have implemented management systems to control the following in relation to heavy vehicle transport.
- Heavy Vehicle Speed
- Heavy Vehicle Dimensions/Mass
- Heavy Vehicle Load Restraint
- 5.2 Management of Speed
Scott McKenzie Transport is committed to reducing the risks which our employees face and create when driving for work. We ask all our staff to play their part, whether they use a company vehicle, their own, or a hire vehicle.Employees driving for work must never drive faster than conditions safely allow and must obey posted speed limits at all times. Exceeding the speed limit is against the law. Persistent failure to comply with the law will be regarded as a serious matter and gross speeding while driving for work will be regarded as a serious disciplinary matter.
Staff who gain penalty points on their licence may be required to take further driver training. Company vehicles may be withdrawn from staff who attain 9 or more penalty points. They will be withdrawn from staff who are disqualified from driving.
We will co-operate with police enquiries resulting from an alleged speeding offence or incident and supply details of the employee (or the driver, if different) to whom the vehicle is allocated
- 5.3 Heavy Vehicle Dimensions & Mass
It is the responsibility of the Driver and Management to ensure the vehicle used is suitable for the type of load.
- A long load should be carried on a vehicle with a suitable length body so there is no excessive overhang.
- The load should not project from the front, sides or rear of a vehicle in such a manner that could cause danger to any person, or damage to any property.
- A load with a high center of mass should be carried on a vehicle with a low platform height (e.g. drop frame trailer or low loader).
- The overall height of general access vehicles should not exceed 4.3 meters but must also comply with over-height restrictions on local structures encountered enroute.
- You must not exceed any of the following:
- The vehicle manufacturer’s rated axle load capacity
- The vehicle manufacturer’s rated Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM)
- The vehicle manufacturer’s rated Gross Combination Mass (GCM) where applicable
- The requirements for Mass (varies according to truck configurations)
- The maximum dimensions of truck (and load) height is 4.3 metres
- The maximum dimensions of truck (and load) width 2.5 metres
- Maximum length of rigid truck is 12.5 meters
- Maximum length of semi-trailer combination is 19 metres
- B-Doubles must keep to approved routes and may be 26 metres long.
- Be careful of drawbars across trailers and other protrusions which may breach these limits.
- Ensure the correct permit is carried if exceeding maximum dimensions
- 5.4 Loading Operations (Load Restraint / Loading / Unloading)
The intention of loading operations requirement to ensure that loading is undertaken safely and that vehicle mass/dimension requirements are complied with. All persons involved in the loading operations must ensure the below steps are followed
- All loading or unloading activities must be conducted by a competent person
- The weights (product plus packaging) of the combined consignment provided to the driver to allow the driver to determine and declare that total gross mass is within legal limits prior to loading.
- The driver must ensure the load is appropriately restrained before moving the vehicle.
- Loads must be restrained to prevent unacceptable movement during all expected conditions of operation.
- Loads must not be placed in a way that makes the vehicle unsafe or unstable.
- Loads must be secured so that it is unlikely to fall or be dislodged during loading or unloading
- Ensure that any containers loaded with packaged material a Container Weight Declaration is completed and handed to the driver.
- Ensure the vehicle brakes have been applied before loading or unloading begins.
- Don’t tie the load to an object to drag it off by moving the vehicle.
- Ensure the vehicle is on even ground.
- Do not operate mobile telephones or personal listening devices while loading or unloading.
- if the site is unsafe to load or unload, do not load or unload and contact Scott McKenzie Transport ASAP
- Ensure the trailer deck is free of oil, grease, water, dirt and other contaminants that may reduce friction and affect the load stability.
- Ensure the correct permit is carried if exceeding maximum dimension
- 5.5 Training and Inductions
All Scott McKenzie Transport workers involved in activities related to heavy vehicle road transport will complete the Scott McKenzie Transport CoR training.All heavy vehicle road transport drivers, sub-contractors and employees involved in loading and unloading are adequately trained or assessed as competent for their function as per national competency standards
- 5.9 Audits & Governance
Scott McKenzie Transport will undertake internal audits and may undertake external CoR compliance audits to achieve the Heavy Vehicle National Law.This will include but not limited to:
- Legal Compliance and Chain of Responsibilities.
- Fatigue Management (Scheduling, Waiting Time, Queuing, Loading & unloading).
- Safe loading preparations, Restraint & Containment, Mass, Container Weight Declarations &
- Dangerous Goods.
- Speed Management.
- Driver fatigue management including driver health and fitness for duty
- An assessment of the management of sub contracted freight operations.
6. Final Notes
Every Chain of Responsibility Participant is encouraged to notify Scott McKenzie Transport of any work system, situation or practice that the Chain of Responsibility Participant considers may have the consequence of breaching, or may facilitate a breach of, the Chain of Responsibility Legislation.
Scott McKenzie Transport will treat any notification made under this clause seriously. Following such a notification Scott McKenzie Transport may make inquiries or may make changes to a work system, situation or practice.