The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has revealed that faulty brakes were the most common safety problem found during a month-long inspection blitz targeting trucks in the waste and construction sectors.
Operation Sapphire, which ran from 19 May to 15 June, saw NHVR officers carry out more than 4,500 heavy vehicle inspections. The campaign focused on safety risks in two of Australia’s busiest and most hazardous transport industries – construction and demolition waste.
NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati said the operation uncovered serious safety issues.
“The aim of this operation was to clean up unsafe practices within two of the nation’s busiest transport sectors – and unfortunately, we have uncovered a number of significant safety risks during this four-week initiative,” Mr Salvati said.
Mechanical Defects Lead the List
Mechanical problems were the biggest concern, with 3,074 defective components identified. While most were minor faults, 113 were major, with faulty brakes making up the bulk of these cases.
“A single truck with failed brakes is all it takes to turn a routine workday into a disaster, and this is 113 times where we could have seen potential tragedy occur on our roads,” Mr Salvati warned.
“When a fully loaded truck can’t stop effectively – lives are on the line.”
The transport of waste and construction materials can be especially risky due to heavy loads and challenging conditions. Mr Salvati said operators must follow safety rules under the Heavy Vehicle National Law and carry out proper maintenance.
“NHVR Safety and Compliance Officers (SCOs) issued 1,530 defect notices as a result of mechanical non-compliance – I would like to urge all operators to take these findings seriously and invest in proactive maintenance, and prioritise pre-departure checks of their vehicle before it hits the road to ensure it is safe and ready for the journey.”
Overloading Still a Major Problem
The inspections also revealed 94 breaches of mass limits, including 47 substantial and 11 severe offences. Overloaded vehicles pose major dangers, including damage to roads and bridges, and reduced braking ability.
“Mass non-compliance can result in the damage of critical infrastructure and compromise a vehicle’s braking ability, both of which are concerning safety risks,” Mr Salvati said.
There were also 82 loading offences recorded, most of them minor, but 14 were substantial.
“Incidents involving overloaded vehicles or loads falling from trucks can have catastrophic impacts, and each of the offences detected throughout Operation Sapphire, no matter how minor, could have had serious consequences had our SCOs not intervened.
“While we recognise and commend the vast majority of industry who are committed to safety and compliance, the results from this operation show there is certainly opportunity for improvement.
“Whether you’re transporting building materials or equipment to and from construction sites, or transporting waste to a facility – safety is never disposable.”
Joint Effort with Police
During the operation, SCOs worked with police in high-risk areas such as quarries, waste facilities and construction zones.
“We are committed to working with our partners to proactively reduce road safety risks before they turn into serious incidents and prevent the devastating impacts of road trauma on communities across Australia,” Mr Salvati said.
“I would like to remind industry that the NHVR is always ready and willing to help with compliance and ensure their movements are safe and efficient, but we won’t hesitate to act when safety is being binned.”
The NHVR has also recently registered the Waste and Recycling Industry Code of Practice, which provides practical guidance for operators to meet their Chain of Responsibility obligations and remove preventable risks.
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