PURPOSE
MANUAL OF FLEET MANAGEMENT
PURPOSE
The purpose of this procedure is to define the organisations responsibility for ‘Fatigue Management’ requirements.
INTRODUCTION
MANUAL OF FLEET MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
For the purpose of this procedure we have categorised Fatigue Management in to two distinct groupings; general and regulated heavy vehicle. The underpinning principle is that anyone who influences on-road behaviour can be held responsible for those actions which impact on the safety of a transport task or activity.
The general category relates to any transport task undertaken on behalf of the organisation using passenger and/or light commercial vehicles (LCV’s).
Regulated heavy vehicles (Vehicles with a GVM over 12 tonnes; see below for more information) are subject to a defined set of Fatigue Management transport regulations which identify mandatory work and rest periods.
Under current legislation anyone, not just the driver, who is an issuer of any instruction which demands the setting of work and time schedules for transport tasks can be held responsible for breaches of the road laws and may be held legally liable. Specifically:
A person must not direct or require (directly or indirectly) a driver or a party in the chain of responsibility to do something that the person knows, or reasonably ought to know, would have the effect of causing the driver to:
- drive while impaired by fatigue; or
- drive while in breach of there work/rest hours option; or
- drive in breach of another law to avoid driving while impaired by fatigue or while in breach of their work/rest hours option; and
- Coercing, inducing or encouraging breaches; and
- Passing on false or misleading information that could cause a breach.
Should a safety incident occur authorities can investigate parties in the chain of responsibility including the corporate chain of command. Responsible parties in relation to a regulated heavy vehicle can be the:
- employer of the driver of the vehicle; and
- prime contractor of the driver; and
- operator of the vehicle; and
- scheduler of goods or passengers for transport by the vehicle, and the scheduler of its driver; and
- consignor of goods for transport by the vehicle; and
- consignee of goods for transport by the vehicle; and
- loading manager of goods for transport by the vehicle; and
- loader of goods on to the vehicle; and
- Un-loader of goods from the vehicle.
PROCEDURE
MANUAL OF FLEET MANAGEMENT
PROCEDURE
The organisation must define its transport activities and establish whether it is subject to the ‘regulated heavy vehicle’ legislation.
LEGISLATION
REGULATED HEAVY VEHICLE LEGISLATION NOT APPLICABLE
MANUAL OF FLEET MANAGEMENT
REGULATED HEAVY VEHICLE LEGISLATION NOT APPLICABLE
If the regulated heavy vehicle legislation is not applicable the organization will ensure that work schedules do not mean that total combined travel/work hours, including travel to and from home to work locations of any kind or by any mode, do not impede the individual’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.
Any policy must be clear and unequivocal i.e. should the combined travel/work period exceeds 12 hours then the employee must not drive. The policy must also state what an employee must do in these circumstances i.e. the employee must book into local accommodation and ensure they are sufficiently rested before undertaking any transport tasks.
Also the vehicle driver should not accept or take part in any unsafe practice and should not drive the vehicle if they feel that safety is being compromised and must immediately contact their direct supervisor.
REGULATED HEAVY VEHICLE LEGISLATION IS APPLICABLE
MANUAL OF FLEET MANAGEMENT
REGULATED HEAVY VEHICLE LEGISLATION IS APPLICABLE
If the regulated heavy vehicle legislation is applicable the organization has the responsibility to define and ensure that it implements and complies with the relevant ‘Fatigue Management System’. Organisations have the choice of one of three fatigue management approaches: Standard Hours, Basic Fatigue Management (NHVAS accredited) or Advanced Fatigue Management (NHVAS accredited); see below.
What is a regulated heavy vehicle?
A regulated heavy vehicle is a heavy truck or a bus. A heavy truck is a motor vehicle (except a bus or tram) with a GVM over 12 tonnes; or a motor vehicle (except a bus or tram) that is part of a combination, if the total of the GVMs of the vehicles in the combination is over 12 tonnes, A vehicle built mainly to carry people bus is a motor that seats over 12 adults (including the driver).
A regulated heavy vehicle does not include plant; or a motor home.
Plant is a motor vehicle that is built, or permanently modified, primarily to operate as a machine or implement, off-road; or on a road-related area; or on an area of road that is under construction; and is not capable of carrying goods or passengers by road.
A motor home is a rigid or articulated motor vehicle or combination that is built, or permanently modified, primarily for residential purposes, but does not include a motor vehicle only because it is constructed with a sleeper berth.
Example of what is plant: An agricultural machine, backhoe, bulldozer, excavator, forklift, front-end loader, grader, tractor or a motor vehicle that is registered as a type P plant-based special purpose vehicle.
Example of what is not plant: A truck-mounted crane or truck-mounted drilling rig.
The information on ‘Fatigue Management Systems’ presented in this procedure is a synopsis only. As responsibilities and requirements vary from State to State the organisations must refer to source legislation and any local State amendments to ensure that it has a full understanding of its responsibilities.
AFM LIMITS
MANUAL OF FLEET MANAGEMENT
AFM LIMITS
AFM operates against two sets of limits to manage the higher fatigue risks. Normal operating limits are used to guide operators when developing everyday schedules and driver rosters taking into account all foreseeable contingencies and reflecting the inherent fatigue risks (e.g. the amount of night driving balanced against longer rest breaks).
Outer limits represent the point at which further work poses an unacceptable fatigue risk. The national outer limit of 16 hours cannot be exceeded.
For a more detailed description of the fatigue management requirements please visit the National Transport Council at www.ntc.gov.au
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