Category: Courses News

Some Great Questions

Recently AFM received some very complex questions regarding work time. While the legislation was able to provide answers for some, others required more research and in some cases referral to the NHVR. With the questioners kind permission, we have reprinted these because they raise some interesting scenarios. Please note, the questions and answers below only

Work Time

As the last blog for the year, we would like to recap on what worktime is. We all know it vaguely covers doing anything with the truck but it does much more than that. Below is an extract from the HVNL and in particular Section 221. Work, in relation to a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle, means— (a)

Another Christmas

As we come to the end of another year, we at Australian Fatigue Management would like to wish everybody who supported us through the year, a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. A special wish for all those drivers that can’t be with their families on Christmas Day and an

Victorian Drivers wanted – but not for a job!

Want to paid for sleeping? A study to find drivers’ fatigue and alertness levels while on shift is being conducted – and volunteer drivers are wanted. Participants will be reimbursed for the time involved. The Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity (CRCASP), in partnership with the National Transport Commission (NTC), is conducting field

Are drivers being set up to fail?

One of the oddities of the Fatigue Management Laws is the option of Standard Hours. The option allows drivers to work 12 hours a day providing the mandated rest breaks are taken at the appropriate times. However, operators do not have to be accredited under the NHVAS and drivers are not required to hold fatigue

Is endorsement training adequate?

A recent occurrence of a heavy vehicle again becoming stuck in the Sydney Airport Tunnel has once more brought the question of driver training to the fore. In this case the driver did not know how to reverse or uncouple and had no knowledge of the height limitations of the route he had chosen. Endorsement

82% of major crash incidents attributed to fatigue

Following on from the previous blog the NTARC states that fatigue still remains an issue of concern. The previous report had noted that since the September 2008 introduction of new legislation for heavy vehicle driving hours, and consequent fatigue reform, there had been considerable improvement in losses related to operator fatigue. With the current finding

Research into the major cause of Heavy Vehicle accidents

The National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) is an independent research facility established by National Transport Insurance (NTI), which, continues to be the leading commercial vehicle and equipment insurer in Australia. Once again, after the usual two year interval, the research centre has revisited the behaviour of the commercial, predominately ‘for hire and reward’ road

Overloading

Most of us know that there is no real advantage in overloading your vehicle but there can be situations when this can occur either by mistake or accident. The HVNL states that a person must not drive a heavy vehicle on a road when its total weight exceeds its mass requirements. There are also implications

Driver Speeding

If you speed, it is ultimately your decision to do so, but believe or not, the HVNL has been written to give you some measure of protection against external influences that may cause you to speed. The first thing you should know is that it is an offence under the legislation for anyone to make