Western Australia’s recently reported on WorkSafe’s participation in roadblock exercises, revealing a reasonable level of compliance with WA’s fatigue management laws for commercial vehicle drivers.
WorkSafe participated in five joint Austrans roadblock operations undertaken by WA Police and also involving Main Roads WA, the Explosives and Dangerous Goods section of the Department of Mines and Petroleum, the Department of Transport and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The operations were conducted throughout May, and those that involved WorkSafe were at the Upper Swan vehicle assembly area, Northam vehicle assembly area, Neerabup, Peel District and Bedfordale.
According to WorkSafe’s report, a total of 124 commercial vehicles were inspected by WorkSafe over the five locations, and 34 transport companies are currently undergoing follow-up inspections. In the course of the roadblocks, one prohibition notice and a pair of improvement notices were issued.
‘Reasonable Level’ of Compliance Seems Apparent
WorkSafe WA Commissioner Lex McCulloch stated recently that a reasonable level of compliance was apparent in the transport industry, but the number of follow-ups required suggested that there were still some concerns over fatigue management.
“Fatigue is a serious safety issue in the commercial transport industry, and it seems that most employers are in compliance with WA’s fatigue management laws,” McCulloch said. “However, operations such as Austrans continue to expose the fact that there are still problems with record keeping, mandatory medical checks for drivers, appropriate sleeper cabs and driver training.”
According to McCulloch, WorkSafe kicked off its participation in roadblocks eight years ago, and it seems that the transport industry has generally come to grips with the fatigue laws over that time and employers seem to understand that the laws are there to ensure that commercial vehicle drivers are given sufficient rest.
“It is always worth reminding the industry that the human body has limitations, and adequate sleep and rest are essential to safely undertake long-distance driving,” McCullough added. “There is no room for complacency when it comes to fatigue, and WorkSafe intends to continue monitoring the commercial transport industry with roadblocks for some time to come.”
McCullough closed by noting that “A comprehensive code of practice for the management of fatigue has been in operation in WA since 1998, and it was updated in 2003 when the regulations came into effect. All transport companies operating in WA need to ensure that this code of practice is available in all workplaces.”
