Ensuring safety on our roads is no longer solely the responsibility of the driver behind the wheel. Recent insights from NHVR highlight that Chain of Responsibility (CoR), which is embedded in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), is not limited to compliance with specific mandatory aspects of the HVNL such as mass, dimensions, loading, driving hours, speed, and vehicle standards. It encompasses all parties influencing the safety of heavy vehicle operations on roads, including loading, using medically ‘fit’ employees, roadworthy vehicle selection, and potentially even facility design.
In brief the CoR concepts, first proposed in 1995, have been written into the HVNL, hold for all segments of the supply chain, guaranteeing accountability across every participant, from planners to the various operations and management staff who must adhere to, and comply with, safe work practices.
In the construction industry, these baseline principles are a starting point upon which many elements of the CLOCS-A Standard (Construction Logistics and Community Safety – Australia) are both additional to and mandatory within the standard. This now active standard advocates for a highly proactive, systems-based approach to safety, raising the bar somewhat above a HVNL/CoR base. CLOCS-A not only focusses on the Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs), both to and from, and on construction sites, but also on the several non-driver specific elements in the construction supply chain.
Both the CoR provisions in the HVNL and the elements in the CLOCS-A framework stress a shared responsibility for safety which is not solely the duty of transport operators; it is a collective obligation among planners, contractors, suppliers, and drivers. CLOCS-A adds elements additional to those embedded in the HVNL/CoR law by promoting heightened trip planning and forecasting, proactive risk management strategies, specific VRU driver training, considerable tiered vehicle technology adoption, and community consultation. All of which go beyond basic legal compliance.
Essential factors such as construction logistics planning, enhanced driver training, and fitness for work, route selection are critical controls that significantly influence road outcomes. By managing these upstream measures effectively, construction projects can prevent incidents rather than merely responding to them. Construction truck specification in the CLOCS-A standard go well beyond mere roadworthiness and are even additional to the PBS requirements for those construction trucks and trailers that are in the PBS scheme. PBS does not require any of the 32 CLOCS-A standards although some PBS operators may have adopted several of CLOCS-A truck specifications.
CLOCS-A embeds safety into every phase of the construction logistics process. From planning routes and scheduling deliveries to maintaining vehicles and ensuring driver readiness, and these controls further mitigate risks and safeguard the community. In doing so, organisations not only fulfill regulatory obligations but also cultivate a culture of accountability and safety that benefits both workers and the broader community.
In essence, CLOCS-A builds upon not only the HVNL/CoR baseline but also provides elements that would contribute to a very high standard Safety Management System (SMS) that is specifically focussed on the construction related heavy transport sector. It ensures both a heightened, shared proactive, and comprehensive approach to road safety in this sector.