Swan Hill Rural City Council
| POLICY TITLE | CHAIN OF RESPONSIBILITY POLICY |
|---|---|
| POLICY NUMBER | CPOL/OHS922 |
| DATE ADOPTED | June 2019 |
| LAST REVIEW | December 2020 |
| NEXT REVIEW | December 2023 |
| DOWNLOAD |
Purpose
This policy provides a framework to ensure Swan Hill Rural City Council (Council) staff, contractors, volunteers, and suppliers promote public safety in our transport activities and manage compliance to our Chain of Responsibility obligations.
Background
Chain of Responsibility is a nationally legislated program of compliance and enforcement that aims to improve safety and reduce accidents across the road transport industry. Chain of Responsibility law imposes responsibilities on all parties which have control or influence over heavy vehicle road transport tasks involving mass, dimension, loading, speed and fatigue; these laws are applicable to Council’s fleet operations for vehicles over 4.5 tonnes.
Scope
This Policy applies to all Council staff, contractors, volunteers, and suppliers that have responsibility for or involvement in, consigning, packing, loading, driving, operating and receiving goods on behalf of Council.
Policy
Council recognises its safety duties under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) to ensure the safety of its transport activities.
Council is committed to the provision of services to the community and the construction and maintenance of its infrastructure assets in the safest way possible for our loaders, receivers, contractors, heavy vehicle drivers and the general public, to ensure the safety of all within our
operations and supply chain.
To achieve this, Council undertakes to comply with all Chain of Responsibility legislation and associated regulations.
In implementing this Policy, Council will:
- Continue a consultative approach with our staff, vendors, heavy vehicle contractors, transport business operators, local government partners and stakeholders;
- Apply risk management principles in the identification, assessment and control of risks involved in all our activities involving heavy vehicles;
- Maintain and monitor systems to manage safety and ensure compliance with all requirements of the Chain of Responsibility laws, including auditing of the system
- Provide adequate and appropriate information, training and supervision in Chain of Responsibility responsibilities; and
- Provide appropriate and relevant resources to meet this commitment.
Compliance with Chain of Responsibility legislative requirements is the responsibility of all Council staff and contractors to ensure the safety of the general public, staff and heavy vehicle drivers.
Council takes the Chain of Responsibility obligations seriously. Any breach of this Policy and supporting Procedures and processes may result in disciplinary action.
Related Policies
- CPOL/OHS901 Occupational Health and Safety Policy
Related Legislation
- Heavy Vehicle National Law
- Heavy Vehicle (General) National Regulation
- Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation
- Heavy Vehicle (Registration) National Regulation
- Heavy Vehicle (Fatigue Management) National Regulation
- Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation
Signed: Cr Bill Moar (Mayor)
Date: 18/12/20