Operator Falls Short Again on Vehicle Compliance
Source: www.shipoverseas.com
Defective trucks and drug affected drivers were just 2 of the problems detected at the major distribution centre for a large retailer.
RMS have demanded reform from the retailer to get their compliance up to scratch. The company have been told by the RMS to significantly improve its approach to heavy vehicle safety.
New South Wales authorities are going to hold talks with executives from the company to demand that they institute changes to significantly improve its operations after serious breaches were once again detected within the retailer’s distribution centre network.
RMS and NSW Police recently conducted a joint compliance operation at the company’s major disitribution centre at Eastern Creek, west of Sydney and the results were alarming.
According to reports, authorities found one driver who tested positive for cannibis and another who had both cannibis and methamphetamine in his system.
Inspectors also issued 62 defect notices for faults including punctured and bald tyres as well as oil and fuel leaks.
The inspectors also identified 29 load restraint issues.
The findings resulted in RMS director of safety and compliance Peter Wells to lambast the company for its ‘approach’ to safety.
Wells explained:
“It seems from today’s results that no effective checks and balances are in place to ensure loads are safely secured or associated risks minimised,”
“As one of the largest distributors in the country managing the movement of thousands of trucks every day, these results are unacceptable and compromise safety on the road network.”
Just 18 months ago the same retailer was under the spotlight as NSW authorities honed in on their practices. According to Wells, the same “poor practices” seem to be prevalent within the company once again.
Mr Wells explained:
“We will meet with Coles executive directors to discuss the disappointing findings to ensure there is a vast improvement in compliance levels and safety,” he says.
“We call on top management and the board of directors to step in and ensure there is rapid cultural change to ensure legal compliance with the requirements for heavy vehicle safety.”
Wells explained that this incident should serve as a reminder to all parties in the transport support chain about their obligations under chain of responsibility legislation.
If you want to avoid face hefty fines, ensure your company doesn’t breach dimension, load restraint and mass regulations or you could be liable for a $10,000 fine. Off-road parties in the chain could be liable for penalties of more than $50,000.
He also highlighted that directors of companies can also be held criminally responsible for reaches.
NSW Police assistant commissioner John Hartley also weighed in on the incident,
“To see many more trucks with unsecured or poorly managed loads only increases the risk to other road users,” he says.
Read more at: http://www.fullyloaded.com.au/industry-news/1512/rms-talks-tough-as-coles-fails-again-on-heavy-vehicle-compliance/
