Workplace Road Safety
For many jobs, driving is an important part of work. However, work-related travel contributes to road crashes and work health and safety risks for workers. Factors that may contribute to road crashes while travelling for work include fatigue, distraction and speeding.
Work vehicles are considered as part of the workplace. Businesses should have work health and safety policies and procedures that demonstrate road safety as a priority.
SafeWork SA
SafeWork SA is South Australia’s work health and safety regulator. It:
- enforces work health and safety legislation
- provides advice and education on work health and safety
- investigates workplace incidents
- provides licences and registration for workers and plant.
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
The South Australian Government and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator share the responsibility of regulating heavy vehicle safety.
An overview of roles and responsibilities is below.
SA Government
- Driver licensing and vehicle registration
- Road safety laws - driver behaviour
- Passenger transport regulation
- Enforcement of South Australian Road and vehicle laws
- State road infrastructure - development, maintenance and network management
- National input - Heavy Vehicle National Law, Australian Road Rules, Australian Design Rules
- Driver education and awareness
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
- Compliance and enforcement - Heavy Vehicle National Law
- Access (Oversize Mass) - Heavy Vehicle National Law notices/permits
- Heavy Vehicle Standards
- National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme
- Performance Based Standards Scheme
- Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue - Electronic Work Diary approvals, exemptions
- Industry Codes of Practice
- Education of heavy vehicle industry and parties in supply chain
Vehicles as a Workplace Work Health and Safety Guide
Australian state and territory agencies, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and other stakeholders have collaborated to create the Vehicles as a Workplace Work Health and Safety Guide.
This guide helps anyone who uses a vehicle for work. It provides a work health and safety framework for managing road traffic risks. The guide covers all vehicles used for transport businesses, such as bus, truck or taxi operators.
The guide helps organisations develop policies and procedures that meet their obligations to provide a safe workplace.
National Road Safety Partnership Program
The National Road Safety Partnership Program is available to all businesses to support them to develop a positive road safety culture.
The program provides tools, evidence and support to improve road safety in and outside our workplaces. It works with organisations throughout Australia to:
- increase knowledge about road safety
- build a safety culture.