‘RETURNING HOME SAFELY’ HEAVY VEHICLE DRIVER FATIGUE
THE HEAVY VEHICLE DRIVER FATIGUE REFORM
Tips on Managing
Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue
PRESENTATION DESIGNED FOR
HEAVY VEHICLE DRIVERS
Contents
Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue– Reform overview
– Chain of Responsibility
– General duty
– Reasonable steps
– Work and rest options
– Work diary and record keeping
– Training and accreditation
– Further information
74% of drivers think
fatigue is a serious problem in the
road freight industry
Introduction
Who do the new laws apply to?– Rigid trucks over 12 tonnes GVM
– Combinations over 12 tonnes GVM
– Buses with over 12 seats (inc. driver)
The laws do not apply to:– Plant equipment
– Motor homes
What’s changing?
Standard Hours – Basic work and rest limits
Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) – More flexible work hours linked to accreditation
Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM)– Create your own fatigue management system
and work hours linked to accreditation
What’s changing?
Chain of Responsibility provisions– A general duty on all parties in the supply chain
to manage fatigue (consistent with OH&S laws)
– Risk categorisation of offences, revised sanctions and enforcement powers
Strengthened record keeping requirements– A new driver work diary to replace the current
log book
Work Vs. Rest
Work time is the time a driver spends driving a truck (on or off the road) and any other time a driver spends doing tasks related to the operation of the vehicle e.g.– Fueling and cleaning
– Inspecting and servicing
– Attending to the load
– Loading and unloading
– Waiting in a Queue* etc
Rest time is time that is not work time
* Can be rest if you don’t have any work tasks
THIS IS WORK TIME
Work and rest options
Stationary rest is the time a driver spends out of the truck or in an approved sleeper berth of a truck not moving.
Night rest is 7 continuous hours stationary rest time between 10pm-8am or a 24 continuous hours stationary rest break.
Standard Hours – Solo Drivers
SOLO DRIVERS
Time Work Rest
In any period of… A driver must not work for more than a MAXIMUM of…
And must have the rest of that period off work with at least a MINIMUM rest break of…
5 ½ hours 5 ¼ hours work time 15 continuous minutes rest time
8 hours 7 ½ hours work time 30 minutes rest time in blocks of 15 continuous minutes
11 hours 10 hours work time 60 minutes rest time in blocks of 15 continuous minutes
24 hours 12 hours work time 7 continuous hours stationary rest time
7 days 72 hours work time 24 continuous hours stationary rest time
14 days 144 hours work time 2 x night rest breaks and 2 x night rest breaks taken on consecutive days
Basic Fatigue Management
More flexible hours
Ability to work 14 hour shifts
Greater say in work and rest hours
NHVAS BFM accreditation
Basic Fatigue Management – Solo Drivers
Time Work Rest
In any period of… A driver must not work for more than a MAXIMUM of…
And must have the rest of that period off work with at least a MINIMUM rest break of…
6 ¼ hours 6 hours work time 15 continuous rest time
9 hours 8 ½ hours work time 30 minutes rest time in blocks of 15 continuous minutes
12 hours 11 hours work time 60 minutes rest time in blocks of 15 continuous minutes
24 hours 14 hours work time 7 continuous hours stationary rest time
7 days 36 hours long/night work time
14 days 144 hours work time 24 continuous hours stationary rest time taken after no more than 84 hours work time and 24 continuous hours stationary rest time and 2 x night rest breaks and 2 x night rest breaks taken on consecutive days
Long and Night hours
A driver must not exceed 36 ‘night’ and ‘long’ hours
Long hour– is any hour worked above 12 hours in a 24 hour
period and is counted in 15 minute periods.
Night hour– is any hour worked between midnight and 6am
and is counted in 15 minute periods.
Day Hoursworkedin oneshift
Hours worked in oneshift (showing night
and long hours)
Accumulated night and
long hoursworked in
any 24 hours
Totalaccumulated
night andlong hours
worked in a 7 day period
NightHours
LongHours
1 13 5 1 6 6
2 14 6 2 8 14
3 13 5 1 6 20
4 13 5 1 6 26
5 13 5 1 6 32
6 13 3 1 4 36
7 Day/Night Off 36
The table summarises a 7 day work period for a driver– Night and long hours
worked on various days count toward the 36 hour limit in any 7 days
– For simplicity, it is assumed the driver has not worked in the 7 days before
Night hours and long hours worked each day are accumulated (highlighted)– On day 1 the driver
worked a total of 13 hours (including 5 night hours and 1 long hour)
– The 5 night hours and 1 long hour are added together to total the long/night hours
Day Hoursworkedin oneshift
Hours worked in oneshift (showing night
and long hours)
Accumulated night and
long hoursworked in
any 24 hours
Totalaccumulated
night andlong hours
worked in a 7 day period
NightHours
LongHours
1 13 5 1 6 6
2 14 6 2 8 14
3 13 5 1 6 20
4 13 5 1 6 26
5 13 5 1 6 32
6 13 3 1 4 36
7 Day/Night Off 36
Day Hoursworkedin oneshift
Hours worked in oneshift (showing night
and long hours)
Accumulated night and
long hoursworked in
any 24 hours
Totalaccumulated
night and long hours
worked in a 7 day period
NightHours
LongHours
1 13 5 1 6 6
2 14 6 2 + 8 14
3 13 5 1 + 6 20
4 13 5 1 + 6 26
5 13 5 1 + 6 32
6 13 3 1 + 4 36
7 Day/Night Off + 0 = 36
how a driver can reach 36 hours very quickly when working nights and long days over a 7 day period (days 1 to 7)
The driver reaches 36 hours in only 6 days so the total is still 36 hours in 7 days
Day Hoursworkedin oneshift
Hours worked in oneshift (showing
night and long hours)
Accumulated night and
long hoursworked in
any 24 hours
Totalaccumulated
night and long hours
worked in a 7 day period
NightHours
Long Hours
8 Day/Night Off 0 30
9 13 5 1 + 6 28
10 14 6 2 + 8 30
11 14 6 2 + 8 32
12 13 5 1 + 6 32
13 Day/Night Off + 0 28
14 Day/Night Off + 0 = 28
The following 7 day period (days 8 to 14) show that even though the driver has taken 3 x 24 hour rest breaks the total accumulated hours is still 28– In this example, the driver
could have worked another 8 night and/or long hours as long as fatigue was managed
What is a General Duty?
EVERYONE in the supply chain has a ‘general duty’ to manage driver fatigue– Drivers must not work while fatigued
– Everyone else in the supply chain must make sure drivers do not work while fatigued
Chain of Responsibility
Drivers are currently ‘carrying the can’ for the failures and unreasonable pressures of others
The reform helps drivers get home safely by requiring all parties in the supply chain to manage the causes driver fatigue
Chain of Responsibility
The Chain of Responsibility means that all parties in the supply chain share the responsibility to manage driver fatigue
You need to cooperate and consult with each other to address fatigue risks
Everyone achieves this by taking ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent fatigue
YOU are responsible.It doesn’t matter what
your job title is!
Drivers,operators, receivers,
consigners, consignees,distribution centres,
schedulers, rosterers,loaders, unloadersmanagement etc.
What are Reasonable Steps?
Regularly identify and assess the risks associated with your activities; and manage those risks
Eliminate the risk or minimise the likelihood of the risk occurring
What can you do?
Take a break when you are tired
Review your schedule
Report any problems/delays
Maintain health and fitness
Breaches
STOP! It is illegal for any person to make a reckless or negligent demand that they know will breach the law
Drivers will continue to be held liable even if another party in the supply chain is found guilty – you can’t pass the buck!
A new work diary
New work diary to record your work: – similar format to
your current driver log book
– some new features
Changes from the log book
Work and rest hours
Odometer reading
Pre-trip check
Driving scheme
Accreditation number
Time zone
Training and Accreditation
BFM and AFM competency unit for driversTLIF1007C Apply fatigue management strategies (for drivers)
TLIF6307A Administer the implementation of fatigue management strategies (for schedulers)
Training methods– TAFE College
– Private Registered Training Organisation (RTO)
– In-house trainers
Statement of Attainment
Competence
Competence can be gained in different ways, including:– Fatigue management training course;
– Studying background information
– On-the-job training; and
– Work experience.
It does not really matter how you become competent. What matters is whether you can demonstrate competence.
Online resources
The NTC has developed an online resource– Information bulletins
– Fatigue guidelines
– Napping guidelines
– Driver dashboard cards
– Self-assessment checklists
– Daily and weekly work/rest planning
– Training and awareness presentations
– Promotional material
www.ntc.gov.au
Supporting material also available:– Guidelines for Using Napping to Prevent Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue
– Guidelines for Managing Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue
– BFM and AFM Accreditation Guidelines
– Rest area guidelines available from your local road agency
– Education programs provided by TAFE colleges and RTOs
Further information
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Thank you