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The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) conducted more than 4,500 heavy vehicle inspections as part of Operation Sapphire, with faulty brakes emerging as the top safety concern during the month-long compliance initiative.
NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati said Operation Sapphire ran from 19 May to 15 June and focused on key safety risks associated with heavy vehicles operating in the construction and demolition waste sectors.
“The aim of this operation was to clean up unsafe practices within two of the nation’s busiest transport sectors – and unfortunately, we have uncovered a number of significant safety risks during this four-week initiative,” Mr Salvati said.
“The primary concern was mechanical non-compliance, with 3,074 defective components identified during the operation and whilst the majority of these were minor issues, 113 were classified as major and mainly for faulty brakes.
“A single truck with failed brakes is all it takes to turn a routine workday into a disaster, and this is 113 times where we could have seen potential tragedy occur on our roads.
“When a fully loaded truck can’t stop effectively – lives are on the line.”
Mr Salvati said the transport of waste and construction materials can be particularly hazardous and present challenging safety risks for the driver of the vehicle, and other road users – meaning compliance with safety obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law is crucial.
“NHVR Safety and Compliance Officers (SCOs) issued 1,530 defect notices as a result of mechanical non-compliance - I would like to urge all operators to take these findings seriously and invest in proactive maintenance, and prioritise pre-departure checks of their vehicle before it hits the road to ensure it is safe and ready for the journey.”
Non-compliance with mass limits also proved to be a significant concern during Operation Sapphire, with 94 breaches detected – 47 of which were classified as substantial offences, and 11 categorised as severe violations.
“Mass non-compliance can result in the damage of critical infrastructure and compromise a vehicle’s braking ability, both of which are concerning safety risks,” Mr Salvati said.
“Additionally, out of the 82 loading offences detected throughout the operation, 67 were minor in nature, while 14 were classified as substantial offences.
“Incidents involving overloaded vehicles or loads falling from trucks can have catastrophic impacts, and each of the offences detected throughout Operation Sapphire, no matter how minor, could have had serious consequences had our SCOs not intervened.
“While we recognise and commend the vast majority of industry who are committed to safety and compliance, the results from this operation show there is certainly opportunity for improvement.
“Whether you’re transporting building materials or equipment to and from construction sites, or transporting waste to a facility - safety is never disposable.”
SCOs worked closely with police during the four-week operation, focusing their efforts across key transport corridors and high-risk locations, such as quarries, waste disposal sites and construction zones.
“We are committed to working with our partners to proactively reduce road safety risks before they turn into serious incidents and prevent the devastating impacts of road trauma on communities across Australia,” he said.
“I would like to remind industry that the NHVR is always ready and willing to help with compliance and ensure their movements are safe and efficient, but we won’t hesitate to act when safety is being binned.”
The NHVR recently registered the Waste and Recycling Industry Code of Practice (PDF, 11.3MB), helping operators manage their Chain of Responsibility (CoR) obligations. The code outlines practical measures for drivers, managers and businesses to eliminate preventable risks.