Changes to Chain of Responsibility

New Primary Duty laws

On 1 October 2018, the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) was amended to provide that every party in the heavy vehicle transport supply chain has a duty to ensure the safety of their transport activities. In practical terms, this primary duty represents an obligation to eliminate or minimise potential harm or loss (risk) by doing all that is reasonably practicable to ensure safety. As a party in the supply chain, the best way to do this is to have Safety Management Systems (SMS) and controls in place, such as business practices, training, procedures and review processes that:

  • identify, assess, evaluate, and control risk
  • manage compliance with speed, fatigue, mass, dimension, loading and vehicle standards requirements through identified best practice
  • involve regular reporting, including to executive officers
  • document or record actions taken to manage safety.

CoR and Safety Management Systems video presentation

1. Safety Duties and CoR

2. Safety Management Systems

3. SMS Tools and Templates

4. Codes of Practice and accreditation schemes

CoR Gap Assessment Tool

Through a series of practical questions, the CoR Gap Assessment Tool enables you to examine your business practices and systems controls against known risks and recognised best practice.

Safety Management Systems

  • Introduction to risk management (PDF, 424KB) - This guide will familiarise you with risk management and help you begin to establish and refine your own processes for identifying, assessing and managing risks in your heavy vehicle transport activities.
  • SMS fact sheet (PDF, 269KB) - A Safety Management System is a systematic approach to managing safety, including the necessary organisational structures, accountabilities, policies and procedures, which is integrated throughout the business wherever possible.

For more information see the following section of our website, Safety Management Systems (SMS).

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