CoR compliance for loaders and drivers – the final checkpoint for compliance

Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), all parties in the supply chain have a responsibility to ensure breaches of road transport laws do not occur. This is particularly relevant in loading situations where loaders and drivers are responsible for the most critical and final checkpoint before a heavy vehicle hits the road. In this article, we look at some of the overarching compliance obligations for loaders and drivers in loading situations, as well as providing a general checklist of compliance issues to consider before a vehicle departs.

The Chain of Responsibility (CoR) regime provides various responsibilities for loaders and drivers to ensure the safe and legal transport of goods on Australian roads. Since the inception of the HVNL, there have been a number of heavy vehicle incidents that have occurred as a result of parties not undertaking the requisite checks regarding mass, dimension and load restraint prior to heavy vehicles commencing their journey.