NHVR releases guidance on new CoR provisions

Heavy transport operators, together with all Australian businesses that consign, pack, load or receive goods that are transported by a heavy vehicle, need to be aware of the amendments to the chain of responsibility provisions in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) that are expected to commence in mid-2018. To assist businesses get ready for the changes, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has recently released 10 fact sheets to assist the approximately 165,000 companies that make up Australia's heavy vehicle supply chain.

The amendments to the HVNL will make the following changes:

• A new 'primary duty' will be imposed on all parties in the chain of responsibility to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of their road transport activities. The current chain of responsibility provisions deem parties in the chain to be responsible for a series of on-road offences, such as breaches of vehicle's mass, dimension and loading requirements and breach