SAFETY ALERT: MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
A safety alert has been issued by Worksafe Victoria with regards to maintenance and repair work on commercial vehicles. The alert provides guidance on the health and safety risks associated with failing to maintain, repair and conduct regular inspections on components in commercial vehicles.
The safety alert was released following an incident where an employee sustained fatal injuries as a result of road accident. An examination of the vehicle had identified that the driver seat was in an unsafe condition. It was observed that the missing parts and cracks in the metal work of the seat pan (including welds in the steel frame) were largely to blame for the injuries sustained to the employee at the time.
At the time of the incident, Worksafe stated that the employer was aware of the condition of the driver seat and it had not been repaired, therefore it was in an unsafe condition prior to the accident. The incident highlights the importance of members conducting regular inspections and how inadequacy of work procedures to repair and maintain faults can create a risk to employees and surroundings.
It is important that VACC members make customers aware of the importance of the risks associated with failures to maintain, inspect and repair faults to components in vehicles. Employers who manage vehicles should ensure:
- Vehicles are roadworthy, safe and without risks to health
- Vehicles are regularly inspected and appropriate maintained faults/component are repaired appropriately through manufactures recommendations or competent person
- Employees are provided with training and instructions in relation to undertaking pre-operational checks.
VACC Update 'Safety Altert: maintenance and repair of commercial vehicles, , vol. 56, no. 3, pp.4
