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How To Stay Safe and Compliant With a Mobile Workforce By Chris L’Ecluse, Transport Solutions Specialist at Teletrac Navman
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eeping staff safe is essential for managers and executives across all industries. When you’re in charge of managing a mobile workforce, with staff working in remote areas of Australia for days or even weeks at a time, ensuring the safety of all team members is easier said than done. In Western Australia alone, twelve workers lost their lives on the job between 2018-19. Recent industrial manslaughter convictions of employers have made it clear that businesses need safety systems and risk management plans to protect their staff, or risk legal consequences in the case of an incident. With the passing of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA), actioned through Legislative Assembly on 3rd November last year, vehicles and driver cabins are now legally considered part of the workplace. This means that managers and operators need to be proactive in mitigating risks for their staff, or they potentially face serious charges. For businesses and body
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corporates, the maximum fine that can be issued under these new rules is $10 million, and individuals found guilty of negligence can face a maximum fine of $5 million and up to 20 years’ imprisonment. As Unions WA secretary, Owen Whittle, says, “If a negligent driver causing a fatal accident can be charged with manslaughter, so too should an employer that badly mismanages a dangerous workplace.” Greg Busson, CFMEU Mining and Energy WA Secretary, mirrors this sentiment, stating, “We need real disincentives like jail time for employers for risking workers’ safety... A slap on the wrist isn’t enough.” WA is now aligned with New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania by joining the harmonised work health and safety (WHS) regime, designed to provide a consistent set of safety laws for businesses in all states to follow. This provides a clear set of guidelines to build a comprehensive safety policy around, even if operating interstate.
Here’s what you can do to keep your staff safe and business out of legal trouble.
Automated Vehicle Maintenance In any workplace, it’s up to managers to ensure their facilities are in top condition for staff. In a mobile workforce, fleet operators take on the responsibility of keeping their vehicles safe and secure. Maintaining the condition of your fleet via paper pre-trip checklists and manual maintenance scheduling creates potential hazards if paperwork is lost. It also means that new issues that arise are not always captured or flagged quickly with other staff, which opens yourself up for serious trouble. By adopting a smart fleet management system, fleet managers can access engine and vehicle maintenance data in realtime. Back-office employees can create a comprehensive history of each asset and fully understand the state and condition of all vehicles without needing to physically inspect each individual truck or chase up previous paperwork from weeks before.
