2024 Single Vehicle Owner-Driver Safety Management System
The 2024 SVOD SMS is intended for use by a one person operation.
For the purpose of the 2024 TruckSafe Owner-Driver Safety Management System (2024 SVOD SMS), the definition of an ‘owner-driver’ is a person who is self-employed, is the only driver of their vehicle(s) and has engaged no other persons that have control or influence on a transport task other than a temporary relief driver or a subcontractor.
A ‘relief driver’ is a person who replaces the owner-driver on a temporary basis as a result of the owner-driver being unable to drive due to illness, injury, leave, or other factor, that prevents the owner-driver from driving.
As an owner-driver, the full extent of the 2024 TruckSafe SMS is not required to operate your business, however there are still important components highlighted in the SMS that can enable you to contribute to safer supply chains, and manage risk across the transport activities you engage in.
Developing and implementing practices in accordance with the 2024 SVOD SMS can assist individuals to identify and manage their heavy vehicle supply chain risks in accordance with Chain of Responsibility (CoR) laws.
For clients, TruckSafe provides confidence that the individual has responsible work practices, a well-maintained vehicle, is healthy, and has management systems to meet their transport needs.
One of the biggest advantages of being a certified owner-driver in TruckSafe is that our members are externally audited by a third party. These external audits can be used as evidence to demonstrate compliance with the 2024 SVOD SMS which, in turn, provides a strong defence with respect to CoR (within the Heavy Vehicle National Law) and the Master Code.
The 2024 Single Vehicle Owner-Driver SMS consists of the following components and elements:
Eligibility Rules
The rules governing the use and recognition of the 2024 TruckSafe Owner-Driver SMS (2024 SVOD SMS) are as follows:
The owner-driver is self-employed, has only one vehicle in use at any one time, and is the only driver of the vehicle
The owner-driver has engaged no other persons that have control or influence on a transport task other than a temporary relief driver or a subcontractor
The owner-driver must sign the legal declaration at the commencement of their membership and then at every audit confirming they meet the requirements of point 1 and 2 above
Should a 2024 SVOD SMS member engage anyone with control or influence on a transport task (excluding a temporary relief driver or subcontractor) including casual drivers, their 2024 SVOD SMS certification will be cancelled
A TruckSafe registered auditor is not permitted to audit a member using the 2024 SVOD SMS audit assessment tool where it is known the member does not meet the eligibility rules for the 2024 SVOD SMS
A relief driver that is engaged (that temporarily replaces the owner-driver) is permitted providing the relief driver continues to meet all requirements of the 2024 SVOD SMS in the same way the owner-driver is by ensuring they are aware of, understand, and execute the owner-driver’s policies, processes, and procedures as if they are the owner-driver
Subcontractors are permitted to work for the owner-driver providing all requirements of the 2024 SVOD SMS are being met
If you are unsure if you meet the eligibility rules for the 2024 SVOD SMS please contact us for more information.
Components and elements
1 - Scope, Purpose, and Safety Policy
1.1 – The owner-driver has a list of their company details that includes name, address, ABN, and contact details.
1.2 – The owner-driver has documented their transport activities that includes parties in the Chain of Responsibility they interact with.
1.3 – The owner-driver explains the purpose of their safety management system that includes minimising risk, so far as is reasonably practicable and in compliance with the Heavy Vehicle National Law (including Chain of Responsibility) and enables the establishment of practices consistent with Chain of Responsibility legislation.
1.4 – The owner-driver has a CoR safety policy, signed by them, which includes a commitment to ongoing improvement, observes all applicable legal requirements and standards, and considers best practices.
1.5 – The owner-driver’s CoR safety policy identifies speed, fatigue, mass, dimension, loading and load restraint, and vehicle maintenance as key risks to be managed.
1.6 – The owner-driver’s CoR safety policy includes a statement that they will proactively manage CoR risks and engage with contracting parties on any incidents or breaches.
1.7 – The owner-driver’s safety objectives are clear, well defined, and documented.
1.8 – The owner-driver uses version control for all documentation and records, reviews are up to date, and archives are retained for 3 years, or longer if required by law.
2 - Safety Risk Management
2.1 – The owner-driver has a process in place to capture, record, and where necessary, investigate hazards, incidents, and breaches to ensure causal factors are identified and appropriate controls are implemented to minimise or prevent occurrences and reoccurrences.
2.2 – The owner-driver has a process for the management of risk through the use of a risk register that includes hazards associated with their Chain of Responsibility obligations including speed, fatigue, mass, dimension, loading and load restraints, and vehicle maintenance.
2.3 – The owner-driver’s risk register must include identifying hazards, identifying the risks associated with those hazards, identifying existing controls, identifying any additional controls that can be added to reduce/eliminate the risks, and how they monitor and review those controls to ensure they are working as planned.
2.4 – The owner-driver is consulting with other parties in the supply chain that are directly affected by any controls they implement to reduce or eliminate risk.
3 - Safety Implementation
3.1 – The owner-driver maintains a current medical based on the Austroads Fitness to Drive commercial medical that is updated at least every 3 years if aged 49 and under, annually if aged 50 or over, or a reduced period if determined by the assessing physician.
3.2 – The owner-driver has a written strategy for managing and monitoring any breaches of the HVNL that occur.
3.3 – The owner-driver has a written strategy for managing and monitoring speed that includes scheduling, speed limiters, and over-runs.
3.4 – The owner-driver has a written strategy for managing and monitoring fatigue that includes scheduling, delays, contingencies, and rest facilities.
3.5 – The owner-driver has a written strategy for managing and monitoring mass, dimension, loading and load restraint that includes overloading, over dimension, loading and restraints.
3.6 – The owner-driver has a vehicle maintenance program that includes daily pre-trip checks, fault recording and reporting, regular vehicle servicing, annual roadworthy inspections, and speed limiter maintenance.
4 - Safety Assurance
4.1 – The owner-driver has received and documented their training for any equipment they use and for any requirements of a prime contractor.
4.2 – The owner-driver has received and documented their training if they are required to undertake a task that they are unfamiliar with.
4.3 – If the owner-driver engages a relief driver, the relief driver must continue to meet the requirements of the owner-driver safety management system as if they were the owner-driver. The owner-driver will be responsible for the relief driver’s SMS compliance, documentation, and records.
4.4 – The owner-driver is conducting an internal review at least annually that includes version control, risk register, hazard/non-conformance recording, reporting, investigation, and rectification, speeding policy, fatigue policy, mass, dimension, loading and load restraint policy, vehicle maintenance policy, training, and contractor engagement.
4.5 – The owner-driver has a method to identify the impact of changes to policies, processes, or procedures and to identify and manage any risks in accordance with their existing safety risk management process.
4.6 – The owner-driver has a process in place to ensure contractors they engage to carry out activities on their behalf are compliant with HVNL and remain compliant.
Disclaimer
The 2024 TruckSafe Single Vehicle Owner-Driver Safety Management System (2024 SVOD SMS) is intended for use by a person who is self-employed, is the only driver of their vehicle(s) and has engaged no other persons that have control or influence on a transport task other than a temporary relief driver or a subcontractor. It will not satisfy your Chain of Responsibility obligations if you have employees that have control or influence on a transport task. The use of the 2024 SVOD SMS is governed by the set of eligibility rules above.
If you have employees with control or influence, you must use the full-sized 2024 TruckSafe SMS instead.
TruckSafe is not intended to be a comprehensive work, health, and safety management system in accordance with Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation.
Being certified to the 2024 SVOD SMS should not be relied on as fully satisfying an individual’s WHS legislation obligations, which is beyond the scope of TruckSafe. However, adherence to the 2024 SVOD SMS may assist with overall WHS compliance.
While the 2024 SVOD SMS is not regarded as a WHS SMS, in the creation of your TruckSafe system, WHS should be considered and added as appropriate.
TruckSafe SMS certification will not necessarily form a defence to any CoR investigation or prosecution. Whether or not your business practices comply with the requirements of the CoR laws will largely depend on the effectiveness of your assessment and management of the supply chain risks arising from your business.
The 2024 SVOD SMS provides you with a framework and guidance to assist you to develop and implement the practices required under the CoR laws. Importantly, the measures undertaken, and practices implemented under the 2024 SVOD SMS can be used as evidence in any regulatory investigation or court prosecution to demonstrate the steps taken by TruckSafe members to meet their obligations under the CoR laws.
That is, certification under the 2024 SVOD SMS is not a guarantee of compliance with or any particular outcome under any regulatory or legal scheme.
