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VACC calls for year-round vehicle safety assessments

By Matt Brogan |

VACC is reminding business owners that vehicle and fleet maintenance is an on-going process.

During the recent Safe Work Australia Week, employers and employees were encouraged to review their approach to ensuring safety within the workplace.

VACC, the peak Automotive Industry body in Victoria, is urging employers and employees to continue to review their approach to safety in the workplace, in particular regard to work related vehicles.

Company cars and commercial vehicles are workplaces and, as such, are regulated by health and safety laws.

“Vehicle Safety should be 24/7 – 52 weeks of the year. Every employer and employee has a responsibility to continuously monitor the safety of their vehicle or fleet,” VACC Executive Director, David Purchase, said.

“A good source of information for managers and drivers is the ‘Guide to Safe Work Related Driving’.

“The ‘Guide’ is an important handbook and has been endorsed by the Government, Police, WorkSafe and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).

“The ‘Guide to Safe Work Related Driving’ states ‘Selection of the safest possible vehicle needs to be backed up by a preventative maintenance program to ensure vehicle safety is maximised. A maintenance system ensures that the manufacturer’s service recommendations are met and that the vehicle complies with roadworthiness requirements’.

“If a vehicle is neglected and has bald tyres, faulty brakes or broken lights, that vehicle, regardless of its ANCAP safety rating, is at risk of being involved in a road traffic accident.

“VACC calls on business owners to read and understand the ‘Guide to Safe Work Related Driving’. And, as an additional measure, they should ask their participating VACC repairer to conduct a free Five Point Safety Check when the vehicle is next in for servicing.”

For a free copy of the ‘Guide to Safe Work Related Driving’ go to www.vacc.com.au


 
  • Dank

    Thats all good to have a safe fleet of work vehicles however it makes up a small majority of the cars on the road.
    From working in the industry I am no longer shocked by the condition of some of the cars on the roads here in Australia.
    Some have ‘never’ been worked on by a qualified mechanic, have bald, under inflated tyres, worn suspension comoponents, leak oil and so on….
    Plumbers and Electricians need to be licenced and qualified to work on houses but the average joe can go to supercrap get some brake pads and fit them to his car that carries his family.
    VACC should step up to the plate and introduce yearly roadworthy inspections here in Victoria.

  • Mad Max

    Dank, if the so called professional industry that repairs cars was better regulated, stopped providing shonky service, stopped ripping off people and charged a fair and reasonable price for a fair and reasonable service then more people would be inclined to go and have their car serviced. I work within the car industry and I could write a book on the stories that I know to be true. Trouble is, fact is often stranger that fiction and nobody would believe it. I know I am generalising and that is never a good thing, but the car repair industry is its own worst enemy. There are some good operators within it that are a credit to themslves but on the whole, they are the exception not the rule.