Code of practice signed for WA forest transport

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Australasian Transport News (ATN) / June 22, 2015

The Western Australian transport industry is moving further from the national regulator, with adoption of a new forestry sector Code of Practice, formally signed on June 18.

The code was developed between the Western Australia Road Transport Association (WARTA) and the Forest Industries Federation WA (FIFWA), with specialist risk and compliance consultancy Latus also on board.

Latus managing director Mike Wood says the new code provides a practical guide for highlighting effective work practices within the state’s compliance and enforcement (C&E) act.

This differs from the Chain of Responsibility laws in other states, by pertaining to smaller vehicles as well as trucks.

Any vehicle involved with transporting goods for business is covered, including utes and vans.

In forestry, it means that a four-wheel drive vehicle called in to service an in-forest machine is considered part of the legislation.

"This was an extremely important day in the short history of Western Australian C&E as this highlights the adoption of the new act and how all parties will be aligned with Main Roads WA standards," Wood says.

He says Latus is also working on further codes of practice with WARTA, to be delivered for the WA general freight, agri-business, agri-bulk, and overmass and oversize transport sectors in the coming months.

Having managed both large and small transport businesses over a long career, he says the scalability of the codes will be one of their key strengths.

"It is really about how it can apply to everyone from the small operators right through to the big operators," he says. "Each code is scalable so that everyone is able to sign up and be responsible."

WARTA CEO Ian King says the industry is happy to be involved.

"WARTA and Latus have been working with other key sectors of the WA road transport sector highlighting the WA C&E requirements and supporting the drive by Main Roads WA to ensure all parties are aware of and understand their legal responsibilities," he says.

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