If you’re in the transport industry, you’ll hear three particular words all the time. Nope, it’s not “stupid bloody caravans”, even though we understand how frustrating they can be for truck drivers on the road. It’s ‘chain of responsibility’.
What are we talking about when we say ‘chain of responsibility’? It’s a concept that’s outlined within the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) to determine who’s responsible for the various factors in operating commercial transport vehicles. Here are a few topics covered within in the idea of the chain of responsibility, and how an on-board weighing solutions organisation like Loadmass can improve your operations.
Weights and measurements
Part of the chain of responsibility covers the weights and measurements of your heavy vehicle. All heavy vehicles must comply with specific requirements for weights and measurements, and this is the responsibility of people within the chain to ensure that these standards are met. When you invest in consistent and accurate on-board weighing technology, you’re taking an extra step towards meeting the requirements and safeguarding anyone in the chain of responsibility from being penalised.
This means that everybody is better off: truck drivers, route planners, schedule setters and anyone else involved with weights and measurements in the chain of responsibility. If you’re worried about weights and measurements affecting your operations in a legal sense, then contact an on-board weighing solutions team like Loadmass today.
Penalties
We all know the costly penalties that come with not following the rules. Breaches by members of the chain of responsibility can result in severe penalties, depending on how serious they are.
The lightest set of penalties is Category 3. These offences can result in a $50,000 fine for an individual, or $500,000 for a corporation. The next is Category 2, in which offences are much more costly, with up to $150,000 for an individual and $1,500,000 for a corporation. Category 1 offences are the most serious. In Category 1, the courts may choose to impose financial penalties of up to $3,000,000 for a corporation, and $300,000 for an individual. Category 1 offences may also result in 5 years’ imprisonment on top of any financial penalty. These penalties can be devastating, both for individual employees and businesses. You can avoid the nightmare of chain of responsibility penalties by improving your scale technology. That’s where Loadmass comes into play.
The idea of the chain of responsibility is in place to keep everyone safe, and to minimise accidents in the transport industry. You can rest assured that your team is kept safe and free from financial penalties when you improve your on-board weighing systems with Loadmass.