Written work diaries or daily run sheets are a necessary part of any transport, ancillary services, mining or construction company running heavy vehicle fleets.
Paper diaries are currently the main format used by most drivers, but these are complicated, hard to fill out, and easy to get wrong. And impossible to easily assess and audit to determine breaches or safety risks.
National Heavy Vehicle Driver fatigue laws apply to fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles, which are:
- a vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of over 12t
- a combination when the total of the GVM is over 12t
- buses with a GVM over 4.5t fitted to carry more than 12 adults (including the driver)
- a truck, or a combination including a truck, with a GVM of over 12t with a machine or implement attached.
Did you know that National Heavy Vehicle Driver Reulator (NHVR) is currently in the process of approving Electronic Work Diary (EWDs) applications? This is of great significance because this will mean that companies will be able to do away with paper work-diaries completely
Filling out daily work and rest events, whilst tedious requires a driver to be competent enough to manage the complex rules of fatigue set around complex regulatory expectations.
Spending time on randomly validating paper compliance records and managing the breaches and driver availability, when you run work diaries means your team is more focused on administration rather than spending time on higher value outcomes like optimising your transport tasks or scheduling.
With Electronic Work Diaries (EWDs), it’s easy to get the job done and manage fatigue risks effectively at the same time, while reducing risk associated with poor rostering and the scheduling of drivers who may breach through poor planning and lack of information.
Manage fatigue properly or put your company and your team at risk
If fatigue isn’t managed properly there can be serious consequences for your drivers, company directors, your business, and anyone else on the road.
Fatigue management requires that proper processes are in place to ensure that everyone follows the rules and regulations. Without an effective system in place there is no way of tracking and preventing fatigue incidents to keep your drivers and others on the road safe.
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has specific requirements in place when it comes to fatigue. These need to be followed carefully by fleet operators and by individual drivers, which is hard to do with paper-based systems in place.
To manage fatigue effectively you absolutely need real-time visibility and fatigue break alerts for drivers to prevent breaches from occurring on the road. EWDs make sure that any possible fatigue breaches are sent to the fleet operators in real-time so they can ensure the drivers are following regulations and take corrective action when necessary.
Don’t get fined for paperwork mistakes – EWDs are easy to fill out
Paper forms could be costing your business both time and money. Not only are paper work diaries messy and hard to fill out, but if they are filled out incorrectly or not filled out at all drivers can be slapped with large fines by the NHVR.
It’s very easy to make mistakes when filling out a paper form, and sometimes forms won’t get filled out at all. With EWDs, there are anti-tamper systems in place to prevent drivers from avoiding breaks or cutting their breaks short. Forced sign-offs also mean that they won’t be able to submit their time logs unless everything is filled out correctly.
Simplify your processes with EWDs
Having a smooth workflow ensures that everyone is able to get their jobs done efficiently. Without a way of effectively tracking and managing fatigue incidents it is impossible to ensure that drivers are following regulations. An EWD can provide a simplified solution that both drivers and fleet operators can use and derive value.
Drivers can access all the necessary documents from their phone or tablet on the road, and any forms can be sent straight back to management in real-time. With a certified EWD the process of roadside enforcement will also be reduced, because it’s much harder to breach. In fact it is easier to ensure drivers are complying with work and rest limits as fleet operators will be able to see exactly what hours a driver has left from within the system and warnings from the devices provided in cabin will ensure that drivers work within the complex fatigue rules set out by the NHVR.
Make your job easier with EWDs
Having the option to access work diaries on the road without the need for large paper books gives your business a huge advantage.
Electronic Work Diaries are the most effective solution moving forward and will be even better when certified. Transitioning to a mobile and cloud-based system that allows real-time visibility and tracking will create a safer work environment for everyone.
Think about how much time your drivers are wasting on paperwork at the moment. You could remove all of this with a certified Electronic Work Diary (EWDs).
Think about how much time your drivers are wasting on paperwork at the moment. You could remove all of this with a certified Electronic Work Diary (EWDs), so reach out to an NHVR representative for information on the providers that can offer an authorised system.
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