Safety Management System

TruckSafe is a simple and flexible risk-based safety management system (SMS).

The 2024 TruckSafe SMS has been developed with the assistance of the TruckSafe Australia Board, TruckSafe Industry Accreditation Council, the TruckSafe secretariat, TruckSafe operators, auditors, and other key stakeholders in Australia along with the New Zealand Trucking Association and National Road Carriers. This new program is designed to provide our members with a straightforward way of fulfilling their obligations under Chain of Responsibility and maintain a safe environment for staff and the public.

Under a Safety Management System (SMS) the safety of personnel, community, infrastructure and facilities is the primary responsibility of staff and management. It is enshrined in the policy and culture of an organisation and becomes a way of life where it is the first consideration in any action or function either undertaken or anticipated. When conducted effectively and efficiently it has numerous and sustainable benefits including, but not limited to, the following:

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Safety Management Systems have been proven to provide a safer work environment for employees, customers, contractors and the public by embedding a safety culture into the business

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provides an effective and demonstrable management of safety duty obligations

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ensures resources are allocated to the most critical areas that have an impact on safety

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informed decision making and increased efficiency through reduced duplication and business integration

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reduces costs associated with incidents and accidents including lost work hours, legal fees, insurance premiums, damage and repairs

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assists in ensuring that an organisation will be in a defensible position should an incident occur by being able to demonstrate a commitment to managing risks and safety

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being an employer of choice and a preferred supplier to customers.

From a broader TruckSafe perspective the implementation of a Safety Management System (SMS) as the framework for members, positions TruckSafe, as it was when first established in 1996 in Australia, at the forefront of the heavy vehicle safety agenda.

TruckSafe recognises the essential contribution that safety management systems have made to safety critical transport industries in Australia and around the world including aviation, rail and maritime. It is firmly of the belief that a modern heavy vehicle industry must transition to safety management systems to achieve discernible and sustainable improvements in safety.

The New Zealand Trucking Association is pleased to bring the Australian TruckSafe SMS program to New Zealand. The 2024 TruckSafe SMS has been redeveloped to meet New Zealand’s regulatory requirements.

TruckSafe members in New Zealand will achieve accreditation through independent auditing, and members will be bound by the TruckSafe Code of Conduct. The integrity of TruckSafe here in New Zealand will be managed by a New Zealand Industry Accreditation Council, with support from the Australian Trucking Association and TruckSafe Australia.

Developing and implementing practices in accordance with the 2024 TruckSafe SMS can assist businesses 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 business has responsible work practices, well maintained vehicles, healthy and trained drivers, and management systems to meet their transport needs.

The 2024 TruckSafe Safety Management System satisfies an increasing trend of customers requiring their suppliers to have risk management systems in place by assisting in providing a layer of certainty that you are ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’ satisfying your legal obligations under Chain of Responsibility laws.

There is currently nothing like this available for transport businesses in New Zealand. As an industry, we need to take the lead and support this program because the alternative may not be as industry-focused or tailored as we would like.

For more information on TruckSafe’s SMS program please contact us. If you would like to be kept up to date with TruckSafe’s launch in New Zealand or be one of the first to join and become a member, why not lodge an expression of interest!