Work diary exemptions extended

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has announced that, effective Friday, February 6, drivers of heavy vehicles in South Australia carrying out primary production journeys conducted within 160 kilometres of their base no longer have to fill out their work diary.

The exemption is already in place in Queensland and New South Wales while drivers operating under the exemption will also be compliant in the ACT, even though the territory is yet to adopt the fatigue provisions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

The exemption will also be rolled out to Tasmania from March 30, 2015, when the fatigue provisions of the HVNL come into effect in that state.

The NHVR's CEO, Sal Petroccitto, said the body is currently working to secure the exemption in Victoria.

"With this national approach in mind, the NHVR and VicRoads will continue to work together to consider the implications of a 160km primary producer exemption in Victoria," he said.

Mr Petroccitto said the exemption would make life that bit easier for the drivers in question.

"This exemption reduces the paperwork burden in the cab and allows drivers to better focus on the task at hand," he said.

"One of the advantages of having a single, national heavy vehicle regulator is the ability to take state-based initiatives with proven gains and resolve cross-border issues to deliver them nationally."

The South Australian Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Stephen Mullighan, welcomed the news.

"We've worked closely with the NHVR to ensure this initiative balances safety considerations with the need to reduce red tape and paperwork for South Australia's rural sector," he said.

"This move has been strongly supported by the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of South Australia, and will be a significant benefit for South Australian primary producers."

The NHVR has reminded drivers that the exemption has no effect on their actual hours of work.

"The exemption does not change the hours a driver can work or must rest," states an NHVR media statement.

"Record keepers for drivers carrying out primary production work must still keep records of work and rest time, as well as a copy of payment records relating to the driver, including time sheet records if the driver is paid according to time at work. These records must be kept at the record location for a period of three years.

"All other heavy vehicle drivers are still required to keep and record a work diary for work outside the standard 100km radius, as set out in the Heavy Vehicle National Law."

For more information see the National Work Diary Exemption (Primary Production) Fact Sheet
and the National Work Diary Primary Producers Exemption (Notice) 2015.