As a result of member concerns, the PSA has been liaising with Transport for NSW (TfNSW) concerning the safety measures it has in place for Compliance Operations Inspectors (COIs).

Despite the safety concerns expressed by the PSA and the membership, TfNSW continued to communicate it is business as usual with a few tweaks to how you undertake your work, such as mask-wearing.

The freight industry, by its nature, has a highly mobile workforce. With that comes an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19, which in turn increases your risks when having contact with heavy vehicle drivers.

On 6 August the PSA wrote to TfNSW and advised in light of the increased risks associated with the trucking industry, the safety measures currently in place do not adequately manage safety risks posed by COVID-19.

The PSA put to TfNSW safety measures that would easily be put in place to better protect you. The safety measures were developed in consultation with your delegates and are as follows:

•  At-home garaging of work vehicles is permitted. Currently, TfNSW has employees travelling into red LGAs to retrieve a work vehicle and then travelling out of the red LGA.
• COIs are provided priority for vaccination. At this stage, we have reports of members unable to get appointments for vaccines. We put to TfNSW they can secure priority through:
• 1. lobbying the NSW Government for priority for COIs, similar to other law enforcement and front line government employees; or
  2. providing vaccinations themselves.
• Minimise the number of alerts that require trucks to come into the safety stations.
• Heavy vehicles attending for their annual HVIS inspection appointment from a red LGA are not to have their annual inspection outside of that red LGA.
• When heavy vehicles are being brought to HVIS for their annual inspection, the driver does not enter the office, instead:

1. 1. The office is to be locked;
   2. The driver is provided instructions to call a number to advise the COI that they have arrived;
   3. They are to scan the QR code; and
   4. These instructions are to be placed on the office’s front door, and all new bookings are to be advised of the protocol.

• Headsets are provided to all COIs to allow minimal, if any, physical contact with the heavy vehicle driver, in line with the Carrington process.

The PSA has sought a response to the proposed safety measures by COB Wednesday, 11 August 2021. If TfNSW does not confirm by COB Wednesday, 11 August 2021, that it will implement the measures proposed, the PSA will look to initiate work bans.

We will keep members updated.

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