One of the great things I love about NRC is the passion our members have for the industry, and the people that work in it. A great example happened this week. Paula Rogers, one of our Commercial Transport Specialists received a call from a concerned member who could see an unsafe steel girder load being transported on the motorway. Insecurely fastened, if the driver emergency braked the girders would have slid straight through the cab. Paula got off the phone and immediately called up the ops manager at the company and let them know about the insecure load. They were so pleased to be told – which is exactly the right reaction from someone who cares about their team.
The lesson: we all have a part to play in keeping one another safe.
Safety and wellbeing are things that I personally take very seriously. So I’d like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to a couple of important safety initiatives, and encourage you to spread the word:
Side Loader Good Practice Guide – endorsed by WorkSafe NZ, it distils the key safety information across all sideloader user manuals into one standardised guide. It provides practical advice on how to manage risks associated with operating side-loaders and swing lifts (truck mounted container cranes). The Good Practice Guide also sets out how to get annual certification of fitness from OEMs, and an approved certification label is attached to the sideloader. If you are operating sideloaders, and are yet to get certification, don’t hesitate – call a friendly NRC Commercial Transport Specialist on 0800 686 777.
HARMfree is a health and wellbeing platform designed to improve workplace safety for those working in the transport and logistics industry. Launched three weeks ago, the number of companies signing up has been phenomenal. We are delighted with how quickly so many operators from the biggest to the smallest have signed up and are using the resources. It clearly shows there is a hunger in the road transport industry for improving health and safety. If you’re not onboard yet, give it a go and take the HARMfree Workplace Assessment.
Lastly, on a very sad note, I’d like to acknowledge the sudden and early passing of Rachel Lehen. Rachel made a significant contribution to the development of the HARMfree programme, as well as the alternative fatigue management trial underway in the livestock sector.
I was only fortunate enough to meet Rachel a couple of times, but her obvious passion for people shone through. There are so many families out there who don’t know it, but owe their loved one coming home to her visionary work in the field of fatigue management and occupational sleep apnea.
Rest in peace Rachel.
Regards
Justin Tighe-Umbers
CEO | National Road Carriers Assn DDI: +64 9 636 2951