Origin, on behalf of the Australia Pacific LNG (liquefied natural gas) project, has become the first to be licensed under a new CSG (coal seam gas) logistics safety code of practice launched recently in readiness for the expected increase in Queensland’s heavy vehicle traffic as the four major CSG to LNG projects come online.
Origin Upstream chief executive, Paul Zealand, whose company took the lead in formulating the industry code, said Origin was committed to ensuring every heavy vehicle movement was a safe one.
“During the next four years, the number of heavy vehicle movements from our project alone is expected to increase significantly,” Zealand said.
The CSG code has been developed in line with the national logistics safety code. Among the areas covered are:
• Fatigue management, including driver health and fitness for duty, scheduling, transit times;
• Safe loading practices including mass, dimension and load restraint;
• Speed management;
• Vehicle compliance and safety;
• Contractor safety including subcontractor management.
The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) issued a licence to Origin under the new code, and ALC managing director, Michael Kilgariff, congratulated Origin for taking such a proactive approach to how it handles safety on the state’s roads.
“CSG will account for a large proportion of the forecast increase in heavy vehicle usage in Queensland,” he said. “In becoming the first signatory to the CSG code, Origin is ensuring that all company employees operating heavy vehicles, contractors and subcontractors will comply with the 45 legal elements laid out in the code.”
Heavy vehicles have been over-represented in recent road fatality statistics in Queensland. In 2010 they were involved in accidents that resulted in 47 deaths, almost 20 percent of the state’s road toll that year.
“At Origin safety is always our number one priority,” Paul Zealand remarked. “The (CSG) code will build on the vehicle management safety policies already in operation which include speed inhibitors, vehicle monitoring systems and extensive driver training.”
The CSG code comes into effect ahead of the introduction of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) on January 1, 2013. HVNL will standardise heavy vehicle legislation across Australia and will be managed by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.