In Australia, according to OHS and coroner's data, work related road crashes accounted for 30 per cent of work related deaths from 1989 - 1992. Since then, work drivers have been recognised as a higher risk for accident and injury than non-work drivers a fact compounded by significant numbers of vehicles being purchased for work purposes. Currently, there is no national systematic policy to ensure workplace vehicle compliance with OHS laws to prevent collisions and injuries. Furthermore, inconsistent policy is compromised by varying crash data collection methods. Some local/overseas policy and best practice has emphasised the role of fleet owners and employers in preventing and reducing workplace vehicle crashes and injury through promotion of mandatory vehicle safety and maintenance standards. In accordance with these policy frameworks, VACC identifies existing workplace vehicle safety policy for all workplace vehicles as insufficient for effective safety compliance. In some cases, it is not only inadequate, but is contrary to other policies. For example, while Victorian factories require plant and machinery inspections, Victorian workplace vehicles are not inspected except upon transfer of ownership or during random roadside inspections. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E214930.
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