Grain Transport Safety Network Charter

1 VISION

The vision of the Grain Transport Safety Network is zero harm across the supply chain.

2 OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of the Grain Transport Safety Network is to raise awareness, collaborate and improve safety for grain moved by trucks.

In the context of the network, ‘Safety’ includes, and is not limited to, the following areas:

  • Inform the grain industry about Chain of Responsibility under the Heavy Vehicle National Laws (except in WA until they adopt the legislation) and Safe Work Australia to ensure risk mitigation by participants
  • Improve overall safety by sharing information and corrective actions related to incidents, accidents and injuries related to the loading, transport and unloading of grain via road
  • Create an environment that facilitates communication across the grain supply chain to achieve safer transport outcomes
  • Establish minimum standards
3 VALUE

The members of the Grain Transport Safety Network will work together for the common interest of the grain industry in promoting a safe working culture. Members will be open with each other, base their opinions on facts, encourage expression of diverse views, and reconcile differences in a rational way that is transparent to the industry.

4 ROLE

The Grain Transport Safety Network is open to all parties in the supply chain who are involved in moving grain from paddock to silo and from silo to end user/export terminal, including:

  • Loaders and unloaders of grain trucks
  • Freight providers
  • Customers
  • Growers
  • Logistics planning
  • Logistics Procurement
5 PURPOSE

The purpose of the Grain Transport Safety Network is to:

  1. Set goals for the group
  2. Establish a set of key principles for Safety and Chain of Responsibility
  3. Provide mechanisms to share incidents related to the transportation of grain
  4. Review incidents and recommend actions to minimise the risk of re-occurrence
  5. Provide a network for parties to collaborate to improve safety and compliance to encourage national consistency
  6. Initiate focused projects to manage specific, industry related issues
  7. Collaborate with regulators and industry bodies, including the Australian Logistics Council, NHVR and Safe Work Australia
  8. Set framework for auditing programmes
  9. Recruit new members
  10. Evaluate the requirement of a Grain Code of Practice to set auditable minimum standards
  11. Agree to provide representatives on agreed sub-committees where appropriate
6 MEMBERS

The Safety Network Charter comprises:

  • Cargill
  • Emerald Grain
  • Viterra
  • GrainCorp
  • Ridley Agriproducts
  • Mauri Foods
7 CHAIRMAN

On an annual basis in July, the Grain Transport Safety Network will nominate members to be the group Chairman for 12 months. When there is more than one nomination, the group will vote the nominees to agree the Chairman.

The Grain Transport Safety Network will nominate and agree on sub-committees to focus on specific areas within the group. Each sub-committee will be led by a sub-committee Chairman who will report to the Chairman.

8 MEETING FREQUENCY
  • The network will meet quarterly at a location agreed to at the previous meeting
  • Wherever possible, the group will meet at operational locations
  • An agenda will be circulated via email by the Chairman 1 week prior to the meeting
  • Minutes and action items will be circulated 2 weeks after the meeting by the Chairman
  • Meeting hosting duties and administrative tasks will be rotated between members
9 RESTRAINT OF TRADE

When group members meet, the group recognised and acknowledges that it has legal obligations with respect to the Trade Practices Act (1974) whereby any discussion of matters that create, or could potentially create, restrictive trade are prohibited.

When the Charter meets, if there is concern that there is a potential breach of the Trade Practices Act, the following escalation process applies:

  • If a member has concerns about a breach to the Trade Practices Act, they should flag this verbally with the other party/parties
  • If a resolution is not found following the verbal concern, the meeting should cease immediately and it should be flagged to the network Chairman immediately for determination
  • Issues about potential breaches are discussed at the quarterly transport safety network meeting