New guidance on trailer safety is set to benefit the transport, logistics and construction sectors in New Zealand thanks to a new agreement.
WorkSafe New Zealand has worked alongside several industry bodies including Civil Contractors NZ, Transporting NZ, the New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association, and the Truck & Trailer Manufacturers Federation to form a new guide.
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The investigation to a 2019 incident which resulted in the loss of life due to a trailer ramp prompted a WorkSafe investigation, leading to sponsoring Construction Health and Safety New Zealand to develop new guidance for the use and maintenance of low loader ramps.
WorkSafe’s Mark Horgan says that the guide will help owners, operators, maintainers, and designers of these trailers manage ramp operation and maintenance risks.
“We know industry is extremely keen for fresh guidance, and EUs can be a powerful way to deliver industry-led responses to identified risk gaps,” he says.
“Delivering guidance through an EU model has been a productive way to achieve our shared safety goals.”
CHASNZ spokesperson, Jon Harper-Slade says that this guide will provide significant safety benefits for all industry sectors across New Zealand that use trailers in any capacity.
“This guidance represents a vital step forward in making the transport and delivery of heavy machinery safer across New Zealand’s construction and infrastructure sectors,” he says.
“Low-loader ramps are deceptively routine but present some of the highest-energy risks on site.
“By bringing together technical insights from manufacturers, operators, and industry experts, and applying an evidence-based approach to high-energy hazard control, we’ve produced guidance that is practical, targeted, and grounded in what actually works on the ground. This resource will continue to benefit the sector for years to come.”
