Search

WA: transport company fined $89,000 for breaching fatigue management laws

The following article is a news item provided for the benefit of the Workplace Health and Safety profession. Its content does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Institute of Health & Safety.
Date: 
Tuesday, 21 June, 2022 - 12:30
Category: 
Incidents & prosecutions
Location: 
Western Australia

A transport service company in Western Australia has been fined a total of $89,000 and ordered to pay $6807 in costs after being convicted on 24 charges under the state’s workplace fatigue management laws.

JSS Logistics pleaded guilty to breaching fatigue management regulations and was recently fined in the Midland Magistrates Court.

A total of 21 charges related to breaches of hours of work fatigue regulations, for which JSS was given a global penalty of $80,000, and for three charges of breaching record-keeping fatigue relations legislation, the company was fined $9000.

The company primarily transports machinery and portable buildings and operates out of depots in Perth and Karratha. The charges related to ten of the 26 commercial vehicle drivers employed by the company.

WorkSafe inspectors launched an investigation into the company’s fatigue management, focusing on auditing the ten drivers’ work time, non-work time and short breaks over a four-month period.

The audit found the company’s drivers did not have the rest breaks and non-work time required by the regulations, and that the required records were not kept to the standard required by law.