Technical Update Report – August 2021

NHVR Technical Working Group Meeting – 22/07/2021

Updates to VSB6

• Tipper Code to be issued for public comment late August 2021.
• Section T (Tow Trucks) – Document being finalised to incorporate public comments received by regulator during Q1 2021.

NHVR anticipate that these two codes will be issued as part of an update package for VSB6 in Q4 2021.

National AVE Scheme

The regulator indicated that they have placed this project on hold due to other priorities. This has come about from ongoing issues with services transition from NSW and QLD. There are several enforcement related items that have taken longer to resolve than expected and the transition of enforcement services from the States is considered a higher priority by the NHVR. HVIA has indicated its disappointment to the NHVR and continues to press the NHVR for national reform in this area.

Updates to Vehicle Standards Guides

NHVR has issued minor updates to several Vehicle Standards Guides

• VSG1 – Driving lamps
• VSG3 – Semitrailer rear bumpers
• VSG4 – Drawbar eye inspections
• VSG5 – Motorhome conversions
• VSG8 – Film on bus emergency exits
• VSG10 – Backlit badges

Retro fit of auto slack adjusters under Section G of VSB 6

The NHVR has decided to classify the retrofitting of auto slack adjusters on brakes originally fitted with manual slack adjusters as a minor modification. That is, when replacing a manual slack adjuster with an auto slack adjuster, certification by an AVE is not required. However, if replacing auto slack adjusters fitted as original equipment, with manual slack adjusters, certification by an AVE is required.

Technical Liaison Group (TLG) Meeting 52 – 29/07/2021

There was considerable discussion around the proposed changes to ADR’s to support the Safer Vehicles Strategy proposal. The meeting ran over-time, and it was decided that a second meeting to complete the agenda is to be on the 10th August.

The meeting on the 29th July covered the following items of interest to members which will be covered in further detail at the State Committee meeting:

• Next ADR Amendments omnibus proposal
• Safer Freight Vehicle Amendment Omnibus Packages 1 and 2
• Clarification of ADR61/03 vehicle marking requirements (in relation to providing CTA number)

The second meeting of TLG will cover updates from other specific issue working groups, projects the department is involved in with Standards Australia, proposal for a seat belt standard and Euro VI emissions implementation update. (To be provided during the State Committee Meeting).

Assessment of Engineering Qualifications

Recently HVIA was approached by a member regarding an Approved Person application to The Department of Transport and Main Roads Queensland (TMR). HVIA subsequently wrote to TMR, requesting they reconsider their excessively narrow approach to assessing academic pre-requisites to issue an applicant with a AP Category 1 approval (that is all codes). Through this work HVIA believes that given current university course structures and offerings, there are several avenues that the required academic foundational knowledge to conduct work under VSB6 can be obtained.

Updates

• Tyre Guide
• AS2203 and AS 4869 – Coupling Standards Review

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When are the meetings?

State Committee meetings are advertised in the Event section of this website, in HVIA’s weekly newsletter Talk the Torque and notice is sent directly to registered member contacts.

The next round of State Committee meetings will be held during August 2021. Due to current lockdowns the NSW and VIC meetings will be combined and held online.

•  QLD – Tuesday 24 August | HVIA Office, Seventeen Mile Rocks
•  WA – Thursday 26 August | Metro Hotel, South Perth
•  NSW & VIC – Friday 27 August | Online via ClickMeeting

Get involved

Contact your HVIA membership representative or our Policy team to ensure you are receiving notification and access to agendas, minutes and other key documents.