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Workplace Health and Safety
Services
Workplace Health and Safety
Safety is at the centre of every successful transport operation, and every QTA membership. As the peak body representing road freight and transport employers across Queensland since 1907, QTA understands the safety and compliance pressures unique to this industry and provides members with direct access to practical, transport-specific support.
Through our partnership with DWF Risk, QTA members can access general Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) advice, along with guidance on Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Chain of Responsibility (CoR) obligations.
Who this service is for
This service is available to all QTA members and their staff who manage safety in the workplace, including business owners, transport operators, fleet managers, WHS managers and compliance managers across small, medium and large fleets. Whether you're a family-run operation or manage a large logistics fleet, our safety and risk support is designed to be practical, relevant and easy to apply.
Safety and risk challenges facing transport businesses
Road freight and transport businesses operate in a high-risk environment, subject to both general WHS legislation and industry-specific obligations under the HVNL and Chain of Responsibility framework. Businesses must ensure that everyone who influences transport activities — from schedulers to loaders and drivers — takes reasonable steps to prevent unsafe practices and breaches of the law.
Common risk areas for transport operators include:
Without clear WHS systems and processes, businesses risk increased workplace accidents, compliance breaches and penalties. Having documented systems in place helps businesses manage these risks and demonstrate compliance when it matters most.
What's included in your QTA membership
General WHS advice — provided over the phone or by email — is included in the cost of your QTA membership.
This covers:
Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) legislation
Workers compensation
We assist members with understanding workers compensation requirements, including employer obligations, injury management processes and return-to-work responsibilities.
HVNL and Chain of Responsibility
We provide advice on Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Chain of Responsibility (CoR) obligations for businesses involved in the transport supply chain, including how safety responsibilities apply to employers, schedulers, loaders and operators.
The difference between legislations and maintaining compliance across each area
We help members understand how the WHS, workers compensation, HVNL, and chain of responsibility interact, so businesses can clearly identify their obligations relating to workplace safety, employee injuries and transport-related compliance as regulations and operations change.
WHS document templates
Members have access to a range of basic WHS document templates to use as a starting point for drafting their own consistent, compliant policies and procedures.
Fee-for-service safety and risk support
For more complex requirements — including document preparation, investigations and representation — members can access specialist, fee-for-service support through DWF Risk.
This includes:
Site visits and site walkthroughs
A safety advisor will observe day-to-day activities, inspect the work environment and discuss safety processes with management and workers, identifying hazards and providing practical recommendations to strengthen safety and compliance outcomes.
Incident investigations
We help businesses investigate the causes and contributing factors of workplace incidents, such as a workplace injury, near miss, vehicle incident or property damage event, to identify corrective actions, reduce the risk of recurrence, and support compliance with reporting obligations.
Development of a new WHS management system
We assist businesses in developing a tailored WHS management system that aligns with their operations and legislative requirements, covering risk review, documentation and practical implementation for ongoing compliance.
Review of an existing WHS management system
Existing WHS management systems can be reviewed to identify gaps and opportunities to strengthen compliance and safety performance, with recommendations to keep systems effective and up to date.
Development of member-specific WHS documents
We prepare tailored WHS documentation to suit individual business operations and risks, including policies, procedures, Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), risk assessments and safety registers.
Development and delivery of safety and risk training
Customised safety and risk training modules can be developed and delivered to address the specific needs of your business or workforce, covering areas such as:
- WHS responsibilities and legal obligations
- Hazard identification and risk assessment
- Incident reporting and investigation procedures
- Fatigue management and fitness for work
- Manual handling and ergonomics
- Vehicle and equipment safety
- Load restraint and Chain of Responsibility awareness
- Emergency procedures and incident response
- Contractor and subcontractor safety management
- Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) and safe work procedures
Training can be tailored for drivers, supervisors, operational staff and management teams. See our Skills & Training page for more on QTA's broader training programs.
Free safety webinars and education
QTA members have access to two to three free safety webinars each year, covering practical WHS and compliance topics relevant to the transport industry. Past sessions have included Avoiding Costly Missteps: Managing Psychological Injury Claims Correctly, How to Manage Regulator Visits and Notices, and Managing Critical Incidents — helping members build awareness and manage risk proactively.
How we've helped members
QTA's safety and risk service has supported members across a range of workplace safety, compliance and incident management matters. Examples include helping a member respond to a regulator investigation following a workplace incident, developing a tailored Critical Incident Management Plan, and onsite training for another member following a series of near misses to improve incident response and reporting.
How the process works
It's always best to seek advice before a problem becomes more serious. We encourage members to reach out whenever they're unsure of their obligations. Prompt advice can help reduce legal, financial and safety risks.
Non-members are welcome to contact us too. While member support is prioritised, non-members may be directed to resources through Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) or referred to DWF Risk or another consultancy for further assistance.
Why transport businesses choose QTA
DWF Risk brings genuine industry experience and practical knowledge of workplace health and safety within the transport and logistics sector. That understanding of how transport operations actually run — not just generic WHS theory — means QTA members receive advice that reflects the real operational and compliance challenges of the road freight industry, across WHS, HVNL and Chain of Responsibility obligations. Support is responsive, with many queries answered in a time-sensitive way, and general phone advice is included in the cost of your membership.
Frequently asked questions
WHS legislation places a general duty on businesses to ensure the health and safety of workers and others affected by their operations. HVNL and Chain of Responsibility laws build on this with transport-specific obligations for all parties who influence heavy vehicle activities — including how delivery schedules, loading practices, subcontractor management and driver workloads are managed.
Fatigue management is one of the most important — and most commonly overlooked — risk areas in transport. QTA members can access advice on fatigue-related obligations, and fee-for-service support is available for businesses that need a tailored fatigue management approach, training or documentation.
Contact QTA as soon as possible. Our team can provide guidance on immediate next steps and, where needed, refer you to DWF Risk for a formal incident investigation to identify contributing factors, reduce the risk of recurrence, and support your reporting obligations.
Chain of Responsibility laws apply to everyone who influences a heavy vehicle transport task, not just the driver. This includes schedulers, loaders, consignors and operators, all of whom must take reasonable steps to prevent unsafe practices and breaches of the HVNL.
At minimum, most transport businesses need documented WHS policies and procedures, Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), risk assessments and safety registers. QTA members can access basic templates as a starting point, with tailored, fee-for-service documentation available for more complex needs.
Contact QTA promptly. We can help you understand the investigation process, including the powers of inspectors and your business's legal obligations and rights, and refer you to DWF Risk for support preparing documentation and managing communications.
Helpful safety and risk resources
For further guidance, the following external resources may also be useful:
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland – Transport hazards
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR)
National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP) – NTARC
NRSPP – Managing Steep Descents
Healthy Heads Trucks and Sheds - Build a Workplace Wellbeing Program
Talk to our workplace health and safety team
If you have a safety and risk question, incident, or compliance concern — big or small — call the QTA. We'll listen to your issue and connect you with the right advice or referral, whether that's general guidance included in your membership or fee-for-service support.