The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has released the draft Wine Industry Code of Practice, to allow any stakeholder with an interest in the wine industry to review and comment on the Code before it is assessed for registration.
The NHVR has developed the Wine Code in partnership with the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA) and Australian Grape and Wine (AGW).
NHVR Chief Safety and Productivity Officer David Hourigan said the Wine Code has been produced to help boost safety outcomes within the wine industry, aimed at assisting parties in the Chain of Responsibility (CoR) comply with their primary duty obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
"The Wine Code is a practical guide relevant to any business in the wine industry that operates, uses or works with heavy vehicles," Mr Hourigan said.
"We know the grape and wine industry has a unique set of risks arising from the movement of raw materials during harvest season and the movement of finished products outside of the season.
"There is a high degree of variability in the processes and equipment used to transform wine grapes into a finished product, so it's critical we ensure parties in the industry supply chain are aware of their duties under the HVNL.
"To ensure this Code captures the breadth of the industry, we have brought together a broad range of industry experts within the wine industry who have the expertise to identify the risks and recommend effective, practical control measures that parties in the CoR can implement."
Regarded as a supplementary Code, the Wine Code is not designed to be exhaustive but aims to focus on activities and hazards that are unique to the grape and wine industry.
"During development of the Wine Code, SAWIA consulted with state and regional wine associations as well as directly with wine industry stakeholders, to ensure it as comprehensive as possible," Mr Hourigan said.
The Code is available for feedback until 29 November 2024. Please submit your comments using the feedback form available on the NHVR website
