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Building a Safety Management System for Road Transport

A safety management system is the set of policies, procedures and records a transport business uses to find its risks and control them. This guide walks through building one, following the structure of the SMS Standard made under the HVNL.
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What the SMS Standard Asks For

The Safety Management System Standard, made under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, sets out what an operator's SMS has to contain for heavy vehicle accreditation. The SMS must identify the public risks arising from the operator's transport activities and driving, assess them and specify controls to manage them.

The Standard groups its requirements into five parts: Leadership and Commitment; Risk Management; People; Assurance, Monitoring and Improvement; and Safety Systems.

It also expects proportionality, with compliance assessed against the operator's size, nature, complexity and risk profile. A small fleet's SMS can be far simpler than a large one's.
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The Five Parts in Practice

Each part of the Standard translates into practical work inside the business.
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Lead From the Top

Name who is responsible and accountable for safety, resource the system properly and build a culture where concerns get raised.
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Risk Management

Identify hazards, assess the risks, choose controls, manage incidents and keep reviewing as the operation changes.
Fatigue breach alert icon

People

Cover fitness to drive, training and competency, and how safety information is communicated.
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Check, Measure and Improve

Set targets and indicators, monitor and review results, improve the system and keep evidence that all of this happens.
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Safety Systems

Integrate the SMS with daily operations and coordinate it with the other systems the business runs.
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Where Logmaster Provides Evidence

An SMS stands or falls on evidence. Logmaster supplies records for several elements of the Standard.

Fatigue controls

The NHVR approved EWD records work and rest to the minute and raises alerts on potential breaches.

Fitness to drive

Shift-start fitness declarations give the People part of the Standard a dated record.

Incident management

Incident and hazard reports come straight from the cab, and form answers can trigger responsibilities for follow-up.

Training and competency

Expiry alerts on training and inductions show when a driver's competency records need renewing.

Monitor and review

Simplified and compliance reports provide the regular performance data a review depends on.

Vehicle risk controls

Pre-start, vehicle check and defect checklists record what was inspected and what was found.

Electronic Work Diary vs Paper Logbook

Fatigue is a core risk in most transport SMSs. This is how electronic fatigue records compare with paper as evidence.
Electronic Work Diary
Paper Logbook
One minute accuracy
Fifteen minute blocks
Automatic syncing
Manual entries
Easy to read and access
Handwriting varies
Real time operator visibility
No live oversight
Secure cloud storage
Can be lost or damaged
Faster audits and reporting
Time consuming
An SMS needs proof that its controls work. Electronic records make that proof easier to gather and easier to trust.
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How It Works

A step-by-step path to an SMS that fits a road transport business.
Step 1

Map your activities

List what the business does: routes, vehicle types, loads, shifts and who is involved in each.
Step 2

Identify the hazards

Work through each activity with drivers and staff to find what could cause harm.
Step 3

Assess and control

Rate each risk and choose controls, starting with elimination wherever it's reasonably practicable.
Step 4

Assign responsibility

Put a name against each control and each review, with the authority and resources to carry it out.
Step 5

Collect evidence

Set up the records that show controls are working, such as diary entries, checks and incident reports.
Step 6

Review and improve

Measure results against targets, investigate failures and update the system.

Features at a Glance

1. Accurate one minute recording
2. Offline functionality for uninterrupted use
3. Live visibility for fleet managers
4. Fatigue reminders and breach alerts
5. Driver declarations and vehicle checks
6. Secure cloud storage
7. Multi company support for contractors
8. Fast export for audits and reporting
9. Fatigue rule sets including Standard Hours, BFM, AFM, WA plans and bus rules
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Who It's Built For

Operators seeking heavy vehicle accreditation need an SMS, and many others build one because it organises their safety work.
User Type
Benefit
Truck drivers
Easier logging and clear alerts
Transport operators
Real time visibility and compliance
Compliance managers
Reliable logs for inspections
Owner drivers
No paperwork and simple routines
Subcontractors
Easy switching between employers
A system sized to the business is easier to keep running than one copied from a template.

Why Logmaster Fits Inside an SMS

Logmaster doesn't write your SMS, but it produces much of the evidence one depends on. Its NHVR approved EWD, fitness declarations, checklists, incident reports and expiry alerts create time-stamped records as work happens. More than 1,200 businesses use it, and it's ISO 27001 certified.
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Hear from Our Users

Ray A.

First day with Logmaster was to my surprise was user friendly. Josh was very thorough in taking me through all the steps in setting up the Logmaster app. I would recommend Logmaster to all drivers regardless of age. Never have to worry about making a mistake as it tells you if you are. Great customer service after hours support is second to none.

Mike H.

Have started using Logmaster after trying 3 other models. I actually enjoy using it. Very easy to use and follow and the help if you need it is top notch by the developer. Does everything by the minute and works when no service is available. My system is customised for me and fits well with my system (I’m WA). Cost is on par with two of the other ones looked at.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Back Your SMS With Real Records?

Book a demo and see which parts of your safety management system Logmaster can supply evidence for.

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