Industry Codes of Practice

Parties in the Chain of Responsibility have a legal duty – the primary duty – to manage the safety of their transport activities. In addition, their executives have a duty to use due diligence to ensure that the party complies with its duty. Registered Industry Codes of Practice (RICP) help CoR parties and their executives to comply with those duties.

RICPs provide information and guidance about known hazards and risks in industries that work with heavy vehicles and describe control measures that can be used to manage those risks. Anyone is free to use a registered code to improve their understanding of safety, or to improve their own safety systems or training.

Heavy vehicle drivers may also benefit from becoming familiar with code contents. Among other things, drivers can learn what they should expect from the businesses they work with and the training and resources that their employers should be providing.

Heavy vehicle drivers who are owner drivers are parties in the CoR and the primary duty applies to them too.

The NHVR develops registered codes in partnership with industry groups and representatives. The NVHR has the regulatory capability to develop the framework of a code and we use the knowledge and experience of industry members for the content of a code and ensuring that recommended controls will function in practice.

The Introduction to Industry Codes of Practice (PDF, 559KB) explains how codes of practice are used, and how they are developed.