,

Watch Out!

Terminal operators across the country have placed smart watches and fitness monitoring bands into the same high risk category as other portable electronic devices, banning the wearing or use of these devices to fuel terminals and loading gantries.

If you’re wearing a smart watch or fitness band please confirm with fuel terminal staff that the device you’re wearing is approved for use in their terminal.

Digital wrist watches are not typically considered a safety risk unless they contain the features of a smart watch e.g. Bluetooth, WIFI, etc.

Smart watches and fitness monitoring bands can be equipped with features like; Bluetooth, WIFI, SMS and in some cases, can operate as a phone c/w a phone sim card and mobile network access, receiving phone calls, SMS messages and notifications. It’s difficult for terminal operators to assess these differing devices and ever changing specifications for their safe use and compliance with safety standards.

So many terminals across the country have taken the option to  ban the use of all smart watches and fitness monitoring bands or straps.

These devices can be a distraction while loading a vehicle in a terminal and some devices are fitted with very high powered large capacity lithium batteries that do not comply with the regulations for use within a zone 1 atmosphere.

For further queries, please contact:

Lee Stringer

SLP Manager

[email protected]

/by

Seen the (daytime) light?

DAY TIME DRIVING LIGHTS

Over the past 5 years daytime driving lights are becoming more and more prevalent in heavy vehicle design as are many other design innovations. Many European vehicles fitted with day time driving lights are also fitted with a system known as a “CAN” based electrical system, basically the vehicle is fitted with a common wiring system connected to several devices at once for example the vehicle headlights, driving lights, brake lights, windscreen wipers and indicators may all be connected by one set of electrical wires, and when they turn on or off is governed by the vehicles computer.

This type of technology can make it extremely difficult to isolate a particular device like driving lights that are designed to be on at all times and only deactivated by the vehicle ignition being turned off, trying to fit an aftermarket switch that turns off the driving lights could also isolate power to many other devices on a common electrical feed. This could also cause problems with the vehicles on board computer.

SLP has made the decision to add daytime driving lights to the list of items to be exempt from “being isolated before entering a gantry” the current list of exempt items includes other safety related devices, like Windscreen wipers, brake lights, indicator lights, horn, electric windows, cabin step lighting, cabin fan (defrosting windscreen), interior lighting, ABS – EBS wheel sensors, etc.  All these items are considered to be extremely low risk in the task of driving a vehicle into a fuel loading gantry.

The rules still remain in place that once the vehicle enters the gantry the driver is to stop the vehicle, apply the parking brake and turn the vehicle ignition to the off position; in doing this many of  the above items will be isolated including driving lights. Other items like interior light and cab step lighting are only active for short periods of time while the vehicle door is open when the driver is exiting the vehicle.

Under the current load training program drivers are made aware they are not to open the vehicle cabin doors while the vehicle is loading.

The risk posed by daytime driving lights and headlights permanently wired to be on during the day must be kept in perspective, the greatest risk posed by electrical components is posed during loading, not while the vehicle entering or exiting the gantry.

The risk has been assessed across the industry and the risk posed by driving lights is seen as extremely low in comparison to other electrical risks like a vehicle starter motor and its relays while cranking under the high loads at engine start up.

If you require further information please contact

SLP manager

Lee Stringer [email protected]

0419 908 919

/by

In Cabin Data Device

VEHICLE DATA UNITS (HANDHELD or FIXED DATA ENTRY UNITS)
Increasingly transport operators are choosing to replace pen and paper with electronic methods of record keeping and customer delivery conformation. Safe Load Program partners have reviewed the risks associated with the use of these handheld and fixed data units (tablets) in vehicle cabins in terminals, and has agreed a number of safety measures be applied to ensure a data unit does not become an ignition source in a terminal or loading gantry.

HANDHELD / FIXED DEVICE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Data units shall not be removed from the vehicle cabin when inside an SLP terminal. Devices can be securely fixed to the vehicle or mounted in a cradle, either fixed or removable or simply handheld.
However data units shall not be removed from a cradle when the vehicle is inside a terminal unless the unit is attached to the vehicle via a robust lanyard, cable, cord or strap.

Data units shall be turned off before entering an SLP loading gantry hazardous area. Data units shall be completely powered off before entering a loading gantry, the unit shall not transmit or receive data via a phone network, Wi-Fi, radio or Bluetooth while in an SLP terminal loading gantry hazardous area.

Data entry “in an approved area” 
Many SLP Terminals will allow drivers to enter data into a unit when the following is applied:

– the vehicle is stationary and the vehicle park brake is applied;
– the vehicle is parked in an area approved by the terminal operator;
– the vehicle doors and windows are completely closed; and
– the data unit is not to be removed from its cradle unless its tethered to the vehicle.
– Data units shall not be used as a phone when inside an SLP terminal. (Even if the function is available it shall not be used when the vehicle is inside an SLP terminal)
– Handheld data units shall meet all of the requirements of Australian Standards.
A copy of the electronic handheld compliance document (OS7-CD-2.1.001 V1 11-2015) should be obtained from SLP to ensure your Data unit is compliant.

NOTE: This approval does not extend to other handheld or electronic devices for personal use only; e.g. personal mobile phone, smart phone, smart watch, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Apple watch, fitness monitor, MP3 player, DVD player, computer, tablet, Go Pro, sports camera, etc.

For all queries, please contact:

Lee Stringer
SLP Manager [email protected]
0419 908 919

/by