"Zero trauma from the movement of freight by 2050" that's how Transport NSW began its session on Thursday morning, 15 June in front of 38 people at the Narromine Golf Club and 12 people at the forum in Walgett on 14 June. 

As the day continued, truck telematics, safe hay transporting, workplace safety, and "feeling like a flat tyre" in the context of mental health were all discussed across a series of engaging forums. 

The forums were held at Oberon, Walgett and Narromine with the aim of bringing together a range of industry and expert voices to provide farmers and heavy vehicle operators the opportunity to discuss relevant topics and receive up to date information around compliances, permits and practicing safe work habits.

"Transport for NSW and NSW Farmers hosted a series of forums across the central west and western region to improve safety for heavy vehicle operators and farmers. The same agencies that attended the Narromine forum were represented at Walgett with largely the same topics covered" a spokesperson for Transport NSW told the Western Plains app 

The presentation involve representatives from Transport, NSW Farmers, Essential Energy, Safework NSW, Rural Advisory Mental Health, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and NSW Police. 

"The aim of the sessions was to give heavy vehicle operators and local farming communities the opportunity to discuss relevant topics and receive up-to-date information on compliances, permits and safe work habits".  

"Feedback from the Walgett attendees included questions around a number of harvest-related topics including logbook compliance, and safety advice regarding moving machinery around the network – particularly flags, lights and signage" they said. 

Bethany Magil Stakeholder Engagement Officer, Western Regional NSW with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) was one first of the speakers. She said Freight volumes are estimated to increase 34% across NSW between 2021 and 2061 

She also told of the importance of telematics data - these include GPS route planning and tracking, driver distraction and fatigue detection technology, electronic work diaries, and vehicle monitoring to provide feedback on vehicle behaviors, such as the risk of rollovers, fuel usage, tyre pressures, and engine health. 

Telematics is the data exchanged between the vehicle and the driver or operator. 

Magill said that effectively using and analyzing the data that telematics provides support behavioral change, significantly reduces the likelihood of a heavy vehicle being involved in a crash, and helps minimize the impact of incidents when they do occur. 

She also spoke on how Regulator was working on building a single national map to see which routes and roads could handle heavy vehicles, and this was expected to create more routes for trucks, thus reducing travel time. 

Mick Donley and Maree Wheelhouse from NSW Police talked about how to safely restrain machinery in your vehicle and showed a vehicle explaining that restraint equipment must be in good order, suggested using chains, explained that the weight needs to be loaded equally, enough ankle points for the chains and warned that you should make sure you check on the weight when traveling. 

When it comes to safety restraining hay, they said, "Everyone is responsible for safety". They suggest using double bracing straps to pack in a square or a cycle; for vertical exhausts to, use a cap tar and stop during trips to make sure the straps are still tight. 

David Matthews from WorkSafe told the forum, "People have a right to say something in their workplace is not safe," and we should "Make sure people are not cutting corners." 

"We would rather people have safe workplaces than prosecute," he said and added that "psychological safety should be taken into consideration" to make sure everyone, especially seasonal workers and young apprentices, felt they could speak up about work safety issues. 

The Session at Walgett. Image: Supplied. 

Gabrielle Schultz from the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program brought up an interesting from the group when she asked, "How do you know when you have a flat tire? What do you do when you know you have a flat type". 

She then applied this to mental health, asking "How often are we driving on flat tyres? Ask yourself how you are feeling. What are your stress levels? What is your physical activity? Sometimes it's hard to maintain a positive outlook; rural life can bring a lot of adversity, and activity levels, so ask yourself: how are you sleeping? How are you eating?" 

The morning forum ended with Caron Chester from the NSW Farmers Association calling out for more members 

"Largest agricultural body, but the greater the numbers we have, the greater strength we have when we go to the Government. We help everyone whether you are a member or not, but if you become a member, you are helping your neighbor as well as yourself." 

"The aim of the sessions was to give heavy vehicle operators and local farming communities the opportunity to discuss relevant topics and receive up-to-date information around compliances, permits, and practicing safe work habits," a Transport for NSW Spokesperson told the Western Plains App. 

"We have questions around electricity and farm safety, and road access," The Transport for NSW spokesperson said.  

"Feedback was overwhelmingly "positive," the spokesperson said.