NSW rural fire service now requires brigades to weigh crew members (volunteers) before taking a vehicle to any activity including callouts 8-)
More medical discrimination against volunteers following on from the 2022 Covid vaccination mandate...
"SAFETY ALERT: Fleet compliance and appliance operational restrictions
What happened?
The RFS remains operational and continues to respond to incidents across the state. This Safety Alert does not restrict the RFS from meeting its operational obligations; it introduces targeted, precautionary controls to ensure appliances are operated safely while remaining available for response.
The RFS relies on a safe, compliant and operational fleet to protect communities and support our members. As part of the statewide Fleet Mass Compliance Program, inspections, weighing activities and analysis have identified a number of appliance variants where there is a potential risk of exceeding certified Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) and/or axle load limits.
To manage this risk and ensure the ongoing safety of members and the community, precautionary operational restrictions are to be implemented immediately on identified appliance categories while further inspection, weighing and assessment activities continue.
These actions form an interim risk control measure and are precautionary and temporary in nature.
Why is this Safety Alert required?
Recent inspections and analysis across the fleet have identified appliance variants where there is a reasonable possibility that operating weights may exceed certified limits. The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) mandates that a person must not drive a heavy vehicle that exceeds prescribed mass requirements.
Operating an appliance outside these limits increases the risk of:
Reduced vehicle stability and braking performance
Mechanical stress and vehicle damage
Incident, injury or harm to members and the public
These restrictions are being implemented to reduce operational risk, maintain compliance with vehicle certification requirements and support safe appliance operations pending further assessment.
What you need to do about it
Appliances subject to immediate precautionary operational restrictions
The following appliance categories and variants are to have precautionary operational restrictions applied immediately. Importantly, affected appliances must not be operated outside the restrictions specified in this Safety Alert.
Category 1 dual cab variants with mid-mounted pumps:
Maximum total crew weight: 270 kg
Maximum crew number: 3
Category 1 single cab variants with mid-mounted pumps:
Maximum total crew weight: 200 kg
Maximum crew number: 2
Category 2 dual cab variants:
Maximum total crew weight: 300 kg
Maximum crew number: 3
Category 7 – Mitsubishi Canter dual cab variants:
Maximum total crew weight: 400 kg
Maximum crew number: 4
Category 7 – Isuzu NPS300 dual cab variants:
Maximum total crew weight: 400 kg
Maximum crew number: 4
Category 9 – selected appliances (appliances that do not yet have axle weights recorded):
Maximum total crew weight: 180 kg
Maximum crew number: 2
Identified appliances that have not yet been weighed are restricted to carrying out critical operational activities only.
Critical operational activities are activities directly associated with emergency response, protection of life and property, or activities necessary to safely and effectively prepare for and manage incidents or operational tasks. Critical operational activities are intended to support the continued operational use of restricted appliances where appropriate, while limiting nonessential appliance usage.
"
Cat 1 dual-cab tankers are configured for up to 5 people.
This directive, if implemented to the 'letter of the law' means every brigade is now required to weigh all crew members (volunteers) before assigning people to a vehicle to check the total weight of people doesn't exceed the specified limits, and medically discriminate against people who are heavier by declining them the right to take part in critical activities.
Another attack on volunteers in the NSW RFS.
RFS volunteers are not required to meet health standards like paid firefighters and military are - because they are volunteers.
The NSW gov continues to treat volunteers as unpaid employees instead of actual volunteers.
"SAFETY ALERT: Fleet compliance and appliance operational restrictions
What happened?
The RFS remains operational and continues to respond to incidents across the state. This Safety Alert does not restrict the RFS from meeting its operational obligations; it introduces targeted, precautionary controls to ensure appliances are operated safely while remaining available for response.
The RFS relies on a safe, compliant and operational fleet to protect communities and support our members. As part of the statewide Fleet Mass Compliance Program, inspections, weighing activities and analysis have identified a number of appliance variants where there is a potential risk of exceeding certified Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) and/or axle load limits.
To manage this risk and ensure the ongoing safety of members and the community, precautionary operational restrictions are to be implemented immediately on identified appliance categories while further inspection, weighing and assessment activities continue.
These actions form an interim risk control measure and are precautionary and temporary in nature.
Why is this Safety Alert required?
Recent inspections and analysis across the fleet have identified appliance variants where there is a reasonable possibility that operating weights may exceed certified limits. The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) mandates that a person must not drive a heavy vehicle that exceeds prescribed mass requirements.
Operating an appliance outside these limits increases the risk of:
Reduced vehicle stability and braking performance
Mechanical stress and vehicle damage
Incident, injury or harm to members and the public
These restrictions are being implemented to reduce operational risk, maintain compliance with vehicle certification requirements and support safe appliance operations pending further assessment.
What you need to do about it
Appliances subject to immediate precautionary operational restrictions
The following appliance categories and variants are to have precautionary operational restrictions applied immediately. Importantly, affected appliances must not be operated outside the restrictions specified in this Safety Alert.
Category 1 dual cab variants with mid-mounted pumps:
Maximum total crew weight: 270 kg
Maximum crew number: 3
Category 1 single cab variants with mid-mounted pumps:
Maximum total crew weight: 200 kg
Maximum crew number: 2
Category 2 dual cab variants:
Maximum total crew weight: 300 kg
Maximum crew number: 3
Category 7 – Mitsubishi Canter dual cab variants:
Maximum total crew weight: 400 kg
Maximum crew number: 4
Category 7 – Isuzu NPS300 dual cab variants:
Maximum total crew weight: 400 kg
Maximum crew number: 4
Category 9 – selected appliances (appliances that do not yet have axle weights recorded):
Maximum total crew weight: 180 kg
Maximum crew number: 2
Identified appliances that have not yet been weighed are restricted to carrying out critical operational activities only.
Critical operational activities are activities directly associated with emergency response, protection of life and property, or activities necessary to safely and effectively prepare for and manage incidents or operational tasks. Critical operational activities are intended to support the continued operational use of restricted appliances where appropriate, while limiting nonessential appliance usage.
"
Cat 1 dual-cab tankers are configured for up to 5 people.
This directive, if implemented to the 'letter of the law' means every brigade is now required to weigh all crew members (volunteers) before assigning people to a vehicle to check the total weight of people doesn't exceed the specified limits, and medically discriminate against people who are heavier by declining them the right to take part in critical activities.
Another attack on volunteers in the NSW RFS.
RFS volunteers are not required to meet health standards like paid firefighters and military are - because they are volunteers.
The NSW gov continues to treat volunteers as unpaid employees instead of actual volunteers.
