Pilot - Remote or Isolated Safety - Pilot

• SafeWork NSW & NSW FairTrading will ensure control measures are put in place to minimise the risks associated with remote and/or isolated work, i.e., for the purposes of this procedure, working away from the office where any of the following apply:
  • Working outside of urban environments
  • Working in an urban environment that is isolated
  • Where there may be unreliable telecommunications or reception
  • Inability to access timely assistance in the event of an emergency
  • Work outside normal hours that poses the risk of any of the above (e.g. after-hours response)

• Remote and/or isolated work - work that is isolated from the assistance of other persons because of location, time or nature of the work, where the level of assistance required includes rescue, medical assistance and the attendance of emergency service workers.
  Examples of this type of work may include but not be limited to:
  (a) inspections on remote areas of rural properties and workplaces,
  (b) working individually in an isolated urban or regional location,
  (c) when travelling on a variety of roads between worksites whether or not regularly used by motorists,
  (d) when travelling during extreme weather events and potentially becoming isolated,
  (e) when travelling through areas with limited mobile phone reception.
  (f) when working outside normal hours, e.g. after-hours work
  Adequate and reliable communication system - a system that enables regular and reliable communication and to summon assistance when required. In relation to this procedure, this includes, but is not limited to: remote and/or isolated work emergency contact form, mobile phones – voice & text, UHF radio, and personal locator beacons (PLBs) when no other options available and the situation is life threatening.
  Life threatening is defined as a situation that endangers life.
  Standard journey
  Non-standard journey
  Long distance
  

• The information contained in this assessment has been sourced from the NSW Government - Roads and Maritime Services website. The advice is general. Further information can be obtained at the below link.
  https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/safety/road-safety.html

• This assessment has been prepared by:

• This assessment is valid from:

  Date

• This assessment is valid to:

  Date

• Who is this assessment being prepared for?

  SafeWork Operations

  SafeWork Specialist Services

  Individual Employee

  Fair Trading Operations

  Fair Trading Specialist Services

• Employee Name:

• Employee Phone Number:

• Purpose of Journey:

• Is the journey necessary and being taken in accordance with DFSI Travel & Transport Policy

• Is the journey being undertaken alone?

  Yes

  No

• Passengers Name:

• Passengers Phone Number:

• Is the vehicle:

  Allocated Vehicle

  Pool Vehicle

• Is the driver familiar with the vehicle, its operation and safety features?

• Which Directorate?

  Hazardous Chemical Facilities & Safety Management Audits

  Operational Capability

  Health & Return to Work

  TestSafe & Engineering

• Which Team?

  Major Hazard Facilities

  Hygiene & Toxicology

  Dangerous Goods & Explosives

• Which Team?

  Select Registered Training Organisation Policy Developement Program Management Office WHS Products & Incentives Planning & Performance Governance & Appeals Systems & Process Improvements

  • Registered Training Organisation
  • Policy Developement
  • Program Management Office
  • WHS Products & Incentives
  • Planning & Performance
  • Governance & Appeals
  • Systems & Process Improvements

• Which Team?

  Working Environment & Health

  Healthy Worker Initiative

• Which Team?

  Select Assessment Quality & Certification Testing Commercial Chemical Analysis Plant & Elect Safety

  • Assessment
  • Quality & Certification
  • Testing
  • Commercial
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Plant & Elect Safety

• Which Directorate?

  Northern Ops

  Southern Ops

  IE&R

  MOSI

  CAS

• Which Team?

  IS (Wollongong)

  IS (South Coast)

  Riverina

  Central West & Orana

  South East & Tablelands

• Which Team?

  Hunter (Metro)

  Hunter (MNC)

  North Coast

  New England & North West

• Which Team

  Metro 1

  Metro 2

  Metro 3

  Metro 4

• Which Team

  Investigations (Baulkham Hills & Gosford)

  Investigations (Liverpool)

  Investigations (Newcastle)

  Investigations (Wollongong)

  RC & WHS Undertakings

• Which Team

  Select Construction Services East Construction Services North Construction Services South Asbestos & Demolitions Third Party Verifications Authorisations & Third Party Management Self Insurer Auditing

  • Construction Services East
  • Construction Services North
  • Construction Services South
  • Asbestos & Demolitions
  • Third Party Verifications
  • Authorisations & Third Party Management
  • Self Insurer Auditing

• Which Team

  Select Construction Services East Construction Services North Construction Services South Asbestos & Demolitions Third Party Verifications Authorisations & Third Party Management Self Insurer Auditing

  • Construction Services East
  • Construction Services North
  • Construction Services South
  • Asbestos & Demolitions
  • Third Party Verifications
  • Authorisations & Third Party Management
  • Self Insurer Auditing

• Document No.

• What type of journey is this assessment for?

  Standard Journey

  Regular Journey Exceeding 2 Hours

  Long Distance Journey including and or travel over unsealed roads

• Standard journeys are those journeys that SafeWork Employee make regularly as part of their core work. Journeys are under two hours in duration, mobile phone coverage is reliable and the point to point portion of the journey is undertaken on sealed road.
  This assessment can be undertaken annually is to be discussed with all employees at the start of the calendar year.

• All SafeWork NSW Vehicles are to be maintained in accordance with SGFleet and Manufactures specifications.

• All SafeWork NSW Vehicles are to contain a Basic First Aid Kit.

• All SafeWork NSW employees who use or operate a SafeWork NSW vehicle are to hold a valid NSW Drivers Licence, all applicable staff are to produce their licences to their people annually.

• All SafeWork NSW employees who use or operate a SafeWork NSW vehicle are to adhere to the relevant road rules.

• All SafeWork NSW employees who use or operate a SafeWork NSW are to consider the risk posed in their local area by wild life. This is to include giving consideration to time of travel to avoid high risk times such as dusk and dawn.

• During times of natural disaster or extreme climatic conditions, SafeWork NSW employees are to delay all non essential travel. If travel can not be delayed due to regulatory requirements a journey specific risk assessment is to be undertaken by the affected employees and their people leader.

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• I have discussed this document and am aware of my responsibilities with my people leader:

  Sign

• Regular Journeys are those journeys that SafeWork Employee make regularly as part of their core work. Journeys are over two hours in duration, mobile phone coverage is reliable and the point to point portion of the journey is undertaken on sealed road (An example of such a journey may be Albury to Moama or Dubbo to Broken Hill).
  This assessment can be undertaken annually is to be discussed with all relevant employees every six months.

• This is a standing assessment for journeys taken between:

• How many nights will you be away for?

  0

  1

  2

  3

  4
• Accommodation Address:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 1:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 2:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 1:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 2:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 3:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 1:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 2:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 3:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 4:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

Route and Travel Conditions

• From
  Address
• To
  Address

• How long will the journey take?

  Up to 4 hours

  Up to 6 hours

  Up to 8 hours

  Up to 10 hours

• For a journey of up to four hours you are required to take a pre-planned break of at least 15 minutes. At this break you are to contact your Manager or the Office.

• Planned Break location:
  Address

• For a journey of up to six hours you are required to take at least two pre-planned breaks of at least 15 minutes. At these breaks you are to contact your Manager or the Office.

• Planned Break location 1:
  Address
• Planned Break location 2:
  Address

• For a journey of up to eight hours you are required to take at least three pre-planned breaks of at least 15 minutes. At these breaks you are to contact your Manager or the Office.

• Planned Break location 1:
  Address
• Planned Break location 2:
  Address
• Planned Break location 3:
  Address

• Is there a risk of seasonal climatic events:

  Select Wildlife Bushfires Flooding & General Wet Weather Hazards Icy & Snowy Conditions Extreme Heat

  • Wildlife
  • Bushfires
  • Flooding & General Wet Weather Hazards
  • Icy & Snowy Conditions
  • Extreme Heat

• For the Driver: I have discussed the considerations listed in section 3 of this document with my People Leader

  Sign

• For the People Leader: I have discussed the considerations listed in section 3 of this document with the applicable staff:

  Sign

• SafeWork NSW is responsible for service delivery to all of NSW. Employees may be required as part of their core work to undertake journeys over two hours in duration, the journey may be undertaken on a combination of sealed and unsealed roads, and in sections of the journey mobile phone coverage is not expected to be achievable.

• This is a standing assessment for journeys taken between:

• How many nights will you be away for?

  0

  1

  2

  3

  4
• Accommodation Address:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 1:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 2:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 1:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 2:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 3:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 1:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 2:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 3:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date
• Accommodation Address Night 4:
  Address

• Phone Number of Accommodation:

• Expected Check Out Time:

  Date

• Expected Check in Time:

  Date
• From
  Address

Route and Travel Conditions

• From
  Address
• To:
  Address

• How long will the journey take?

  Up to 4 hours

  Up to 6 hours

  Up to 8 hours

  Up to 10 hours

• For a journey of up to four hours you are required to take a pre-planned break of at least 15 minutes. At this break you are to contact your Manager or the Office.

• Planned Break location:
  Address

• For a journey of up to six hours you are required to take at least two pre-planned breaks of at least 15 minutes. At these breaks you are to contact your Manager or the Office.

• Planned Break location 1:
  Address
• Planned Break location 2:
  Address

• For a journey of up to eight hours you are required to take at least three pre-planned breaks of at least 15 minutes. At these breaks you are to contact your Manager or the Office.

• Planned Break location 1:
  Address
• Planned Break location 2:
  Address
• Planned Break location 3:
  Address

• For a journey of up to ten hours you are required to take at least four pre-planned breaks of at least 15 minutes. At these breaks you are to contact your Manager or the Office.

• Planned Break location 1:
  Address
• Planned Break location 2:
  Address
• Planned Break location 3:
  Address
• Planned Break location 4:
  Address

• Is there a risk of seasonal climatic events:

  Select Wildlife Bushfires Flooding & General Wet Weather Hazards Icy & Snowy Conditions Extreme Heat

  • Wildlife
  • Bushfires
  • Flooding & General Wet Weather Hazards
  • Icy & Snowy Conditions
  • Extreme Heat

• For the Driver: I have discussed the considerations listed in section 3 of this document with my People Leader

  Sign

• For the People Leader: I have discussed the considerations listed in section 3 of this document with the applicable staff:

  Sign

• Is there a likelihood that the driver will be travelling in excess of 1 km on unsealed or corrugated roads :

  Yes

  No

• For the Driver: I have discussed the considerations listed in section 6 of this document with my People Leader

  Sign

• For the People Leader: I have discussed the considerations listed in section 6 of this document with the applicable staff:

  Sign

Vehicle & Equipment

• Vehicle Registration:

• Does the vehicle have UHF Radio?

  Yes

  No

• UHF Radio Number

• Is the Manager and Employee confident in the use of the UHF Radio?

  Yes

  No

• Has the employee been issued a PLB?

  Yes

  No

• PLB Number

• Is the Manager and Employee confident in the use of the PLB?

  Yes

  No

Employees Next of Kin

• Next of Kin Name:

• Next of Kin Relationship:

• Next of Kin Phone Number:

• Next of Kin Alternate Contact Details;

Manager Details

• Managers Name:

• Managers Office Location:

• Managers Mobile Phone Number:

• Managers Office Phone Number:

• Managers Alternate Contact Details:

Nearest SafeWork NSW Office at Destination

• Address

• Phone number:

Emergency Services:

• Address and Branch (Police, Ambulance, Hospital)

• Phone Number:

• Address and Branch (Police, Ambulance, Hospital)

• Phone Number:

• Address and Branch (Police, Ambulance, Hospital)

• Phone Number:

General Considerations for Low Risk Driving in remote and regional areas:

• Know your limits
  Just because a road is signposted as a 100 km/h zone doesn’t mean you have to drive that fast.
  As with driving in the city, you need to regulate your speed according to the conditions.
  Road conditions can change quickly in the country. Even if you’ve driven on a road hundreds of times, you never really know what’s going to be around the next bend.
  In the country you could encounter potholes, rough road surfaces, narrow sections, single lane bridges, railway crossings, livestock or wildlife, soft or broken road edges or even fallen limbs from trees.
  You may also encounter another motorist doing something stupid – such as attempting to overtake when they’re unsighted.
  
  Off road (but not in a good way)
  If you do make a misjudgment and hit the soft edges of a country road, it’s important not to overreact.
  Don’t jerk the wheel or brake heavily. Take your foot off the accelerator to slow down and then ease your wheels back onto the road while holding the steering wheel firmly.
  If the road surface itself is loose (covered in gravel for example) or if you’ve encountered a dirt road, then your car needs a lot longer to stop, is less responsive and you can much more easily lose control on bends. Dirt roads can also become treacherously slippery in the wet.
  The answer here is to slow down and allow a greater margin for error (a longer stopping distance, for example).
  
  Sunset, night, rain
  Always turn on your lights when conditions affect your capacity to see the road and surrounds. Typically a driver’s vision is affected at sunset and sunrise, at night or in rain or fog.
  Slow down and keep an eye out for other vehicles ahead of you or at intersections.
  If an oncoming driver dazzles you with their high beam, slow down, lower your gaze to the road immediately ahead and use the road markings to keep your bearings.
  
  Stay sharp
  It’s obvious from this short list of tips that driving in the country requires concentration.
  
  The fact is that tired drivers crash on country roads. Nearly 80 per cent of fatalities occur on NSW country roads.
  Research shows that driving between 10pm and 6am is associated with four times the risk of a fatigue crash than at other times during the day.
  So try to avoid driving at times when you would normally be asleep, take regular breaks and always monitor the early warning signs of driver fatigue such as:
  
  Yawning.
  Poor concentration.
  Tired or sore eyes.
  Restlessness.
  Drowsiness.
  Slow reactions.
  Boredom.
  Feeling irritable.
  Making fewer and larger steering corrections.
  Missing road signs.
  Having difficulty staying in the lane.
  Pull over and rest when you recognise these signs.
  
  To help you out, you can call Roads and Maritime Services on 13 22 13, find a driver reviver site or pop into a registry or service centre for a free map of NSW that includes travel times between towns and rest areas along the way.
  
  Country drivers
  If you live in a country area, don’t imagine that you are somehow safer than other drivers.
  In fact, there’s a growing amount of research showing that country drivers can take big risks on their local roads.
  In NSW, a high number of fatal crashes involve country drivers driving on country roads.
  The message is that all of us need to stay alert to the road conditions and monitor our speed.

• The below link contains further information on low risk driving:
  https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/safe-driving/low-risk-driving.html

• More information
  Visit the Live Traffic NSW website or call the Transport Management Centre on 132 701 (24 hours) for details on road
  and weather conditions.
  
  https://www.livetraffic.com/desktop.html

Fatigue:

• You should plan your trip before you leave, this includes the number and location of Driver Reviver sites, rest areas and petrol stations there are along the way.

• The below link shows all NSW Rest Areas.
  https://secure.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/using-roads/trip-information/rest-areas/map/

Wildlife:

• Hitting an animal becomes a much greater prospect at dusk and in the evening.
  Remember that some animals become hypnotised by the glare of your lights.
  If you do spot an animal in your path you should brake, flash your lights and hit the horn – don’t swerve.
  It seems like a tough call but swerving to miss an animal at reasonable speed is a recipe for rolling your car.

Bush Fires

• If you're travelling during the bush fire season, you could be affected by a fire.
  If you are caught in a bushfire, follow these steps to minimise the danger from radiant heat:
  
  Call Triple Zero (000)
  Park off the road away from dense bush - try to find a clearing
  Face the car towards the oncoming fire and turn the engine off
  Turn the headlights and hazard lights on. Car crashes are common in bushfires when visibility is poor.
  Stay in the car and close all the windows and vents
  Drink plenty of water
  Cover up with woollen blankets and stay down below the level of the windows until the fire has passed and you can carefully leave the car
  The NSW Rural Fire Service website has more information on travelling in a bushfire area. You can also call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
  
  Police advise to delay all non-essential travel in bushfire areas and to monitor emergency websites and local media for updated advice and warnings.

• The NSW Rural Fire Service website has more information on travelling in a bushfire area. You can also call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
  http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/travelling-in-a-bush-fire-area

Flooding & General Wet Weather Hazards

• The streets are busier as more people drive to avoid the rain and the roads become slippery. There’s the water itself, but the rain also brings oil and other slippery muck to the surface.
  It’s harder to see the road ahead, your windscreen becomes foggy and your brakes are less effective.
  It’s no surprise that in the wet weather there are more prangs, but there are some simple things you can do to avoid getting into trouble.
  
  Slow down
  You should also increase the distance between you and the cars ahead.
  In normal conditions, it’s recommended that you leave a three second gap – in the wet, try to double this.
  
  Take it easy
  You need to take extra care in all aspects of your driving. Accelerate and steer smoothly. Avoid slamming on the brakes – apply steady pressure.
  
  Look out
  Make sure you can see and be seen. Turn on your lights and use your air conditioner and/or demister to keep your windows from fogging up.
  
  Watch out
  Keep an eye out for water on the road. Sometimes water can gather in dips or unseen potholes, creating deceptively deep pools.
  Cars have been known to ‘aquaplane’ after hitting water like this (that is, ‘glide’ out of control across the road).
  If you do come across water across the road, then cut your speed right back to 30 or 40km/h. After you’ve driven through, touch your brakes lightly to dry out the brake pads.
  Obviously, if there’s water flowing across a road in a low-lying country area, for example, you should stop and check the depth before continuing (it shouldn’t be higher than the lowest point on the wheel rim).
  
  Patience
  The most important thing is to be patient.

Icy & Snowy Conditions

• Travelling on wet or icy roads increases the risk of a crash, even for experienced motorists on routes they know well. You need to slow down and use caution when driving in fog, wet or icy conditions.
  
  If you encounter ice, slow down to maintain control of your vehicle and reduce the force of impacts that might occur.
  
  Black ice
  Motorists especially need to take care when driving at night or at dawn or dusk, when surface moisture and dew can freeze into black ice. Difficult to see, black ice can remain on the road even during fine days in shaded or low-lying areas.
  
  Take notice of variable message signs with up-to-date information about the weather and road conditions.
  
  Tips for safe driving in icy and wet conditions
  Obey speed advisory signs and drive to the conditions
  Slow down and watch for ice on roads, especially in shaded or low lying areas
  Drive with your headlights on low beam. You should only use your fog lights if driving in fog, mist, or other atmospheric conditions that restrict your visibility.
  Watch for wildlife warning signs - many road accidents in snow and ice affected areas involve native animals crossing roads, particularly at night
  Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Braking in icy or wet conditions should be gentle to avoid skidding and losing control. Brake early and accelerate slowly.

Extreme Heat

• driving in hot weather is often necessary. By taking a few precautions, you can stay cool, avoid heat-related breakdowns, or in the worst case scenario, be safe if your car does breakdown.
  
  Stay hydrated: Drive with spare water, enough for all your passengers and any pets too. On a long trip this may be several litres. Avoid caffeinated drinks. They might help keep you awake, but they are also diuretics which can cause your body to lose water.
  
  Service: If going on a long trip or if you haven’t had your car serviced in the last six months, you can prevent an uncomfortable breakdown by getting it looked over by a professional so you can be confident it’s in good shape. The service will check these essential maintenance items we’ve outlined below.
  
  Battery check: Hot temperatures put additional strain on your battery. Most batteries are maintenance-free these days, but if your battery has caps check the level and top up as necessary. If you have a maintenance free wet cell, gel cell or absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery, look them over to be sure that they haven’t cracked or leaked. For all types of battery, clean any corrosion from the terminals, secure all connections and assure that the battery is firmly mounted and safe from vibration.
  
  Clean Windscreen: In summer, there is a longer time period that the sun stays on the horizon making it more difficult for you to see east in the morning and west in the evening. A clean windscreen or a clean visor is essential, as any dirt and scratches diffract bright light, obscuring your vision.
  
  Emergency Kit: Be sure that you have a well-stocked emergency kit in the car. A kit should include water, non-perishable food items, jumper cables (only necessary if you have an older vehicle), a torch with extra batteries, road warning triangles and/or an emergency beacon, basic hand tools, and a first aid kit.
  
  Plan Ahead: Make sure that your mobile phone is fully-charged (or bring a charger you can plug into the vehicle) and that you have some cash in your wallet for emergencies.
  
  Monitor your Fuel Gauge: Don’t let your fuel tank go to empty before filling up. This is fairly obvious but assumes greater importance when the weather is extremely hot.
  
  Coolant System: The coolant in your radiator should be replaced on a periodic basis – check your owner’s manual for details. In between, check the level of fluid in your cooling system by looking for the plastic overflow tank under your hood. The easiest way is to check the plastic reserve tank that’s connected to the cooling system. On the side of the reservoir will be a low and high mark and the coolant level should be between the two marks. It’s always good practice to check the coolant level on the radiator via the radiator cap, with one important proviso – this should always be done when the engine is cold. Removing the cap when the engine is hot can cause coolant to spray out under pressure, seriously scalding you. If the level is low you can add coolant, again checking the owner’s handbook for the correct recommendation.
  
  Protect Yourself: Wear and bring extra sunscreen, and a hat in case you have to spend time outside the car.
  
  Engine and Oil and Other Fluid Levels: Hot weather driving puts heavy demand on all of your engine’s components, not just your cooling system. Check your engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and brake fluid to make sure that they’re all at the recommended levels.
  
  Air Con: If your car air conditioning isn’t working as well as it has in the past, take it to a certified technician and have it serviced. Have them replace the cabin air filter, if it hasn’t been done within the past six months.
  
  Tyres: Make sure that your tyres are properly inflated before you head out for a drive. Under-inflated tyres flex more, which causes heat buildup. If conditions are already hot, under-inflated tires are even more likely to fail. Don’t forget the spare, if your car has one, and check you have the jack and tools to change a wheel. Check the tyres’ tread depth while you’re at it, and if they are close to the wear limiters, consider replacing.

• There are many different types of unsealed roads in NSW, ranging from good quality gravel-covered roads to crook, potted and bulldust covered outback tracks, and everything in between.
  Make sure the vehicle is up to the task of driving on the dirt roads. Ensure tyres have plenty of tread and that suspension is in good condition.

Tyre Pressure

• Lowering tyre pressures will improve ride quality and reduce the risk of tyre damage, including chipping across the tread area and the potential for punctures.
  There’s no ‘correct’ tyre pressure for driving on dirt as there are so many variables, such as the vehicle itself, the load it’s carrying and the condition of the road. If the gravel road is in good nick, and you can easily maintain a similar speed to when you were driving on the blacktop, you can probably leave your tyre pressures as they were. But if the road surface is rough and you have to lower your speed, you should think about lowering tyre pressures.
  If you were running 38psi on the road, drop pressures to 32psi on rough gravel and see how it feels. If you were running 30psi on the road then 26psi might be appropriate on crook gravel roads and tracks. Again, you will have to see how the vehicle feels. If ride quality is still too harsh, you might have to drop pressures further, but if handling starts to feel all sloppy and cornering is affected, you may have gone too far. Remember, as you lower pressures, the tyres will generate more heat, so you should lower vehicle speed to compensate.
  

Dust

• One of the keys to successfully driving on dirt roads is to stay out of the dust generated by other vehicles as much as possible. If you’re following another vehicle, hold back until the dust has settled. If there’s an oncoming vehicle and the dust is blowing on to your side of the road, slow down to prepare for limited visibility when driving through the dust cloud. Slowing down will also reduce the risk of windscreen damage, to both your vehicle and the oncoming vehicle.
  The best way to keep dust out of the vehicle’s cabin is to make sure all the windows are up, and you have the ventilation set to ‘fresh’. This will pressurise the cabin which should prevent dust from working its way past door seals and through other gaps.
  In very dusty conditions, your windscreen will also cop a decent coating, so make sure your wiper blades are in good condition and your vehicle’s washer fluid bottle is topped up.
  Bulldust consists the finest dirt particles you’re ever likely to drive through and as more traffic passes through it the deeper it can get. You can usually pick bulldust patches thanks to slight colour variations in the road, so avoid them if possible. If you can’t avoid them, slow down a little on approach and get ready for a tug on the steering wheel as your tyres dive into the talcum-powder-like bulldust.
  Keep the vehicle pointing where you want it to go and use the throttle to drive out the other side of the bulldust patch. Try to avoid braking in the middle of a bulldust patch and don’t make any sudden changes of direction.
  

Corrugated Roads

• Many of Australia’s unsealed roads and tracks are covered in bone-jarring corrugations and, unless you’re prepared for them, they can be almost unbearable.
  As corrugations vary in height and frequency, the ideal speed on one corrugated road might not be ideal on another corrugated road. The trick is to adjust your speed until you find the sweet spot, where your vehicle’s tyres are able to skip over the top of the corrugations from one peak to another. This might be 80km/h, 90km/h or even 100km/h.

Wet Weather

• When it rains, dirt turns to mud. On decent gravel roads rain will not be an issue; simply drop your speed to suit conditions and you’ll be fine. On dirt roads, rain can present serious challenges, especially in flat, outback country.
  Many outback roads are only suitable in dry conditions, so they will be closed when wet. Because the water is unable to drain away, and because wet bulldust generally turns into a sloppy quagmire, road damage occurs when vehicles attempt to traverse these roads in wet conditions.
  

Managers & People Leaders

• Managers and People Leaders must ensure that:
  (a) staff are aware of the procedures and all other measures taken by SafeWork NSW to manage the risk of working in remote and/or isolated environments,
  (b) the procedure is fully implemented and monitored, and
  (c) evaluation of the procedures are conducted regularly to determine compliance,
  (d) risk assessments are carried out identifying the scale and nature of the risks to staff. This should include assessments of current working practices and working environment, existing measures concerned with preventing and coping with violent incidents, and the identification of training needs.
  (e) a register of completed risk assessment forms accessible to all workers is kept in work areas.
  (f) safe systems of work are established and maintained.
  (g) workers receive appropriate training in the controls for remote and/or isolated work and use of the associated equipment
  
  

Staff

• All Staff must ensure that:
  (a) they comply with this procedure and the safe driving policy and procedure
  (b) where possible they identify relevant risk factors and take reasonable steps to address them
  (c) incidents are reported and they follow the correct reporting procedure,
  (d) they do not endanger themselves or others,
  (e) they comply with any instructions provided by their manager regarding the procedure, and
  (f) they exercise sound judgement in ensuring theirs, and others, health and safety.