Transport and Vehicle Safety Procedure

Introduction

Purpose

Disability and Mental Health Care Pty Ltd is registered to provide Assist-Travel/Transport (registration group 0108). The purpose of this Procedure is to keep participants and Workers safe whenever a Worker transports a participant, and to define the vehicle, driver and conduct requirements that apply.

Scope

This Procedure applies to any Worker who drives a participant anywhere as part of a support, whether in the Worker's vehicle, the participant's vehicle, or a company-arranged vehicle.

Relevant legislation

All legislation relevant to this document is outlined in the Legislation Register.

Related documents

• Work Health and Safety Policy
• Incident Management Policy
• Service Agreement (transport and kilometre arrangements)
• Worker Register
• Participant Risk Assessment Form

Responsibilities and Roles

• Supriya Thapa is responsible for the development and review of this document and for ensuring it remains compliant with all applicable laws, regulations and standards.
• Key Management Personnel are responsible for its effective implementation, for assisting Workers to understand and comply with it, and for complying with it themselves.
• Workers are responsible for understanding this document and complying with all procedures applicable to them.

Definitions

Disability and Mental Health Care Pty Ltd means Disability and Mental Health Care Pty Ltd ABN 19 658 578 575, a registered NDIS provider (4-LO5XNY0).

Key Management Personnel means Supriya Thapa and other key management personnel involved in Disability and Mental Health Care Pty Ltd from time to time.

Worker means a permanent, fixed term or casual member of staff, a contractor or volunteer employed or otherwise engaged by Disability and Mental Health Care Pty Ltd, and includes the Director.

The Care Web means the Disability and Mental Health Care Pty Ltd service-delivery platform (thecareweb.com.au) that holds our booking, credential, incident, complaint and roster records.

Procedures

Driver requirements, before any transport shift

• The Worker holds a current, unrestricted Australian driver licence appropriate to the vehicle. Licences are recorded in The Care Web's credential system, which tracks expiry dates and warns the Worker and management at 30 and 7 days before expiry.
• The Worker declares they are fit to drive: not affected by alcohol, drugs, fatigue, or medication that impairs driving.
• Any licence suspension, disqualification, or relevant traffic charge must be reported to Key Management Personnel immediately; transport duties stop until resolved.

Vehicle requirements

• The vehicle used is registered, comprehensively insured, and roadworthy. Where a Worker uses their own vehicle for participant transport, they provide evidence of registration and comprehensive insurance annually, held in their worker file.
• Seatbelts are worn by everyone, every trip. Child restraints compliant with law are used for any participant who requires them.
• Wheelchairs and mobility aids are stowed or secured using appropriate restraint points; a wheelchair is never occupied in transit unless the vehicle is fitted for it.
• No smoking or vaping in any vehicle used to transport participants.

Conduct during transport

• No mobile phone use while driving, including hands-free where it distracts from participant needs; navigation is set before departure.
• All road rules are followed. Participant preferences (music, temperature, route, breaks) are respected. Transport time is support time.
• Door-to-door means door-to-door: the Worker ensures the participant has safely entered their destination (or is met by a responsible person, where that is the plan) before leaving. A participant is never set down at the kerb and left.
• Kilometres and any transport charges follow the Service Agreement and the NDIS pricing arrangements (Activity Based Transport is itemised separately from support time); charges are transparent to the participant before the trip.

Breakdown, accident or incident on the road

• Safety first: move to safety, hazard lights, 000 for any injury or danger.
• The Worker contacts the office as soon as safe, and alternative transport for the participant is arranged before anything else is dealt with.
• Any accident, near miss or injury during transport is recorded in the incident system within 24 hours; injuries and other serious events follow the Incident Management Policy timelines automatically.

Records

Driver licences (with expiry tracking) live in The Care Web; vehicle insurance evidence lives in worker files; transport-related incidents live in the incident register. These together evidence this Procedure operating.

Policy review and updates

This document is to be amended and updated as required to remain compliant with applicable law, the NDIS Practice Standards, and the conditions of registration. It will be reviewed no later than the review date below, and earlier if legislation, the Practice Standards, or our operations change.