The National Heavy Vehicle Concrete Agitator Work and Rest Hours Exemption Notice has been amended to provide improved guidance on when agitator drivers operating under standard hours or Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) hours can take ‘short work breaks’ during their shifts.
First published on 1 January 2017, the notice provides alternatives for taking short rest breaks, allowing drivers of fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles carrying pre-mixed concrete to take regular short work breaks when they can, rather than requiring them to have a break at specific times throughout the day. Drivers can record a short work break while still in the driver’s seat with the engine running, if they’re not undertaking any work-related activities.
The amended notice, which takes effect on 1 February, incorporates the following changes:
- Inclusion of an updated Table 1 for alternative rest and work times for drivers operating under standard hours.
b. Inclusion of a new Table 2 for alternative rest and work times for drivers operating under BFM hours.
c. Additional notes for drivers operating under the notice, clarifying when work time includes short work break time.
For more information about the notice, see Short work breaks for agitator drivers.