HEAVY VEHICLE DRIVER FATIGUE REFORM
february 2009
How to use and complete your new
work diary
FACT SHEET 9
When should a driver use a work
diary?
The work diary must be used and carried at all
times if the driver is working:
RR Standard hours and works more than
100 km from work base;
RR Basic Fatigue Management (BFM); or
RR Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM).
Introduction
New fatigue laws, implemented in September
2008, set revised work and rest limits for heavy
vehicle drivers and require better management
of driver fatigue. The fatigue reform makes all
parties in the supply chain legally responsible
for preventing driver fatigue. The new laws also
include the introduction of a driver work diary to
replace the driver log book.
What is a work diary?
A work diary must contain a record of the
driver’s work/rest history as required under the
legislation.
The work diary contains similar information to
the log book and is issued by VicRoads. Drivers
must complete daily sheets to record their
work/rest history.
Who must use a work diary?
Drivers must use a work diary if they are driving
a heavy vehicle with a gross vehicle mass of
over 12 tonnes or a combination, if the total of
the GVM is over 12 tonnes, or a bus with more
than 12 seats (including the driver).
Drivers must always keep a work diary in their
vehicle that contains current records of work
and rest time within the last 28 day period. This
includes any supplementary records (eg records
kept if the work diary is lost – see relevant
section below) relevant to the period.
If a driver travels in WA or the ACT for less than
seven days he or she must continue to use the
work diary.
Important: regardless of whether a driver is
required to keep a work diary, he or she is
still required to comply with the work/rest
hours limits and appropriate records of work/
rest hours must be kept. See Fact Sheet 8,
‘What records you need to keep’.
Information that must be recorded
Drivers must record all the required information
(as specified in the work diary instructions) in their
work diary on a daily basis. Drivers must continue
to record the information until their next major
rest break (five hours continuous rest or more).
How to record information
Drivers must record the required information on
a separate daily sheet in a current work diary.
Ensure adequate pressure is applied to ensure
a readable record of the driver’s information
appears on duplicate sheets.
Storage of work diary pages
Each daily sheet (marked ORIGINAL) must
remain in the work diary. Each daily sheet
has two copies. You must give the first copy
(marked DUPLICATE) to the person you are
currently working for as soon as possible or
within 21 days of the date recorded on the daily
sheet.
You should keep the second copy (also marked
DUPLICATE) in the work diary unless you have
worked for two separate employers within the
same 24 hour period. In this case give a copy
to each employer. Otherwise retain the second
copy in the work diary unless it is requested
by an authorised enforcement officer who may
remove it.
False or misleading records
A driver or record keeper must keep an
accurate work record in their possession.
Severe penalties apply to drivers and/or record
keepers who:
RR record information in a work diary that
they know, or ought to know, is false or
misleading;
RR keep a spare work diary (other than a
filled-up work diary);
RR record information for the same period in
more than one work diary;
RR deface or change a work record they
know, or ought to know, is correct;
RR pretend they have made a work record or
made an entry in a work record when this
is not the case;
RR make an entry in someone else’s work
record (unless otherwise permitted, eg a
police officer making an annotation or a
two-up driver’s counter-signature); and
RR destroy a work record before the end of
the period for which they are required
to be kept (the law requires records to
remain readable and easily understood as
evidence).
02 heavy vehicle driver reform
If you are self-employed you must keep
copies of your work diaries and daily sheets
for three years for audit purposes. If you are
an employed driver, your employer must keep
these copies for three years.
Replacing work diaries
If a driver has nearly filled up his or her work
diary, a new one can be obtained by applying
in person to VicRoads. VicRoads will cancel the
unused pages of the current work diary.
If a work diary is lost, stolen, destroyed – or
filled up before the driver can get a new work
diary – he or she must report this in writing to
VicRoads within two business days. The driver
has a maximum of seven business days before
he or she must get a new work diary.
Until the driver is issued with a new work diary,
he or she must continue to record all work and
rest time in a supplementary record. This record
must contain the same information that would
be required in his or her work diary.
Supplementary records
Any supplementary record must be treated the
same way as work diary. The driver must keep
a copy of each daily supplementary record in
the vehicle for 28 days after it is made and give
a copy to his or her record keeper within 21
days, who must store it for three years.
If the driver’s lost work diary has been found
after a new one has been issued the driver
must:
RR immediately cancel any unused daily
sheets in the old work diary by writing
CANCELLED across each unused page;
and
RR notify VicRoads at once.
Supplementary record information
The following information must be recorded
after starting work:
RR the day of the week and date;
RR the driver’s name, current driver’s licence
number and State or Territory issued;
RR the work/rest hours the driver is working
under (Standard Hours, BFM or AFM);
RR the operator’s BFM or AFM accreditation
number (if applicable);
RR details of the driver’s base and the time
zone; and
RR details of the driver’s record location.
If the driver is or becomes a two-up driver the
following information must also be recorded:
RR the two-up driver’s name and work diary
number;
RR the two-up driver’s licence number; and
RR the State or Territory that issued the twoup driver’s work diary.
Immediately before finishing work the driver
must record the total number of work and rest
hours for that day. The driver (and two-up driver
if applicable) must sign the form stating the
information is true and correct.
Roadside inspection of work
diaries
If a driver is stopped by an authorised officer
or a police officer for a roadside inspection, the
driver must produce his or her work diary for
inspection. The officer may ground the driver for
24 hours if a work diary cannot be produced.
The officer may remove a duplicate of each
work diary daily sheet from the driver’s work
diary if required. The driver can ask the officer
to make a note in the work diary if they have
stopped for more than five minutes.
How to complete the Work Diary
Daily Sheet
The following pages provide you with a step by
step guide on filling in each section of the daily
sheet in the work diary.
Immediately before and after each work/rest
changeover drivers must record the:
RR nature of the work/rest change;
RR work/rest time spent anywhere by the
driver since the last work/rest change;
RR time and place of the work/rest change;
RR odometer reading at that time; and
RR registration number shown on the number
plates of the heavy vehicle being driven.
fact sheet 9: how to use and complete your new work diary 03
Step-by-step guide to filling in the daily sheet of the work diary
•
Enter all details clearly using a permanent blue or black pen.
•
Record all entries legibly and ensure you use enough pressure so your entries are recorded on duplicate sheets.
•
Don’t wait until the end of the day to complete your work diary – keep it up to date.
•
You can use abbreviations, but only if they make sense to a reasonable person.
1. Ensure driver base and record location details are current
2. Ensure accreditation details are current
3. Recording driver and two-up driver identification details
Solo driver
Before you start work you must record:
•
your full name and licence number;
•
the date ( day / month / year );
•
the time zone (State or Territory where you are based);
•
the State or Territory where your licence was issued; and
•
the day of the week by placing either a  or a cross x in the
correct box (S=Sunday, M=Monday etc.)
QUEENSLAND
QUEENSLAND
Two-up driver
Before you start working as a member of a two-up team, the
other Two-up driver must provide the following details in your
work diary:
•
Two-up driver’s name and work diary number; and
•
Two-up driver’s driver licence number and State or Territory
their work diary was issued.
QUEENSLAND
The two-up driver must verify this information is correct and sign
your work diary where indicated.
4. Recording your work/rest option
•
Place a  or a x in the box to record which option you are
working under and whether you are driving solo or Two-up.
•
If you are working under the BFM or AFM options record
your operator’s BFM/AFM accreditation number.
•
If you are working under the Standard Hours option
(including bus) you do not need to record an accreditation
number.
Note: If you are changing from one work/rest hours option
to another one, or if you start work for a new transport
operator, you must start recording your work and rest time
on a new page in the work diary.
•
You also have the option of noting whether you completed
a pre-trip check and at what time. However, this is not
mandatory.
04 heavy vehicle driver reform
Q002
5. Recording when you start
The timeline runs from midnight to midnight and is broken up into 15 minute, 30 minute and hourly sections. Use a vertical
line to connect the horizontal lines recording rest and work in the columns on the timeline. Please note that the time
leading up to when you commence work is recorded as rest along with the time after you finish work.
Solo driver
•
If you are a solo driver, use the Solo Work column in the timeline to record your work activities. Note what time you
start work and mark the point on the timeline to indicate when you start work.
Two-up driver
•
If you are working as a two-up driver, use the Two-up Work column in the timeline to record your work activities. Note
what time you start work and mark the point on the timeline to indicate work.
6. Recording work
Under the legislation, work includes any time driving your vehicle and doing activities related to your vehicle’s operation.
Remember work also includes any time you are sitting in the driver’s seat while the engine is running – this could include
waiting in a queue, loading and unloading, paperwork, refuelling, cleaning or servicing your vehicle etc. (See Fact Sheet 1,
‘Heavy vehicle driver fatigue laws: Overview’.
Solo driver
If you are a solo driver, record your work time in 15 minute intervals in the Solo Work column of the timeline. Draw a
horizontal line through the column to indicate the time you have worked. Remember to include driving and all other work
related activities. Also record any local pick-ups or deliveries as work carried out in the same 24 hour work period as your
long distance trip.
Two-up driver
If you are working as a two-up driver, record work by drawing a horizontal line through the timeline in the Two-up work
column to indicate work.
7. Recording rest
Record your hours of rest in 15 minute intervals in the Rest column on the timeline. Draw a horizontal line through the
column to record any rest breaks you take. If the rest break is less than 15 minutes in total it cannot be recorded as a rest
break. Remember, you can only record rest if you are not doing any work.
fact sheet 9: how to use and complete your new work diary 05
8. Recording the location of a work/rest change
Use the column Location of Work/Rest Change to record your location when you change from:
•
work time to rest time;
•
rest time to work time;
•
solo driving to two-up driving; and
•
two-up driving to solo driving.
Starting work
When you start work this is a change from rest to work so you will need to record the location where you start work.
Do you drive your heavy vehicle from home before starting your shift? If so, you should record this time as work time,
even if you are not paid for it. Your home location should be recorded as where you started working from.
During the work day
Record the name of the rest area, truck stop, town, or suburb where you stop for a rest with sufficient detail so that it can
be identified, eg put the name of a suburb rather than a large city like Sydney.
Finishing work
Record the location you are at when you finish work, eg the location of your base where your vehicle is garaged or your
home location, if you drive it home.
Changing from solo to two-up and vice versa
GYMPIE
, QL D
OY
KINGAR
UTT
BLACKB
RIDGE
ACACIA
GYMPIE
, QL D
Record the location if you are a two-up driver and you are taking over the driving of the vehicle or if you are changing back
to operating as a solo driver.
9. Recording odometer readings
Starting work
Record the odometer reading on your vehicle when you first start work.
During the work day
You only need to record the odometer reading immediately before or after a work or rest change.
Finishing work
Record the odometer reading again at the end of your work period when you finish work.
Changing vehicles
If you change vehicles in the same 24 hour period you must record the odometer reading of each new vehicle when
starting to use the vehicle. When you stop using that vehicle again record the odometer reading from the vehicle.
06 heavy vehicle driver reform
531243
531101
531038
530886
530693
Note: If your odometer is not working correctly make a note in the work diary against the timeline and notify your employer
and the transport operator you are working for as soon as possible (within two business days).
10. Recording the number plate
Starting work
Record the registration number of the vehicle you are driving when you first start work.
During the work day
You need to record the registratration number of the vehicle immediately before or after a work or rest change.
Finishing work
Record the registration number for the vehicle you are driving at the end of your work period when you finish work.
Changing vehicles
BC2414
BC2414
BC2414
BC2414
BC2414
If you change vehicles in the same 24 hour period you must record the registration number in full of each new vehicle when
starting to operate the vehicle.
11. Recording totals of work and rest
Once the timeline is completed, add up all of the hours you have recorded for rest, work and two-up and enter the totals at
the bottom of the Solo work, Two-up Work and Rest columns in the boxes provided.
If you are a two-up driver, add up the hours for Two-up Work and Rest for this work period and enter the totals at the bottom
of the Two-up Work and Rest columns in the boxes provided.
12. Signing your work diary
Once all of the other sections of the daily sheet are completed,
you must sign the completed daily sheet to say that the
information you are providing on this sheet is correct.
fact sheet 9: how to use and complete your new work diary 07
Completed Work Diary Daily Sheet
Further information
For further information on managing fatigue
and details of driver, operator and consignor
responsibilities under the new regulations
contact VicRoads on 1300 360 745 or visit
VicRoads website:
For further information: Please visit www.vicroads.vic.gov.au. Telephone: 1300 360 745
VRPIN02052/1 2.09 FS9
www.vicroads.vic.gov.au