The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has today launched a new series of trucking workshop safety alerts, developed by its Industry Technical Council.

The first safety alert deals with issues caused by using incompatible airlines and fittings, while the second highlights the dangers of using suzi coils to connect brake airlines across draw-bar type couplings.  

ATA Chief Executive Officer Christopher Melham said the safety alerts present solutions to workshop issues reported to the ATA’s Industry Technical Council.

“Safety is the major priority for the trucking industry. Preventative maintenance and workshop procedures play a crucial role in making sure the heavy vehicle fleet operates safely on the road,” Mr Melham said.  

“However, from time to time issues arise that aren’t found in any manual.

“In one of our first safety alerts, operators are cautioned against using a suzi coil – a very stretchy airline – to connect brake airlines across a draw-bar coupling.

“In the unlikely event of a trailer decoupling on the road it is designed to fail safe, with emergency brakes coming on as soon as the airline connection is cut.

“Suzi coils meet the technical requirements for this connection. But in an emergency, the coil would stretch significantly before it was pulled apart – delaying the application of emergency brakes.

“It’s a serious issue with a very simple solution. By distributing these safety alerts, the ATA aims to increase awareness of these considerations, and help trucking operators and workshops ensure that their vehicles are as safe as they can be.”

The ATA safety alerts explain the urgency of each problem, indicate key personnel who should be made aware of the information, and provide clear follow-up actions to address the issues. New alerts will be released as issues come to the ATA’s attention.

The safety alerts can be downloaded from the ATA’s online resource library at www.truck.net.au.