Who is a party in the Chain of Responsibility?

Parties in the Chain of Responsibility include the employer of a driver, a prime contractor, an operator, a scheduler, a consignor (sender), a consignee (receiver), a packer, a loading manager, a loader and an unloader. You can be more than one party at once. If you control or influence any part of a heavy-vehicle transport task, you are almost certainly a party in the chain and you owe the primary safety duty.

What is my duty in the Chain of Responsibility?

Each party owes the primary duty: you must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of your transport activities. You must eliminate or, where you cannot, minimise the public-safety risks from those activities, across four areas — speed, fatigue, mass and dimension, and loading (load restraint), plus vehicle standards. Executives such as directors also owe a due-diligence duty, like an officer under work health and safety law.

Can I contract out of my Chain of Responsibility duty?

No. You cannot contract out of the primary duty. A contract term or arrangement that tries to exclude, limit or shift your Chain of Responsibility duty to someone else has no effect. Each party owes the duty in its own right, and the duty is shared rather than transferred — so passing the transport task down the chain does not pass on the responsibility for it.

Does the Chain of Responsibility apply in Western Australia and the Northern Territory?

No. The Heavy Vehicle National Law applies in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia and the Northern Territory have not adopted the HVNL — they run their own heavy-vehicle laws. If your transport task touches WA or the NT, check the heavy-vehicle law and regulator that applies there, which may set out similar but separate duties.

Chain of Responsibility (CoR) Duty Checker

Q: What is the Chain of Responsibility under the Heavy Vehicle National Law?

The Chain of Responsibility (CoR) means that everyone in the heavy-vehicle supply chain who has control or influence over a transport task shares responsibility for its safety. Each party must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of their transport activities — a primary duty modelled on work health and safety law. The duty covers speed, fatigue, mass, dimension, loading and vehicle standards, and it applies even if you never drive or own the vehicle. The Chain of Responsibility is set out in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).

Find your Chain of Responsibility duties under the Heavy Vehicle National Law — who is a party in the chain and what you must do.

Last verified: 21 June 2026

Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), the Chain of Responsibility makes everyone with control or influence over a heavy-vehicle transport task share responsibility for its safety. Parties include the employer of a driver, prime contractor, operator, scheduler, consignor, consignee, packer, loading manager, loader and unloader — and you can be more than one. Each party owes a primary duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of their transport activities, covering speed, fatigue, mass, dimension, loading and vehicle standards. You cannot contract out of it, and executives owe a due-diligence duty. The HVNL applies in QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, TAS and the ACT; Western Australia and the Northern Territory run their own heavy-vehicle laws.

Are you in the Chain of Responsibility?

Select every role you play in a heavy-vehicle transport task and the state or territory where it happens. The checker confirms whether you are a party in the Chain of Responsibility under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, the primary duty you owe, and the safety areas you must manage. This is general information, not legal advice.

Where does the transport task take place?

What is your role in the transport task? Select all that apply.

Select at least one role above to confirm whether you are a party in the Chain of Responsibility and see the duty you owe.

Where this applies: The Heavy Vehicle National Law applies in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, so the Chain of Responsibility duties above apply to transport tasks there. Western Australia and the Northern Territory have NOT adopted the HVNL and run their own heavy-vehicle laws — if any part of your task touches those jurisdictions, check the law that applies there.

Source: Chain of Responsibility is set out in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). The primary duty (to ensure the safety of transport activities so far as is reasonably practicable) and the executive due-diligence duty are core HVNL duties — see the NHVR's Chain of Responsibility guidance at nhvr.gov.au.

This is general information, not legal advice. Your exact Chain of Responsibility duties depend on your role in the transport task, what you control or influence, and the law that applies where the task takes place. Confirm your position with the NHVR or a qualified adviser before relying on it.

Managing driver fatigue is a core Chain of Responsibility duty — check the Heavy Vehicle Fatigue Checker for the work and rest hours. Or visit the Safety Hub for the full safety and WHS tool set.

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FairWork Mate is an independent commercial service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Fair Work Commission, or any Australian Government agency. Content is general information and estimates only — not legal, financial, or tax advice. Always verify with the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified professional.

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