SAFETY CONCERNS BEING IGNORED – CALL TO PREMIER AND PARLIAMENT
MEDIA RELEASE
SAFETY CONCERNS BEING IGNORED – CALL TO PREMIER AND PARLIAMENT
The Boating Industry Association of Victoria (BIAV) is calling on the Premier, and notifying the entire Parliament, of a major safety risk that is developing as a result of vessel servicing not currently being permitted.
Despite an overwhelming case and essential need to allow boat servicing to take place, it has fallen on ‘deaf ears’ at the Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS) level. BIAV and members are deeply concerned that DHHS, who appear to be making the decision are just not understanding what is at stake, nor the risks involved.
BIAV are now asking that this be addressed by Premier and Cabinet to have this decision reversed, and if not immediately, then certainly for the September 28 Second Step of the COVID recovery Roadmap.
A key message that was delivered to the government last Friday by the BIAV and its members was the imminent serious safety risk this decision presents. BIAV is calling on the Premier, and all members of the Victorian Parliament to consider the potential of this decision in line with potential industrial manslaughter considerations. If in their work, as elected officers, this obvious risk is ignored, and there are fatalities, we will ask them to consider the consequences. As an industry body BIAV clearly communicated to government their concern on potential fatalities if this decision is not overturned.
The BIAV has worked very closely with government throughout the COVID period and has been fanatical in its support of COVIDsafe planning and practices across the industry. In this instance, however, the BIAV is deeply frustrated by the government’s willingness to allow a massive backlog of non-serviced vessels and the associated risk to life. The fact that Victoria has 198,000 registered vessels would indicate that approximately 16,000 need to be serviced per month, to maintain a safe fleet with regular annual servicing. There may already be a scenario where double this number is already backlogged due to the lockdowns so far. Further restrictions of servicing will only add to this number and further escalate the risks. The industry has a capacity issue and the shortage of skilled people to perform this work and catch up on the backlog will exacerbate the problem and escalate the risks.
It is feared that people will be tempted to take their boat and families out on the water once restrictions ease, despite the lack of servicing, and this is a huge risk. As well as disablement likelihood and the associated risk to life, there are many other potential engines, hull, or system faults and failures that could occur if servicing and safety maintenance is not completed. These can range from fire, explosion, gas leak, capsize and sinking and are serious life and death concerns.
Supporting the overwhelming case that this work must be completed is the situation that servicing has taken place for work-in-progress jobs and emergency and essential work vessels during stage 4 lockdown. This precedent indicates that servicing can be done in a COVIDsafe manner and the structure to do so is already in place and underway. Servicing can be supported by a completely contactless drop-off/pickup for those within 5km, or a COVIDsafe delivery system for those outside 5km. Servicing also has a very low worker per square metre factor.
Please direct any media or further inquiries to
Steve Walker CEO 0466 918368 stevew@biavic.com.au
David Meehan President 0437 055546 david.meehan@mercmarine.com
Boating Industry Association Victoria (BIAV)