Federal Department ramps up compliance checks

In recent weeks, Caravan Industry Association of Australia has had several meetings with the Federal Department regarding its compliance and enforcement activity within our industry. 

During these meetings, the Department highlighted that low ATM trailers (including caravans and campers) will have increased focus on them. 

The Department has recently completed a number of investigations into small trailers and has declared it will be stepping up its activity at caravan and camping shows, sending some of its investigative engineers to conduct ADR checks on product.  Its observations will then be forwarded to the Department’s compliance and enforcement team for follow-up.   

We are also aware the Department is currently requesting much more information regarding evidence surrounding Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) applications. Some manufacturers and importers have recently been contacted around their existing VTAs and had investigations opened. 

Under the Road Vehicle Standards Act (RVSA), the Department can impose a number of penalties, including the suspension of a business’s VTA.  Suspended businesses are unable to supply and register products to market until their suspension is lifted. 

One of the key elements of holding a VTA under the RVSA is to have control over the manufacturing process and hold a complete and active quality management system (QMS).  Over the last couple of months, we have reviewed a number of manufactures’ QMS and found them to be incomplete or, in some cases, non-existent.  If requested by the Department, manufacturers are expected to supply specific parts of their QMS or the whole QMS for review under a desktop audit. 

To view the Federal Department’s QMS requirements CLICK HERE

If you would like Caravan Industry Association of Australia to review or assist in updating your QMS, please contact [email protected]