The bus and coach brand was awarded with a HVIA gong for its safety innovation around BEVs
Scania Australia has been presented with the Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) 2022 Award for Safety Innovation at a gala dinner in Brisbane last week.
The award recognises the foresight Scania has put in to preparing all levels of its business to deal safely with battery electric vehicle (BEV) systems and components, which are to be a part of its future product line-up.
The training involves all staff from cleaning contractors to the executive management team, and is naturally focussed on ensuring there are no incidents involving electrical shocks at its company-owned workshops, and those of its authorised independent dealer network.
“The training we have undertaken and continue to undertake ensures everyone knows how to be safe around batteries and BEVs in general,” says Scania Australia managing director Manfred Streit.
“We are delighted to accept this significant award and hope that we can lead the way in demonstrating the safest ways to deal with BEVs in workshops. There is no place for complacency with high-voltage electricity. Our focus on safety at Scania has always been acute and internally we promote safety as our first choice.
“We will use this HVIA Safety Innovation Award to promote to the wider transport industry the vital need for everyone in truck and bus workshops to handle BEVs with care and caution, and to always ensure the correct protective gear is worn and BEV-specific equipment and processes are used. We want to be seen as a leader in creating a zero-injury working environment in the BEV era.”
Product support and service introductions manager Jason Grech, based in Scania Campbellfield, has led the training roll-out, assisted by Kris Ross-Soden, Scania’s national voltage Class B technical specialist.
RELATED ARTICLE: Tasmania initiates transport revolution in Hobart
Grech says that Scania is now ready to deliver, service and maintain BEVs. Already, there are several Scania electric-hybrid buses in operation around the country, and the first full battery-electric bus chassis have arrived. There are three battery-electric trucks in Australia for evaluation as well.
“We established the Scania Australia electrical organisation, mapped local legislation and Worksafe standards and worked with the national parts team to secure supply and recycling of spare parts and propulsion batteries,” Grech says.
“We are installing BEV-specific workshop gantries complete with gates and warning signs and insulated wheels, and have established PPE, tools, tool board, and trollies specifically for use with BEV systems.
“This equipment has been adapted to suit Australian standards, and will be provided as full kits to our workshops when they are certified to work on BEV trucks and buses. Certification requires process, equipment, and training to align with the national framework, which includes level 1 to 4 electrical training, and Law and Safety for workshop managers. We aim to have all Scania-owned – and selected independent dealer workshops – BEV certified and trained up as soon as possible.
“Due to the acute safety requirements of dealing with high voltages, we’re ensuring electrical competence at national and key retail outlets via our Training Department, so that everyone is aware of the need to exhibit caution around BEV work sites and to recognise and observe the warning signs and systems. Everyone must undertake this vital training.”