IPWEA Blogs - Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia

2020 Excellence Award Winners Announced!

By Freda Wells posted 08 December 2020

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MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE National Public Works Excellence Awards celebrate the best in New Zealand’s Public Works Sector 3 December 2020. New Zealand’s best Public Works and Infrastructure projects were celebrated at a packed Dunedin Centre, at the Institute of Public Works Conference in Dunedin last Thursday night, 3rd December. Into their 15 th year, the IPWEA NZ Public Works Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate the often invisible efforts and achievements of the public works sector including local government, central government, consultants, contractors and suppliers around Aotearoa. Their work managing our infrastructure assets ...

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Internal Combustion

By FLEET e-news posted 06 December 2020

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Reality is far different than lip service By: Anonymous Fleet Manager Let us as a fleet community pursue our options so that we can co-exist with the biosphere. It’s time to move from internal combustion to zero emissions. Sure. Your organisation probably has a policy in place to deal with sustainability but is it being acted on? Is it more rhetoric at a senior level and less about duty of care? We, as fleet practitioners, have a responsibility to start making choices in relation to sustainability. This should be backed by all organisational levels. What do we do with our old fuel tanks? Do we choose Hybrid EV’s, Battery EV’s, Fuel Cell or a combination ...

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The Latest IPWEA FLEET Initiatives for the Fleet Community

By FLEET e-news posted 06 December 2020

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By Rob Wilson – Director IPWEA FLEET The Latest IPWEA FLEET Initiatives for the Fleet Community I’m pleased to announce that registrations are now open for the 2021 IPWEA Australasian Fleet Conference. Given the situation with COVID-19 and likely continued organisational restrictions on face to face events, IPWEA has taken the decision to make the 2021 conference a virtual event. A virtual format will ensure the event goes ahead and provides a number of additional benefits such as: The ability to attend live sessions and revisit or catch up on sessions you missed for 90 days post event Lower registration pricing and no travel costs Greater access ...

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IPWEA FLEET Plant and Vehicle Management Professional Development Opportunities

By FLEET e-news posted 06 December 2020

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IPWEA FLEET Plant and Vehicle Management Professional Development Opportunities IPWEA is pleased to announce that registrations are now open for the 2021 IPWEA Australasian Fleet Conference . The fleet community is facing unprecedented change and challenges. Constant pressure to reduce cost, the rapid integration of new technologies and increasing compliance obligations are impacting how fleet is managed. IPWEA understand this and have designed the 2021 IPWEA Australasian Fleet Conference to be delivered as a virtual event utilising an audio-visual firm providing professional, state-of-the-art technical production and live-streaming capabilities. The ...

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IPWEA Vic Member Spotlight - Phil Jeffrey

By VIConnect posted 02 December 2020

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Phil Jeffrey | Vic Member | 12 years How long have you been a member of IPWEA? 12 years including 6 on the Victorian board. Why did you become an IPWEA Member? I was introduced to IPWEA by a work colleague, attended a regional session, and liked the opportunity to connect with like minded people. What are the benefits for your role/career? There are numerous learning and networking opportunities associated with being a member of IPWEA. I have met many new acquaintances and reconnected with old acquaintances since being a member. Aside from the professional development opportunities, it has provided me with the opportunity to connect with ...

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IPWEA Vic Member Spotlight - Les Stokes

By VIConnect posted 18 November 2020

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Les Stokes | Vic Member | 17 years Why did you become an IPWEA Member? I initially became a member to expand my networks, to engage with other Public Works Professionals and to take advantage of the information and training that was available to young and emerging engineering leaders. I’m pleased to say that as I have progressed through my career, IPWEA has continued to be relevant to the work that I do and support that I need. What are the benefits for your role/career? As public works engineers, we have an obligation to effectively provide, improve, maintain and operate public infrastructure. IPWEA has supported me to do this throughout my ...

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Updating Traffic Estimates - A review of industry practice

By Freda Wells posted 09 November 2020

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Updating Traffic Estimates - A review of industry practice by Mike Tapper - for RIMS RIMS (Roading Infrastructure Management Support) has recently completed a project to review industry practice for updating traffic count estimation. Currently there is no guideline for undertaking traffic count estimates. The purpose of this report was to research current methods used in the industry for updating traffic estimates in RAMM. Part of the report also commented on these various methods to form a knowledge base to assess a best practice guide. It is expected these guidelines will be released later in 2020. This programme is also running in parallel ...

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IPWEA Vic Member Spotlight - Justin Hinch

By VIConnect posted 03 November 2020

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Justin Hinch | Vic Member | 12 years Why did you become an IPWEA Member? I had already been working in local government for 8 years and was interested in applying for an overseas study tour scholarship facilitated by the Municipal Engineering Foundation Victoria and found the IPWEA connection. What are the benefits for your role/career? I would describe it as an extension of your work environment, a group of professionals, networking and development opportunities which all supports what you do in your role. I’ve really enjoyed attending conferences and events, presenting topics to members, and feel I have a good network to connect with. What ...

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Internal Combustion - Angry Fleet Manager Column

By FLEET e-news posted 19 October 2020

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Small Problems Fixed Fast By: Anonymous Fleet Manager The truth is that, for us fleet managers, small problems can often be overlooked for an extended period of time. Sometimes these problems are only realised after an incident or major crisis that can have serious consequences including revenue loss or worse. The solution for fleet managers is to obtain the information that you need using real-time alerts. Alerts should be as detailed as required. Real-time alerts should be able to trigger an email as soon as a specific business rule is broken, e.g. rego is about to expire, PM service didn’t happen, and so on. This should allow fleet managers ...

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NSW Hydrogen Initiative – Transport and Hydrogen Registration of Interest

By FLEET e-news posted 19 October 2020

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By NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment NSW Hydrogen Initiative – Transport and Hydrogen Registration of Interest The NSW Government recently released the Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020-2030 as the foundation for NSW’s action on climate change and goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The third priority area of the plan is investing in the next wave of emissions reduction innovation, which includes a hydrogen initiative. NSW views long-distance, heavy duty transport and the development of associated refuelling infrastructure as a critical driver of domestic hydrogen demand. This includes hydrogen powered waste truck fleets, long ...

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IPWEA FLEET Plant and Vehicle Management Professional Development Opportunities

By FLEET e-news posted 19 October 2020

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IPWEA FLEET Plant and Vehicle Management Professional Development Opportunities 2020 Virtual Fleet Management Workshop . Given the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on travel and face to face meetings, IPWEA has decided to replace the normal series of workshops around regional centres and capital cities with a Virtual Fleet Management Workshop available to everyone. The Virtual Fleet Management Workshop will include a mix of interactive professional development sessions and industry briefings in an easy to access on-line format. You will still be able to participate and ask questions of the presenters from the comfort of your office or home. Fleet Management ...

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IPWEA member profile: Kris Browne

By FLEET e-news posted 19 October 2020

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The fleet management industry has such a diverse range of people and roles, and everyone has a unique story of their journey in our industry. This month we talk to Kris Browne, A/Fleet Asset Management Officer, Organisational Services (Carrara Depot) – City of Gold Coast, Queensland. FI: How did you get started in fleet and plant, and what was your first job in the industry? KB: My start in Fleet and Plant Asset Management in 2015 was a natural progression coming from an agricultural and construction background of plant and transport operations. When I was 17, I was heavily into Golf at the time (best 24-handicap player going around at the time) ...

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IPWEA FLEET Manager’s Column

By FLEET e-news posted 19 October 2020

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By Rob Wilson – Director IPWEA FLEET The Latest IPWEA FLEET Initiatives for the Fleet Community IPWEA FLEET have been head down / tail up over recent months on a number of initiatives to support the fleet industry. I’ve highlighted a few below, but for more information go to our website . Chain of Responsibility - IPWEA in conjunction with our compliance partner Latus hosted a Chain of Responsibility webinar for the Tasmanian division last week. The session was a timely reminder that Heavy Vehicle National Law and Chain of Responsibility compliance is not optional and that anyone who has influence over transport activity is responsible for safety on ...

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Chain of Responsibility 101

By FLEET e-news posted 19 October 2020

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Chain of Responsibility 101 (based on IPWEA’s Plant and Vehicle Management Manual Ed4) Chain of Responsibility (CoR) legislation and the Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) legislation are very similar in their structure and intent. If we look at WHS, it's about ensuring that no one gets hurt at work. WHS requires controls to ensure that basic safety rules are in place and to meet and follow the standards. Essentially this is easy. A set of rules in the workplace, notice boards, people observing situations, workplace health and safety people all around etc. So easy, right? But it still goes wrong even with all of that. So, let’s take this WHS environment ...

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The Benefits of Pre-Start Checklists

By FLEET e-news posted 19 October 2020

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By Michael Harvey – Founder, DIGI CLIP The Benefits of Pre-Start Checklists In a vehicle or equipment pre-start inspection, the operator uses a checklist to perform a standardised routine inspection before using the vehicle or equipment. A pre-start checklist normally covers the exterior and interior condition of the vehicle or equipment as well as operational aspects including mechanical and electrical systems, fluid levels and safety devices such as alarms, fire extinguishers and first-aid kits. A pre-start checklist inspection intends to identify defects and safety hazards before operation. Safety Benefits of Pre-Start Checklists When heavy vehicles ...

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IPWEA Vic Member Spotlight - Debbie Leeson-Rabie

By VIConnect posted 19 October 2020

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Debbie Leeson-Rabie | Vic Member | 5 years Why did you become an IPWEA Member? I was fortunate to be awarded a Municipal Engineering Foundation scholarship for a study tour to America and Canada and through my preparation for the tour, I realised the broader benefit of becoming a member of IPWEA, so I joined and have never looked back. What are the benefits for your role/career? As a member of IPWEA, I have increased my network of industry peers and have a large support network. The professional development opportunities have been fantastic and through my continual involvement I have stayed abreast of current and emerging trends. I’ve also had ...

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IPWEA NZ passes 1,000 Badges Awarded!

By Freda Wells posted 18 October 2020

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IPWEA NZ Asset Management Digital Badges hit a millenia! Back in September 2019, the team at IPWEA NZ could not have predicted the pace at which our freshly launched digital badges programme would take off. The rate of badge registrations has confirmed the need that digital badges were designed to address - a looming asset management skills shortage and a dirth of accessible and affordable training. The journey from original idea to badge launch has been several years, and they wouldn't exist without the support of TEC and E2E, and the passion, drive and vision of individuals such as Vaughn Crowther, Steve Browning, and many others. In ...

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Buildings.PLUS - bridging the gap between maintaining building assets and managing budgets

By intouch posted 14 October 2020

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IPWEA have developed a web-based asset management solution that helps local governments to manage their data and improve decision-making. Buildings.PLUS has been specifically designed for teams that are responsible for asset management, facility management and property management in any type of organisation that has a significant portfolio of buildings. It is also designed for managers of other assets including parks open spaces, playgrounds, recreational centres, houses and educational facilities. Using a structured approach based on a proven methodology, it enables organisations to justify their budgets based on evidence and a risk-based lifecycle model. ...

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Expressions of interest - Case Studies from NSW LGs Showcasing Climate Resilient Infrastructure

By intouch posted 14 October 2020

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Local Governments in NSW are invited to showcase projects that they have undertaken to improve the resilience of their infrastructure to climate change. Showcase projects selected will feature as case studies in a new Climate Resilience Design Guide currently under development as part of a collaborative project between Northern Beaches Council, IPWEA and Dubbo Regional Council; and funded by Local Government NSW under an Increasing Resilience to Climate Change grant. The Design Guide will provide asset managers with the necessary information to identify climate resilient infrastructure materials that will extend the useful life ...

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