The Australian construction and logistics industries are entering a new chapter in truck safety and best practice by introducing the Construction Logistics and Community Safety – Australia (CLOCS-A) standard.

CLOCS-A is a nationally aligned framework to improve heavy vehicle safety for construction sites, and the communities around them. The system is based on the successful CLOCS model in the UK, which has been running for over eight years and has contributed to significant improvements in safety and accountability in urban logistics and construction environments.

What is CLOCS-A?

The CLOCS-A Standard is a national initiative aimed at improving construction site safety and truck safety in infrastructure projects involving heavy vehicles. It sets clear requirements for vehicles, drivers, logistics planning, and communication to protect vulnerable road users and enhance overall project outcomes.

CLOCS-A is currently a voluntary standard, but it’s quickly gaining traction as industry best practice. It outlines a set of safety expectations for construction sites and heavy vehicle safety, focusing on reducing incidents, improving transparency, and fostering a safety-first culture across all levels of the supply chain, including subcontractors.

Key elements of the standard include:

• Three accreditation levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold, allowing organisations to progress through levels of safety commitment and implementation.
• Site and vehicle identification: CLOCS-A accredited sites will display signage, and vehicles will carry a CLOCS-A sticker to visibly demonstrate compliance.
• Auditing and regulation: Compliance will be audited and overseen by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).
• Alignment with regulators: The standard is underpinned by National, State, and Territory regulatory bodies, providing consistency and authority across jurisdictions.

Why It Matters To You

The new CLOCS-A standard matters to construction and transport businesses as it represents a significant shift toward safer, more sustainable operations involving heavy vehicles, especially in urban and high-risk environments.

1. It Future-Proofs Your Business

As government and major contractors begin mandating CLOCS-A compliance on large infrastructure projects, aligning with the standard will become essential for winning and retaining contracts.

2. Raises Industry Standards

By setting clear benchmarks for heavy vehicle safety, Construction site safety, driver awareness, and logistics planning, CLOCS-A encourages businesses to adopt best practices—leading to better outcomes across the entire supply chain.

3. Supports Regulatory Compliance

The standard helps companies stay ahead of evolving safety and environmental regulations, reducing the risk of non-compliance penalties.

4. Enhances Your Reputation

Being CLOCS-A compliant signals your company’s commitment to safety and innovation, making you a more attractive partner for tier-one contractors and government projects.

5. Promotes Smarter Equipment Choices

Adopting safer equipment helps businesses meet CLOCS-A requirements while improving heavy vehicle safety and efficiency.

Importantly, as adoption grows and data is collected, there is the potential for the standard to move from voluntary best practice to mandated regulation.

Industry Adoption on the Rise

The CLOCS-A standard is quickly gaining traction across the country, with several major construction companies already adopting it on key infrastructure projects. As momentum builds toward national implementation, aligning with CLOCS-A is becoming essential for principal contractors, suppliers, and subcontractors alike. At ShawX Manufacturing, our EjectX truck body has been designed with these evolving safety and compliance needs in mind, ensuring the EjectX aligns with the kind of proactive, safety-first thinking CLOCS-A promotes.

To learn more about the CLOCS-A standard and how it may affect your business or projects, visit: https://clocs-a.org.au

Or, to learn more about heavy vehicle safety and what makes the EjectX truck body align with the CLOCS-A standard, get in touch with our team.