Executive practical guide — Due diligence evidence and action
Use these questions to test the operation. The five groups in section 26D work together; a completed checklist is not a guarantee that the duty has been met.
| Due diligence group | Evidence and questions |
|---|---|
| 1. Current knowledge | How do relevant changes in law, guidance and industry practice reach you? What changed in the business as a result? |
| 2. Understand the operation and risks | Can you trace a recent job, explain the public risks and describe the decisions that create them? Have you spoken with the people doing the work? |
| 3. Resources | Are competent people, time, equipment and advice actually available and used? What remains unfunded or unavailable? |
| 4. Implemented processes | How are risks controlled, safety information received and acted on promptly, and safety duties complied with? Test urgent and out-of-hours escalation. |
| 5. Verify | What sample of actual work shows resources and processes are provided, used and implemented? What happened when an action failed? |
Ask for two views in your report
The system view covers roles, competence, procedures, contractors and overdue corrective actions. The event and risk view covers specific exceptions, near misses, worker concerns and trends across speed, fatigue and fitness, mass, dimensions, load restraint and vehicle condition. Include pressures created by your own business.
| For each significant issue | Record |
|---|---|
| Risk and exposure | What could happen, who is exposed, and how much or what type of work is involved? |
| Current protection | What controls the immediate exposure? |
| Decision required | What does the executive need to decide or resource? |
| Ownership | Who will deliver the action, by when? |
| Verification | What will demonstrate the result and who will check it? |
Your next action
Choose one significant risk. Name the control owner and the evidence you will examine. Set a check date suited to the risk. Record what you find and keep the issue open if the control is ineffective.
Set a review cycle that fits the risk
Monthly executive reporting, periodic control checks and a broader annual review can be useful starting points. They are suggested arrangements, not universal legal deadlines. Serious exposure, repeated failures and changed work may require action much sooner.
Check accreditation and incident arrangements
Where accreditation is relevant, check the scheme, conditions, expiry and transition arrangements that apply after the August 2026 changes. Do not assume every business must hold accreditation or that all existing approvals ended immediately. For incidents, protect people, preserve relevant records and check the actual reporting requirements and deadlines.
Keep accurate evidence of the issue, information considered, decision, resources, owner and verified outcome. Never backdate a check or record a planned action as completed.
Reference: Heavy Vehicle National Law — current Queensland text. Check the local application law for the relevant jurisdiction. Reading reviewed 6 October 2026.