Colpak Logistics in court for fatigued unsafe work conditions, faces $80k fine

A Logan trucking company faces fines of almost $80,000 in court for allowing its drivers to work excessive hours under fatigue while not maintaining accurate files or records.

Colpak Logistics trucking company. Picture: Colpak Logistics

A Logan trucking company is set to be fined up to $80,000 in court for allowing its drivers to work excessive hours under fatigue while not maintaining accurate files or records.

Meadowbrook company Colpak Logistics pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on February 23 to four counts of contravention of duty to ensure safety of heavy vehicles.

The court heard that in 2019 the company was operating with more than 20 vehicles and 25 drivers across Queensland.

Investigations began when a crash happened in December that year and the Department of Transport found three other safety breaches also occurred late in 2019.

The court heard there were no electronic or written records of the hours worked by drivers either.

Safety regulations state drivers may work 12 hours a day but every seven days they are required to have a full 24-hour break from work due to fatigue.

Colpak Logistics Director Colin Pakai. Picture: Colpak Logistics

The court heard Colpak Logistics director Colin Pakai allowed a driver to work five days in a row and then drive into northwest Queensland.

Mr Pakai has not been charged as an individual.

The driver then did a job driving into New South Wales and because of the excessive workload, violated the safety regulations.

The court heard a system called Work Diary was used to record hours the driver worked as well a GPS in the truck.

Prosecution said the driver falsified his work diary but the truck’s GPS showed him driving to Meadowbrook in the early hours of the morning.

Prosecution said the onus of responsibility ultimately laid on Colpak Logistics Director Colin Pakai.

“They had a duty to ensure the safety of its heavy transport vehicles,” they said.

The maximum penalty for this offending was a fine of $560,000.

Mr Pakai told the court he had spent more than $300,000 since 2019 to ensure drivers would not have issues with fatigue and avoid the offending happening again.

Magistrate Michael O’Driscoll said a fine in the range of $50,000 to $80,000 was appropriate and he would consider recording a conviction.

The matter was adjourned to March 23 in Beenleigh Magistrates Court where Mr Driscoll will finalise the sentence.