Vessel tracking unit safety requirements
Queensland work health and safety laws: Commercial fishers must notify Workplace Health and Safety Queensland immediately in the case of a work-related death, serious injury or illness, or dangerous incident.
Queensland electrical safety laws: In the case of a serious electrical incident or dangerous electrical event, commercial fishers must also notify the Electrical Safety Office immediately.
Find out more at worksafe.qld.gov.au.
Unit requirements
Prior to vessel tracking units being considered for use in Queensland’s commercial fisheries, vessel tracking unit manufacturers and providers must:
- demonstrate that the units and cabling are fit for purpose for a marine environment
- provide certification that demonstrates compliance with relevant international or Australian standards for ingress protection (water and dust), radiocommunications (electromagnetic radiation), temperature and electrical safety
- meet requirements regarding ease of installation, cost-effectiveness and reliability.
Based on these requirements, three units were selected to be part of a 10‑month trial prior to the implementation of vessel tracking in 2018 – read the full report.
Following the trial, a number of units were approved for use in Queensland – commercial fishers must use one of these approved units.
To confirm compliance with relevant safety standards, contact the unit provider for certification documentation
Installation requirements
Commercial fishers must comply with the installation and maintenance standard when configuring, installing and maintaining vessel tracking equipment.
The safe installation of a vessel tracking unit – including cabling, terminals or fuses – is the responsibility of the commercial fisher, as is the installation of all electrical equipment on their boat.
Commercial fishers are encouraged to have vessel tracking units installed by a professional electrician. Installation rebates are available via the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority
Report safety concerns
In addition to the safety requirements outlined above, commercial fishers must report all safety concerns about vessel tracking units to the unit provider immediately for investigation.
More information
Email vesseltracking@daf.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23
