What should I do if my electronic work diary stops working?
Short answer
Preserve the records, report the problem and follow the supplementary-record and repair arrangements that apply. A failed app does not stop work and rest time from counting.
Plain English
- Preserve records
- Notify the right people
- Use the permitted fallback
- Restore and reconcile
An EWD problem might involve the device, its software, storage or access to records. Loss of mobile coverage alone does not establish that the diary has failed: check whether the approved system continues recording offline.
Where the circumstances fall within HVNL s 304 and the driver cannot use the diary, s 305 requires supplementary records. The recording period ends when a replacement diary is obtained, the existing EWD becomes usable again, or the statutory seven-business-day limit expires, whichever happens first. The limit runs as specified in s 305, after the day supplementary recording starts.
Who must notify whom depends on the arrangement. A driver who is also the record keeper has a two-business-day NHVR notification duty under s 307. Where the record keeper is a different person, s 309 requires the driver to notify that person within two business days. Additional duties apply to a separate record keeper who supplied the EWD, including notification and restoration arrangements for the relevant event.
What this means operationally
Make the support call promptly and tell the record keeper immediately as a practical step. Record when the failure began, what information remains available and what advice was received. Avoid deleting or reinstalling the app before understanding how existing records will be preserved.
Keep an accessible fallback form and know how to show the required previous records during an intercept. Reconcile the period after service returns without inventing entries or losing the supplementary sheets. If compliant recording and access cannot be maintained, resolve the problem before continuing diary-required driving.
Who it applies to
EWD users, record keepers, operators and fleet support staff.
Example
A driver’s EWD malfunctions mid-shift. The driver records the fault time, contacts the record keeper and provider, and follows the applicable supplementary-record process until service is restored.
Exceptions and traps
A support ticket is not necessarily the statutory notification to the NHVR.
HVNL in ACT, NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, subject to local application, modifications and exemptions. WA and NT have separate regimes. General information, not individual legal advice.
Legal foundation
HVNL ss 304–307, 309 and 311–313; record-access and retention obligations also apply.
Sources & primary documents
- www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/current/act-2012-hvnlq
- www.nhvr.gov.au/safety-accreditation-compliance/fatigue-management/electronic-work-diary-ewd
WWTG verification: Queensland Legislation (published law), NHVR (published guidance)
Frequently asked questions
Does no reception mean the EWD has failed?
Not necessarily. Check its offline operation.
Can I wait seven days before organising repairs?
No. The temporary-record limit does not displace the notification or restoration duties.
Does the outage reset my available driving hours?
No. Actual work and rest still count.