Joe Fiala’s personal experience inspired him to help reduce the road toll with best practice safety equipment for roadside works as he joins TMA Hire as General Manager.
Joe Fiala realised he had chosen the right job at TMA Hire after a speaker at a conference highlighted how best practice safety measures can go a long way to preventing tragedy.
Just prior to joining TMA Hire, Mr. Fiala listened to a father talk about the loss of his daughter in a roadside accident. For Mr. Fiala, the heartfelt speech served as a stern reminder of the importance of roadside construction industry due diligence.
“The daughter had pulled over to the side of the road after her car had broken down. A tow truck had arrived on site but another truck travelling on the road lost control. I truly believe if a truck-mounted attenuator had been there, it might have saved her life,” Mr. Fiala says.
It was at this point that Mr. Fiala was inspired to work towards a safer future as General Manager of TMA Hire, a company that provides safe worksites to the construction and road maintenance industry.
“I knew it was right to join the road safety industry and it motivated me to promote road safety by providing secure equipment to the roads and civil construction industry,” Mr. Fiala says.
His experience as a contractor helps to form an understanding of onsite requirements.
“I think my experience puts me in a good position to lead the company and ensure we are meeting clients’ needs. My roadside work experience has set me up well to understand industry requirements,” Mr. Fiala says.
He has previously managed road maintenance contracts and has over 25 years’ experience in the road and civil construction industry.
Mr. Fiala hopes to continue TMA Hire’s personal relationships with clients, and to adhere to their safety requirements on road worksites.
TMA Hire supplies a range of safety equipment, built to Australian Standards, to protect short-term and long-term road maintenance or construction work.
It offers truck-mounted attenuators, variable message sign boards, trailer mounted arrow boards, portable traffic lights and lighting towers.
Safety of workers is the company’s prime objective, collaborating with contractors and subcontractors to ensure optimum site safety.
In Victoria it has been mandated by VicRoads that any construction work on a road with a speed limit over 80 kilometres requires a truck-mounted attenuator.
Mr. Fiala says certain councils are starting to take this safety measure on board too.
TMA Hire provides trained and highly skilled staff to drive truck-mounted attenuators and set up other safety requirements on site.
“Our workers are inducted first onto the truck mounted attenuators to understand where to place them and when to move around. They are also inducted onto each specific worksite. They are given a site tour and they plan to ensure the trucks and other equipment are being used for the best outcomes,” Mr. Fiala says.
Mr. Fiala says TMA Hire has the expertise that contractors need on site and he wants to continue the important work the company provides for the industry.
As he looks to the future, Mr. Fiala intends to further extend TMA’s offerings and grow its relationships.
“We are expanding interstate, so we aren’t restricted to Victoria. As we expand I want to continue one-on-one client relationships and ensure we always have a good understanding of exactly what needs to be delivered.”
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