Earthmoving Status - NSW August 2009
Mon, Aug 24 2009
(This letter reproduced with permission by Third Party Management Unit Occupational Health and Safety Division WorkCover NSW) Dear Stakeholder, Further to the two-stage review of the loadshifting classes that were not included in the National Standard for Licensing Persons Performing High Risk Work (National Standard), WorkCover NSW will be initiating the following strategy while the Ministerial decision is still pending. WorkCover NSW will advise of the final result as soon as the information becomes available. Four of the five loadshifting classes will be retained as a state based certificate of competency from 1 September 2009, but will require a move to Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) by 1 January 2010. • Front-end Loader/Backhoe Operation (LB) • Front-end Loader – Skid Steer Type (LS) • Front-end Loader Operation (LL) • Excavator Operator (LE) While a licence for dragline operation (LD) will no longer be required, employers must continue to ensure that persons receive the necessary training and information to work in a safe manner as per their duty of care under Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 and the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000, and operators continue to have a legal responsibility to ensure their own health and safety at work and to avoid adversely affecting the health and safety of any other person when operating this equipment. Within the three month transitional period WorkCover NSW accredited assessors may continue to provide licence assessment services for LB, LS, LL and LE without the requirement to be aligned to an RTO until 31 December 2009. After this date the following units of competency will be required to be delivered for a WorkCover NSW certificate of competency to be issued. • OHSCER202A Operate a front end loader/backhoe (LB) • OHSCER204A Operate a front end loader skid steer type (LS) • OHSCER205A Operate an excavator (LE) • OHSCER203A Operate a front end loader (LL) For RTOs WorkCover NSW has received approval from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) to adopt their accredited course, 30496QLD Course in operating loadshifting equipment, which contains the above units. To add to scope a $210.10 administration fee will be required to be paid by each RTO to purchase the disc and the associated training materials. Purchases are conducted through the Centre for Training Materials (CTM), which is a business area operating within the Queensland Department of Education and Training (DETA). Centre for Training Materials Ph: (07) 3248 4675 or (07) 3248 4674 Fax: (07) 3248 4670 Email: ctm@deta.qld.gov.au Postal: GPO Box 1326, BRISBANE QLD 4001 When purchased, the standard two-stage NSW registration process is required to completed. However, rather than adding the individual units of competency, the RTO is required to add course 30496QLD to their scope of registration. • Stage 1 – apply to the relevant State or Territory Training Authority (i.e. the Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board in NSW) to have the above course added to its scope of registration • Stage 2 – apply to WorkCover NSW for approval to conduct the above loadshifting assessments. RTOs are required complete an application form and to nominate the WorkCover NSW accredited assessors who will be conducting the licence assessments on their behalf, in NSW. There will be no fee for RTOs who are already approved by WorkCover NSW for National Standard classes. For those that are not registered a $500 application fee is required. This fee includes a $200 non-refundable administration fee. For assessors You may continue to provide licence assessment services for LB, LS, LL and LE without the requirement to be aligned to an RTO until 31 December 2009. After this date you will need to be aligned with an RTO or be an RTO. No further transitional period will be provided. Options available: • Become an RTO • Work in partnership with an RTO • Be employed by an RTO For employers and workers Workers may continue to be directly assessed by a WorkCover NSW accredited assessor until 31 December 2009. After this date, RTOs will manage all training and assessment processes. Before being assessed a worker will need to either undertake recognised training through the RTO, or to provide evidence of prior training that maps to the recognised training requirements, to be eligible for the licence assessment. This system will replicate the requirements for the licence types that were selected for the National Standard i.e. forklift, dogging, rigging, scaffolding, pressure equipment, cranes and hoists, which will commence on 1 September 2009. Should you require any further information in relation to these changes, please contact the Third Party Management Unit on 1800 855 969 if an RTO or a WorkCover NSW accredited assessor, and 13 10 50 if an employer or worker. Yours sincerely __________________________________________________ Third Party Management Unit Occupational Health and Safety Division WorkCover NSW __________________________________________________ 92-100 Donnison Street, GOSFORD NSW, 2250 Australia Locked Bag 2906, Lisarow NSW, 2252 Phone: 1800 855 969 Fax: 02 9287 5994 Email: thirdparty@workcover.nsw.gov.au For more information on WorkCover please visit our website at: http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/