Licences, Registrations and Certificates of Competence

Introduction
Definitions
Roles and Responsibilities
Procedure
Registration of Plant
Storage of Dangerous Substances
Transport of Dangerous Goods
Asbestos Removal
Ionizing Radiation
Documents/Forms
References

Introduction

This procedure outlines the requirements for the management of mandatory legislative obligations with regard to possession of appropriate employee licences and certificates of competency and registration requirements for prescribed plant, premises, equipment, substances and classes of work. The procedure applies to employees and contractors.

Definitions

Competent Person means a person who is suitably qualified (whether by experience, training, or both) to carry out the work or function described in the relevant regulations.

Certificate of Competency means a certificate granted by the Director of the Department for Administrative and Information Services (SA State Government); or an equivalent certificate issued by another certifying authority in accordance the Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Regulations.

Certification a national system of accreditation for users and operators of industrial equipment to provide assurance that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out the task safely.

Radiation License means a license obtained from the Radiation Section, Department of Human Services (SA State Government), after due examination, for either use of irradiating apparatus or handling of radioactive substances

University Radiation Safety Officer means a person appointed by the University to oversee the management of ionizing radiation sources within the whole University as required by the Ionizing Radiation Regulations, 2000.

Departmental Radiation Safety Officer means a person appointed by a University workplace to oversee the management of ionizing radiation sources within their particular workplace. Departmental Radiation Safety Officers must hold appropriate radiation license(s).

Radiation Worker means any person using ionizing radiation sources. Radiation workers need not hold any license, in which case a person with an appropriate license must supervise them.

Roles and Responsibilities

Pro Vice Chancellors and Executive Directors are responsible for:

ensuring management systems are in place to effectively manage employee competency, licensing and registrations in University workplaces.

Line Managers are responsible for:

the implementation of this procedure in their area of responsibility and accountability
the identification of circumstances in their area of responsibility and accountability that require licensing, registration or certification
the management of employees and circumstances requiring licensing, registration or certification.

Employees are responsible for:

not placing themselves or others at risk of injury.
ensure that they do not operate any vehicle, item of plant or equipment without holding the required current licence or certificate of competency.

The University Radiation Safety Officer has the legal responsibility of overseeing the safe use of all sources of ionizing radiation within the University, both from irradiating apparatus and radioactive sources, according to the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 and the Ionizing Radiations Regulations 2000.

Property Unit is responsible for maintaining an Asbestos Register.

Procedure

Employee Competency

A register of employee licences and certificates of competency are to be maintained on a workplace register (Form OHSW 30) and regularly reviewed to ensure currency of licences and certification.

Licences are required by Transport SA for motor and other vehicles (various classes).

Certificates of competency are required by the Department for Administrative and Information Services (DAIS), Workplace Services Division (SA State Government) for operators of various items of plant including forklifts, load shifting equipment, elevating work platforms, mobile cranes, scaffolders and riggers (various classes) and pressure equipment.

Each University workplace that uses ionizing radiation sources must have at least one member of staff who holds an appropriate radiation license.

Registration of Plant

Plant and equipment that is required to be registered (OHS&W Reg Sch4 Pt2) with the Department for Administrative and Information Services, Workplace Services Division (SA State Government) shall be identified and placed on a workplace register (Form OHSW 31). The appropriate technical detail shall be included on the register (eg: name of plant, serial number, location, certificate or registration number and date of renewal) and any other information that identifies the item.

Plant that may be relevant to University operations that is required to be registered includes;

Boilers with a hazard level of A, B or C according to the criteria specified in AS 3920 Pt 1
Pressure vessels with a hazard level of A, B or C according to the criteria specified in AS3920 Pt 1
Passenger and goods Lifts
Mobile cranes with a safe working load exceeding 10 tonnes.

Evidence of the registration shall be kept on display on or near the plant.

Laboratories in which ionizing radiation sources are used are to be registered with the Radiation Section, Department of Human Services (SA State Government).

Storage of Dangerous Substances

Laboratories in which ionizing radiation sources are used/stored are to be registered with the Radiation Section, Department of Human Services.

A licence may be required from the Department for Administrative and Information Services, Workplace Services Division for keeping of Class 1 explosives, flammable gas of Class 2, flammable liquids of Class 3 and dangerous substances of Classes 6 & 8.

Licences are required for keeping Dangerous Substances where quantities kept exceed the following:

Class 1 - Explosives: 3Kg of explosive or 15Kg of gunpowder,
Class 2 - Flammable Gas: LPG 250Kg
Class 3 - Flammable Liquids: PGI or PGII 120 litres, as long as the containers are no more than 60-litre capacity. PGIII 1200 litres.
Class 6 - Poisons: 250Kg or litres of PGI, 2000 Kg or litres of PGII, 5000 Kg or litres of PGIII or any combination such that quantities of PGI / 250 + PGII / 2000 + PGIII / 5000 is less than 1,
Class 8 - Corrosives: the same requirement as for Class 6.

Transport of Dangerous Goods

Transporting dangerous goods by road requires vehicle authorisations and bulk drivers licences from the Department for Administrative and Information Services, Workplace Services Division

If the dangerous goods are in bulk, the vehicle shall be licensed for bulk carriage and the driver must have a dangerous goods bulk drivers licence. The Road Transport Reform (Dangerous Goods) 1997 No 241, the Australian Explosives Code 1991, and the Australian Dangerous Goods (ADG) Code should be referred to for information on the requirements.

Transporting of radioactive substances must be in accordance with the Ionizing Radiation Regulations 2000.

Asbestos Removal

An asbestos register shall be maintained by the Property Unit that indicates the location, type and approximate quantity of asbestos installed on plant, buildings or structures.

A licence is required with the Department for Administrative and Information Services, Workplace Services Division for the removal of asbestos or material that consists of or contains asbestos. A licence is not required to remove samples in order to determine the presence of asbestos, to remove insulation that consists or contains asbestos or other friable asbestos containing material for the purpose of carrying out maintenance work, or where the material to be removed does not extend more than one metre in any direction from the place of repair, the total amount of material to be removed does not exceed more than 0.5 square metres.

Ionizing Radiation (University Research Policy RES-5.1 Radiation Safety)

Premises in which an unsealed radioactive substance are kept or handled must be registered under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982.

A sealed radioactive source must be registered under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982.

The University must appoint a Radiation Safety Officer to oversee radiation related matters such as registration of unsealed radioactive substance’s, sealed radioactive source’s and ionizing radiation safety under the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982. Workplaces using an unsealed radioactive substance must appoint a Departmental Radiation Safety Officer.

Registers of licensed operators, premises and sources must be maintained at University workplaces of premises containing unsealed radioactive substances and a register maintained of sealed radioactive sources.