NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CERTIFICATION STANDARD FOR USERS AND OPERATORS OF INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT [NOHSC: 1006]

This schedule covers two categories of equipment, scaffolding and rigging, and specifies seven classes of certificates and their competency standards as part of the "National Occupational Health and Safety Certification Standards for Users and Operators of Industrial Equipment" [NOHSC: 1006 (2001)].

For the purpose of certification, the following definitions for the areas of work covered by this schedule have been used.

Scaffolding. The erection, alteration or dismantling of a temporary structure, specifically erected to support platforms.

Application: The certification requirements apply where a person or object could fall more than four metres from the scaffolding.

Dogging. The application of slinging techniques including the selection and/or inspection of lifting gear, or the directing of a crane/hoist operator in the movement of a load when the load is out of the operator's view. Slinging techniques. The exercising of judgement in relation to the suitability and condition of lifting gear, and the method of slinging, by consideration of the nature of the load, its mass and its centre of gravity.

Rigging. Work involving the use of mechanical load shifting equipment and associated gear to move, place or secure a load including plant, equipment or members of a building or structure and to ensure the stability of those members and for the setting up and dismantling of cranes and hoists. The definition is not intended to include work performed by operators or drivers of mechanical load shifting equipment, unless the work is part of the process of setting up or dismantling cranes and hoists.

This schedule covers three categories of equipment, cranes, hoists and miscellaneous, and specifies 11 classes of certificates and their competency standards as part or the "National Occupation Health and Safety Certification Standards, or Use and Operators of Industrial Equipment" [NOHSC 1006 (2001)].

The following definitions for the areas of work covered by this schedule have been used and are based on the cranes and hoists being power operated, excluding lifts and mine winding equipment.

Tower cranes. A jib or boom crane mounted on a tower structure, demountable or permanent, including both horizontal and luffing jib types.

Derrick cranes. A slewing strut-boom crane with its boom pivoted at the base of a mast which is either guyed (guy derrick) or held by backstays (stiff leg derrick) and which is capable of luffing under load.

Portal boom cranes. Boom crane or jib crane mounted on a portal frame, which is supported on runways along which the crane may travel.

Bridge or gantry cranes:

Bridge. A crane comprising a bridge beam mounted at each end to an end carriage, capable of travelling along elevated runways and having one or more hoisting mechanisms arranged to traverse across the bridge.

Gantry. A crane comprising a bridge beam, supported at each end by legs mounted on end carriages, capable of travelling on supporting surfaces or deck levels, whether fixed or not and which has a crab with one or more hoisting units arranged to travel across the bridge.

Bridge and Gantry. Excluded are cranes of the type that are controlled from a location remote to a permanent cabin/control station on the crane and that have three or less powered operations, that is, hoist raise and lower in one operation.

Vehicle loading cranes (capacity - ten metre/tonnes and above.) Crane mounted on a vehicle for the principal purpose of loading and unloading such a vehicle.

Non-slewing mobile cranes (greater than three tonnes capacity). A mobile crane incorporating a boom or jib which includes articulated type mobile cranes and locomotive cranes, but does not include vehicle tow truck operations.

Slewing mobile cranes. A mobile crane incorporating a boom or jib which is capable of being slewed. This excludes front-end loader, backhoe, excavator or like equipment when configured for crane operation.

Materials platform hoist. A builder's hoist by which only goods or materials and not personnel may be hoisted and where the car, bucket or platform is cantilevered from, and travels up and down externally to, a face of the support structure.

Personnel and materials hoist. A builder's hoist in which personnel, goods and/or materials may be hoisted, and which comprises a car, structure, machinery or other equipment associated with the hoist, and which may be either a cantilever hoist, a tower hoist or a multiple winch operation. Included in this definition are situations where winches may be configured to operate as hoists for the transportation of personnel.

Boom-type elevating work platforms. A telescoping device, hinged device, or articulated device or any combination of these used to support a platform on which personnel, equipment and materials may be elevated to perform work. Excluded from this definition are elevating work platforms of less than 11 metre boom length.

Concrete placing booms. A mobile truck mounted plant incorporating knuckle boom, capable of power operated slewing and luring to place concrete by way of pumping through a pipeline attached to, or forming part of, the boom of the plant.

EXTRACT O.S.H. REGULATIONS

Application of National Standard

6.2. (1) The national standard applies in relation to the obtaining and holding of certificates of competency by persons who perform prescribed work, or who use or operate industrial equipment, as if the provisions of the national standard were set out in these regulations and, for the purposes of applying the national standard, a reference in it -

(a) to the certifying authority, or the authorized officer of the certifying authority, is to be treated as a reference to the Commissioner; and

(b) to a workplace, is to be treated as a reference to a work place as defined in section 3 of the Act.
(2) A person who applies to the Commissioner in accordance with the national standard for -

(a) a certificate of competency; or (b) a replacement for a lost, stolen or destroyed certificate of competency, is to include with the application the application fee set out in item 1 or item 2 of Schedule 6.3, as the case requires, which is not refundable if the application is unsuccessful.

Certificate necessary to perform prescribed work or use or operate industrial equipment

6.3. (1) Subject to subregulation (2) and regulation 6.4 (1), a person must not perform any prescribed work, or use or operate any industrial equipment, unless the person holds a certificate of competency that the person is required by the national standard to hold to perform that work or use or operate that equipment.

Penalty for a person who commits the offence as an employee:

$5,000.

Penalty in any other case:
$25,000

Welding Codes and Standards Explained

Welding Codes and Standards used though out Australia are as follows:
AS 1554.1 Welding of Steel Structures
This sets out the requirements for welding relating to arc welding of steelwork (plate, sheet or sections). Two categories of welds are provided GP (general purpose) and SP (structural purpose).
As 2980 Qualification of Arc Welders for Welding of Steels
This sets out the requirements for welder qualification tests, to determine the ability of a welder to using consumable arc welding processes. It is based on A.W.S. D1.1 - 85 and covers qualification requirements for welders using hand held and non-hand held equipment.
AS 1210 Unfired Pressure Vessels
This specifies requirements for the materials, design, construction, testing and inspection of pressure vessels up to 21Mpg.
AS 3992 Boiler and Pressure Vessels - Welding and Brazing
Specifies requirements for weld qualifications and testing. Specific details are given for most processes and materials ferrous and non-ferrous.
AS 4041 Pressure Piping
Specifies minimum requirements for materials, design, fabrication, testing, inspection, reports and pre-commissioning of pipe subject to internal / external pressure. Covering steels, alloys, ferrous and non-ferrous materials.
AS 2885
This is the Australian Standard for pipelines, gas and liquid petroleum. The M.M.A.W. process is generally used for this code and is used mainly to qualify welders for cross-country pipelines.
AS 1665 Welding of Aluminium Structures
Specifies requirements for the fusion welding of aluminium structures and equipment by he G.M.A.W. process or GTAW.
AS1554.2 - Structure stud welding
AS1554.3 - Reinforcing steel
AS1554.4 - Q&T steel (Quench & Tempered)
AS1554.5 - Dynamically waded structures (High performance weld)
Max 1mm Face, no impurities on weld or parent metal
AS1554.6 - Stainless steel

The Following International Codes are used in Australia:
ASME
This is an international code covering pipe work and associated vessels and components, covers materials, design, fabrication, testing and inspection.
AWS D1-1
This coding is considered the plate equivalent of ASME.

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