Queensland OHS regulation amendments

A number of changes to the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008 became effective from 1 July 2009. The Amendment Regulation achieves its objectives by:

• Adopting the new nationally agreed unit of competency ‘CPCCOHS1001A Work safely in the construction industry’ for construction induction training to replace the existing Queensland accredited course ‘30215QLD Course in General Safety Induction (Construction Industry)’;
• Extending the transition period for adoption of the national units of competency for high risk work for an additional 12 months, to allow registered training organisations adequate time to apply for scope of registration to deliver the new units;
• Importing the approved national units of competency for high risk work into the Regulation;
• Clarifying circumstances in which a dogging licence (high risk work) is not required, in accordance with the exemption provided by the National Standard for Licensing Persons Performing High Risk Work (the National Standard);
• Inserting the definition of ‘turbine’ from the National Standard to clarify that licensing requirements for turbine operators do not extend to non-steam turbines;
• Clarifying the standard of competency required to obtain recognition of evidence of competency in relation to earthmoving and particular crane competencies regulated in other states and territories;
• Prescribing that the holder of a certificate to perform a prescribed activity (asbestos-removal work or demolition work) must notify the chief executive of a change in competent person;
• Amending regulatory fees by the Brisbane All-Groups Consumer Price Index;
• Clarifying the application of the National Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos 2nd Edition [NOHSC:2002 (2005)] (asbestos removal code) when removing asbestos from a place that is not necessarily a ‘structure’; and
• Reinserting an infringement notice offence for allowing a worker to remove asbestos other than in accordance with the asbestos removal code that was inadvertently omitted during making of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008.