Edition 39, October 2006

High risk work: the Queensland approach

In Queensland, work to harmonise occupational health and safety licensing with the vocational education and training system is well advanced.

The Queensland approach has relied on close collaboration between the Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts (the state's training authority) and the Queensland Department of Employment and Industrial Relations (the state's occupational health and safety regulator).

Together these departments developed a set of accredited courses that meet the training and assessment requirements for the issue of a licence. The courses are an interim measure until units of competency are introduced into nationally endorsed training packages.

The four courses apply to the use of:

  • self-erecting tower cranes
  • loadshifting equipment, including forklifts
  • cranes, rigging and scaffolding
  • pressure equipment.

A key feature of the courses is the mandated use of log books. These are used to record applicants' training progress and on the job training, two fundamental characteristics of true competency-based training.

Under the accredited course assessment system applicants must satisfy all of the performance criteria for the unit of competency. Applicants who successfully meet all elements and sub-elements will be issued with a statement of attainment. This is then recognised by the occupational health and safety regulator who issues the licence.

Queensland registered training organisations can now purchase the courses from the Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts' Centre for Training Materials. The registration process for the delivery of the courses involves a joint audit by the state training authority and the occupational health and safety regulator as a technical advisor. 

The courses are not available to registered training organisations in other states. Work is being conducted at a national level to support the integration of licensing requirements into the national vocational education and training system. 

A customised evidence guide and audit tool has also been developed for Workplace Health and Safety technical advisers. These can be downloaded from the Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts website at www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au/partners/training_packages_and_courses/training_packages/licensing/activities.html

For more information about the Queensland approach contact Kevin Jaeger-Hunt, Licensing Line Project Officer, on 07 3247 9144 or kevin.jaeger-hunt@det.qld.gov.au

This page was generated on 26 August, 2009