Requirements to supervise demolition work (Information Paper D2)
Provisions for a competent person to supervise work
How to determine if a person is competent to supervise the prescribed activity of demolition work
Provisions for a competent person to supervise work
Part 3A of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 (PDF, 1.4 MB) requires that:
- a business that performs the prescribed activity of demolition work must hold a certificate to carry out that activity (the approved criteria for which are set out in Information Paper D1 issued by the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations);
- the holder of a business certificate is responsible for making sure that the work is supervised by a competent person; and
- a person is considered to be competent if they meet the requirements contained in this Information Paper, issued by the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations.
The Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 provides that the following demolition work is a prescribed activity:
- if the building or other structure being demolished or dismantled contains pre-tensioned or post-tensioned structural components
- if the demolition or dismantling of the building or other structure involves the use of:
- Load shifting equipment (e.g. front-end loader/backhoe, skid steer loader, excavator, crane); or
- Explosives or another induced collapse method
- all other demolition work, unless the building or other structure being demolished or dismantled is:
- a domestic house (defined in the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 to mean 'a house that is a separate single domestic dwelling');
- a structure built as, and still having generally the characteristics of, a domestic house (e.g. a domestic house converted to flats or an office); or
- a structure that is ancillary to either of the above (e.g. a carport or a garage).
How to determine if a person is competent to supervise the prescribed activity of demolition work
1. Under Part 3A of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 a person will be considered a ‘competent person’ to supervise the work if they fulfil the following requirements:
1.1 The person must hold a relevant certificate to perform a prescribed occupation issued prior to 1 February 2002 under Part 3 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997. The relevant certificates and the level of prescribed activity are outlined in the table below.
Relevant certificate |
Prescribed activity |
Demolisher Class 1 - a structure |
Demolition of structures |
Demolisher Class 3 - a structure of up to 2 storeys or with a maximum height of 10 metres |
Demolition of structures not exceeding 10 metres in height |
or
1.2 The person must have:
1.2.1 a relevant qualification, for example a:
- Degree in Construction Management.
- Diploma (or Associate Diploma) in Building.
or
1.2.2 a statement of attainment that:
- is issued by a registered training organisation registered under the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) framework, and
- covers competencies to meet requirements under AS 2601 Demolition work (non-Queensland Government link); and
- relevant codes or practice applicable to demolition work.
and
1.2.3 a demonstrated knowledge of relevant provisions of:
- the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995;
- the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997; and
- AS 2601 and
- relevant codes of practice applicable to demolition work.
Note: holding a Workplace Health and Safety Officers Certificate issued under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 would demonstrate achievement of this requirement.
and
1.2.4 demonstrated practical supervisory experience in the construction or demolition of a building or structure, including having successfully completed the demolition or construction of at least three major projects to which the prescribed activity relates.
Note: One way of demonstrating compliance with this requirement would be a written record (for example, a log book jointly signed by the person and the responsible person/s) that identifies:
- the supervisory experience;
- the dates of commencement and completion of the projects; and
- the nature of the projects.
2. From 1 February 2009, 1.1 above will no longer apply. From that date a person must comply with 1.2 above in order to be regarded as being competent to supervise the prescribed activity of demolition work.
Last updated 22 July 2008