What is a prescribed occupation?
Definition of prescribed occupations
National system for prescribed occupations
Definition of prescribed occupation
Section 17(2) of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008 (the Regulation) provides that a person must not work in a prescribed occupation listed in Schedule 5 unless the person is the holder of a relevant authority to work (certificate) in that prescribed occupation or is a trainee in that occupation.
Schedule 5 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008 lists a prescribed occupation as:
- cranes and hoist operators - tower, self-erecting tower, derrick, portal boom, bridge or gantry crane, vehicle loading crane, non-slewing mobile, slewing mobile, elevating work platform, concrete placing boom, personnel hoists and material hoists
- load shifting equipment operators - dozer, excavator, forklift truck, order-picking forklift truck, front-end loader, front-end loader/backhoe, grader, road roller, skid steer and scraper;
- pressure equipment operators - boiler, turbine and steam engine
- riggers
- doggers
- scaffolders
There are potential risks associated with operating certain plant and equipment. To ensure operators, working within a prescribed occupation have the appropriate skills and knowledge, it is a requirement under the Act to undertake training and hold the appropriate authority .
National system for certificates
The certification system provides assurance that the operators and users of high risk plant will have the required level of knowledge and skill to do this safely.
As a general rule, people seeking a new certificate will need to be assessed in accordance with national uniform procedures:
- National Occupational Health and Safety Certification Standard for Users and Operators of Industrial Equipment (NOHSC:1006, 2001) (PDF 400 KB)(non-Queensland Government link) and provides consistent guidelines all jurisdictions in Australia must adhere to when certifying (i.e. testing and issuing certificates) users and operators of industrial equipment.
- National Occupational Health and Safety Competency Standards for the Operation of Loadshifting Equipment and other Types of Specified Equipment (NOHSC: 7019) (non-Queensland Government link) provides safety standards for the operation of potentially hazardous equipment by providing basic health and safety competencies for incorporation into relevant industry competency standards and training programs.
This means any certificates issued for prescribed occupations within Queensland are recognised across all other jurisdictions in Australia .
For example, if you have a certificate issued by the State of NSW this will be recognised within Queensland and the holder of the certificate will not be required to be re-tested or have to apply to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland for a re-issue of a Queensland operators certificate.
View the various types of certificates issued by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.
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