Queensland Statutory Requirements

Who is the Regulator?

In Queensland, Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) is the independent regulator with the vision of: Zero Serious Harm.

All Site Senior Executive’s (SSEs) (including those temporarily appointed) at a mineral mine or quarry employing more than 10 workers, must hold a Site Senior Executive Notice. The Board of Examiners (BOE) issues the notices, after a successful application is received. 

Applicants who hold a IQA Certified Practising Quarry Manager (CPQM) certificate, may be exempt from providing a work history when applying for their notice.

Queensland Practising Certificate Scheme (PCS)

The Practising Certificate Scheme (PCS) came into effect on the 10 June 2022.  Its purpose is to ensure Queensland Certificate of Competency holders and Notice holders maintain competency and up to date knowledge to support the effective exercising of their statutory functions. For more information on the PCS, click here.

IQA Education and Membership

The IQA provides training to ensure SSEs have the required competencies (sites with 5 or less, 6 – 20 and above 20 employees) and training in all categories to support you in meeting the required CPD hours for the Queensland PCS by:

• providing training to ensure a quarry manager maintains competencies.
• delivering industry specific education and training courses covering a range of topics relevant to the industry that are eligible for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours – approved by the Regulator, Resources Safety & Health Queensland (RSHQ). 
• maintaining a rolling schedule of all courses. In addition, the IQA can deliver corporate programs of any course specific to a site or organisation.
• providing guidance on planning your CPD across the five-year period and essential topics to meet specified requirements to maintain your practising certificate (see table below for applicable hours).
• providing access to the mandatory courses (for Site Senior Executives on sites with 5 or less employees). 

o Introduction to Safety Management Systems 
o Effective Risk Management 
o Incident Investigation 
o Electrical Awareness 

• providing access to accredited training required for SSEs via Registered Training Organisation (RTO) partnerships. 
• providing the opportunity to increase CPD hours by being an IQA Member and joining an IQA Committee.
• offering an education calendar which is regularly updated with new and/or additional courses. 

Membership IQA courses approved by RSHQ for CPD

Course Name	Course Duration	Course Category	CPD Hours
Effective Risk Management	3 hours	Pending	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Emergency Management	1 hour	Pending	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Electrical Awareness	3.5 hours	Health & Safety	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Hazard Identification	1 hour	Health & Safety	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Incident Investigation	3 hours	Health & Safety	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Introduction to Safety & Health Management	1 hour	Pending	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Quarry Roads and Onsite Vehicle Safety	1.5 hours	Pending	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Plant & Equipment: Safety, Compliance & Best Practice	up to 6.5 hours	Pending	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Reasonable Cause (Drug & Alcohol Awareness)	3.5 hours	Health & Safety	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Respirable Crystalline Silica	5.5 hours	Health & Safety	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Slope Stability	6.5 hours	Mining Methods	Up to 5 hours / cycle
Supervising for Safety	7.5 hours	Health & Safety	Up to 5 hours / cycle

Note: Course Category and CPD hours will be advised when courses are approved. 

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Hours

Under the PCS, Certificate of Competency and Notice holders will be required to complete a specified number of CPD hours over the five-year period to maintain their practising certificate.  

The total number of hours are specified under the scheme according to the Certificate of Competency and Notice held (see table below).

Certificate of Competency	Formal Learning	Informal Learning	TOTAL LEARNING
First Class Mine Manager – Metalliferous	100	50	150
Notice Holder
Site Senior Executive MMQ	90	45	135

 

Learning is to be undertaken in similar durations across the five-year period.  As a minimum, Certificate of Competency and Notice holders will be required to complete at least 20% of their hours each year in the first four (4) years.

Certificate of Competency and Notice holders will not be able to:

• Complete more than one quarter of their total number of learning hours in any one year unless granted exemption by the Board of Examiners for extenuating circumstances
• Carry-over excess learning hours between renewal periods, ie. into the next five-year renewal period from the previous one.

The minimum mandatory hours will be two-thirds formal and one-third informal learning.

Formal and Informal CPD Activities

Certificate of Competency and Notice holders will be required to have an appropriate combination of learning from the workplace and external sources, and a mix of formal and informal learning, with a mandatory number of hours required for each learning type.

Additional hours may be completed but will not be credited against mandatory formal learning requirements or future renewal period.  See table above for the ratio of formal and informal learning over a five-year period as defined by Certificate of Competency and Notice Class.

 

Recordkeeping

Certificate of Competency and Notice holders will be responsible for recording all learning activities undertaken and hours in the Board of Examiners online PCS system portal.

All activities and evidence can be logged in the online portal.  When hours of CPD are achieved in line with the Scheme, this results in automatic renewal of the Practising Certificate.

The BoE will audit Practising Certificate holders for currency and evidence of CPD.

Early Registration – Bonus Period

There is a two year transitional period to register.  Persons who register early for the Practising Certificate Scheme prior to legislation being introduce will benefit from:

• Bonus learning time (up to one year), ie. learning will be recognised and acquire CPD hours
• No initial registration fee
• Ability to lodge CPD activities and evidence in the RSHQ online portal

Click here for more information.

Note: Site Senior Executive (MMQ) – Surface (for 11 to 20 persons) – are not required to register for the Practising Certificate Scheme at this time.

Competency Requirements for SSEs

The following is a breakdown of the requirements of all SSEs (including those temporarily appointed) at quarries mines in Queensland: 

SSEs on site with five (5) or less employees

Unless otherwise directed by an inspector must meet the following:

• 2 years’ experience in mining or quarrying over the previous 5 years (or as determined by an Inspector of Mines given the nature and complexity of the operation), and
• completion of the following training courses (all provided by the IQA):
  • Introduction to Safety Management Systems, and
  • Effective Risk Management, and
  • Incident Investigation, and
  • Electrical Awareness

If blasting is to take place:

• A recognised shots-firers licence, or
  • RIIBLA301E Conduct surface shot firing operations  (previously RIIBLA301D)
  • RIIBLA205E Store handle and transport explosives (previously RIIBLA205D
  • RIIBLA305E Conduct secondary blasting (previously RIIBLA305D), or

• A recognised Safe Drilling and Blasting course

SSEs on site with 6-20 employees

Unless directed otherwise by an inspector the following are required:

• 5 years’ experience in mining or quarrying of which at least 2 years have been in a supervisory role (or as determined by an Inspector of Mines given the nature and complexity of the operation), and
• RII40115 Certificate IV in Surface Extraction Operations (or an equivalent or superior qualification), and
• RIIRIS501E Implement and maintain management systems to control risk; and
• BSBWHS521 Ensure a safe workplace 

If blasting is to take place:

• A recognised shot-firers licence, or
• The 3 competency units:
  • RIIBLA301E Conduct surface shot firing operations
  • RIIBLA205E Store handle and transport explosives
  • RIIBLA305E Conduct secondary blasting, or
• A recognised Safe Drilling and Blasting course

SSEs on site with 20+ employees

Unless directed otherwise by an inspector:

• 5 years’ experience in mining or quarrying of which at least 2 years have been in a supervisory role (or as determined by an Inspector of Mines given the nature and complexity of the operation), and
• RII50113 Diploma of Surface Operation Management 
• RIIRIS501E Implement and maintain management systems to control risk, (a core unit in the Diploma of Surface Operations Management), and
• BSBWHS521 Ensure a safe workplace (a core unit in the Diploma of Surface Operations Management).

If blasting is to take place:

• A recognised shot-firers licence, or
• The 3 competency units:
  • RIIBLA301E Conduct surface shot firing operations
  • RIIBLA205E Store handle and transport explosives
  • RIIBLA305E Conduct secondary blasting, or
• A recognised Safe Drilling and Blasting course

Site Supervisor

Supervisors on mines employing more than 10 persons and where the position is identified in the management structure as one whose duties includes allocation of tasks to others, and other supervisors where directed by an inspector of mines must have the following competencies:

• RIIRIS301E Apply risk management processes, and
• RIIWHS301E Conduct safety and health investigations, and
• RIICOM301E Communicate information

Accredited Training

The IQA has partnerships with RTOs who offer the mandatory units of competency (accredited training) and can assist you in enrolling in the required units.  Accredited training includes:

• RII60215 Advanced Diploma of Extractive Industries Management 
•  RII50120 Diploma of Surface Extraction Operations
•  RII40120 Certificate IV in Surface Extraction Operations
•  RII40920 Certificate IV in Drilling Operations
•  RII30120 Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations

Through these partnerships the IQA is supporting access to full qualifications or units of competency. The IQA can provide advice on the requirements in Queensland and other states/territories regarding accredited training for quarry manager competencies.

Stay up to date through membership, attending Branch events, subscribe to the Queensland newsletter, and regularly check the IQA website for available courses.

Please contact the IQA on 02 9484 0577 or [email protected] for more information on courses to meet the mandatory competency requirements in Queensland.