Quarry Manager Certification System (QMCS)

QMCS Application/Renewal

Quarry Manager Certification System (QMCS)

 The Quarry Manager Certification System (QMCS) is a system implemented by the IQA for granting professional recognition to quarry industry professionals.

The system is designed to include:

• Allocation of professional development hours (and category) for all IQA training and member involvement
• Requirements for on-going professional development for the achievement and maintenance of Certified Practising status
• Requirements for continuing practise in the industry for the maintenance of Certified Practising status
• Professional ethical standards to be adhered to by certified practising quarry managers and supervisors, and
• Procedures for initial and on-going assessment of certified practitioners and for auditing of compliance with the system

QMCS is recognition of a person's ongoing professional development. Certification through the program means approval by the CP Committee that the individual CPQM or CPQS has met the stated Ongoing Professional Development requirements of the program for the given period of time (usually a 12 month period).

Entry into the QMCS

 Each state and territory operates legislation that dictates requirements of quarry operators and the competencies of various personnel at each site. There are significant differences between states pertaining to the recognition of competence and maintenance of competence, and then differences in certain states for the competencies required by Quarry Managers, based on the size of the operation.

The IQA will recognise entry into the QMCS of any individual Quarry Manager or Supervisor who holds Statutory Right to Practise in their state or territory.

For a Quarry Manager this includes:

• New South Wales - Quarry Manager Practising Certificate (all tiers)
• Queensland - Site Senior Executive notice
• Western Australia - Quarry Manager Certificate of Competency (restricted or non-restricted)
• Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and Northern Territory - Regulators in these states currently don't issue certification (employers nominate and appoint at their discretion, ensuring managers are 'suitably qualified'). Quarry Managers in these states may be accepted into the program on the basis of work history and employment currency.

For a Quarry Supervisor this includes evidence that they are employed as a Quarry Supervisor.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD QMCS GUIDELINES

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD CP CHARTER

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD QMCS APPLICATION FORM

Current QMCS Recipients

The CP Committee will set the requirements of the program. These requirements may change from time to time and will be updated in this Guideline, published on the IQA website and provided to each participant engaged in the QMCS.

To maintain certified status, Certified Practitioners are required to undertake a minimum of 15 hours of Professional Development and training each year (Note: Tier 1 Quarry Managers subject to the Maintenance of Competence scheme in New South Wales will align to those requirements - see below)

• The 15 hours of ongoing professional development must be completed annually. A year is defined as the time period for the QMCS cycle from January to December. To count towards the annual requirement of 15 hours, ALL professional development must be undertaken within the 12 months. Professional development hours cannot be carried forward or held over to the following 12 months under any circumstances.

QMCS Cycle

The QMCS cycle runs from January to December each year.

• Applicants can apply to join the QMCS at any time
• Applicants joining mid cycle will be required to undertake reduced hours for that year (pro rata against the date of joining), as per the table below:

Approved professional development topic areas

Certified Practitioner's will be encouraged to undertake professional development activities in a range of topic areas relevant to the industry, and their individual job role. It is recommend that learning is undertaken in each of the topic areas listed below, each year:

• Risk Management
• Emergency Management
• Leadership and Management
• General Workplace Health and Safety
• Technical Skills

The QMCS framework does not prescribe a set number of hours in each category. However, participants would be expected to cover at least two topics. If a participant submitted 100% of their hours in only one category, they may be asked for supplementary evidence as to how they achieved well rounded professional development. This may be granted if for example:

• The participant was studying a Diploma of Leadership and Management and they invested their time over the 12 months in this course
• The participant undertook an intensive program in risk management

It would be expected that in subsequent years the participant focused on professional development in other areas and could demonstrate broader learning in more diversified topics. The CP Committee may reject a logbook if in consecutive years a participant fails to show a reasonable breadth of topic areas. As a guide across a two year period, 2-3 topic areas would be acceptable.

A participant may submit professional development activities from other topic areas. If a participant undertakes learning in another topic areas, they must clearly state:

• Learning objective
• How the topic relates to the extractive industry and their job role, and
• Provide evidence of completion

Examples may include such things as studies in environmental management, waste management, sustainability etc. The CP Committee will consider any additional professional development activities on merit and case by case.

Formal, informal or non-formal learning

Under the QMCS framework, learning may be formal, informal or non-formal, with detailed information provided about specific types of acceptable learning activities. The QMCS does not dictate minimum and maximum hours for each competence area, learning type and activity. However, as a guide, participants should try to undertake learning across different delivery and learning types. Examples are provided in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Guidance on professional development activity for each learning type

IQA Membership and Participation in IQA Branches/Committees

Being a member of the IQA supports professional development and growth. As such, the QMCS framework automatically recognises key activities undertaken by individuals as part of their engagement with the IQA. These are outlined in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Professional development activity for IQA engagement

A participant can only claim a maximum of 3 hours in any annual cycle for participation in IQA member activity being:

• 2 hours Leadership and Management
• 1 hour Technical Skills

Attendance at all IQA education events (such as Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch Meetings) will be recognised for the time that the speaker presents and will be in addition to the 3 hours. 

While the IQA prefers activity to be aligned to IQA committees, the CP Committee may recognise similar activity for involvement in other professional bodies. This is at the sole discretion of the CP Committee. 

What is not accepted as professional development?

The CP Committee may choose to reject certain activity. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Accredited qualifications where the RTO has been ordered by ASQA to rescind its course(s).
• Courses where industry feedback questions the validity of a course provider
• Open source courses where the course content may not be validated by peers/professionals
• In-house courses where the qualifications or experience of the trainer is not deemed to meet industry standard

Quarry Managers in New South Wales 

Note: The IQA will align with the requirements as determined by the New South Wales Resources Regulator. Quarry Managers holding a Tier 1 Practising Certificate in New South Wales must undertake the hours of 90 hours of professional development over 5 years (which equals to 18 hours per year). Quarry Managers holding a Tier 2 Practising Certificate in New South Wales must undertake the hours of 60 hours of professional development over 5 years (which equates to 12 hours per year). Learning does not have to be undertaken every year, but a maximum of number of hours may be achieved in any one year.

Learning must be undertaken in each of the 5 areas of competence within the 5 years: Mining and WHS, Legislation, Emergency Management, Leadership and Management, and General WHS (including a mandatory 8-hour Learning from Disasters course developed by the regulator).

CP's using the New South Wales logbook will still be required to show evidence of 15 hours professional development per year, despite the New South Wales competency maintenance scheme allowing up to 2 years break from learning within each 5 year period.

For full details, please visit resourcesregulator.nsw.gov.au

Claiming Professional Development Hours

All professional development activity conducted by the IQA will have hours and a category clearly assigned. It is the responsibility of the participant to record this activity in their logbook. It is also the responsibility of the participant to record any professional development activity undertaken outside the IQA. A certificate of attendance should be obtained and evidence of the hours of learning completed. 

Assessing the annual professional development requirements

Where an applicant supplies the required evidence that clearly shows that have undertaken 15 hours of approved professional development then IQA National Office Staff, with delegated authority from the Chief Executive Officer, may approve their entry into the QMCS as either:

a) Certified Practising Quarry Manager (CPQM)
b) Certified Practising Quarry Supervisor (CPQS)

Where an applicant fails to clearly meet the criteria, or there is activity that is outside the usual categories, then IQA National Office staff will seek further clarification from the applicant and then refer that application to the CP Committee for determination. 

The CP Committee will choose to either accept the evidence or reject the evidence as per these guidelines.

Post Nominals

CPs shall be entitled to describe themselves as being a Certified Practising Quarry Supervisor or Certified Practising Quarry Manager by using the post nominal "CPQS" or "CPQM" designated to their respective Category by the CP Committee. The post nominal may be used by those pending (meaning engaged in their first year on the program). However, the IQA website will clearly distinguish those who have full recognition, and those pending. 

IQA's Certified Practitioner Committee

James Rowe
Chris Hamilton
Carolyn Fisher

QMCS CP Charter

Queensland Regulatory Requirements

All SSEs (including those temporarily appointed) at a Mineral Mine or quarry employing more than 10 workers, must hold a Senior Site Executive notice. IQA Certified Practising Quarry Manager certificate may be enough evidence for the work history component of the SSEs notice.

CP Register

The IQA will maintain a register of all current CPs.

Current QMCS Recipients

QMCS Application/Renewal