25 May 2018

WorkSafe has approved three amendments to the New Zealand Gazette notice which sets out extractives’ Certificate of Competence (CoC) requirements. These amendments will come into place when the amendments are published. This is expected to be in a month’s time.

The amendments are:

• Requirements for a CoC as a manager to manage the quarrying operation specified in the certificate (site specific CoC)
• Defining ‘workings’ of the relevant type of mine, tunnel or quarry
• Specifying the unit standard requirements for a first aid certificate.

The inclusion of the site specific requirements is a response to the needs of small, low risk quarries. The other two ensure that there is a clear understanding of what experience in ’workings’ is and the expected level of a first aid certificate.

All three amendments were part of last year’s consultation on CoC requirements.

Broader changes to the CoC requirements have been postponed until the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has completed its implementation review of the Health and Safety at Work (Mining Operations and Quarrying Operations) Regulations, and any updated requirements resulting from that review are in place. This is expected at the end of this year. MBIE’s implementation review is looking at how the current Regulations are working in practice.

The New Zealand Mining Board of Examiners and WorkSafe received a lot of valuable feedback on the CoC requirements which was analysed and considered. This was then used to assess changes which had been proposed to CoC requirements. The work that has been done will be used to make the required changes to CoC requirements when updated Regulations are in place.

More detailed information will be available over the next weeks about when the amendments will be published and where to access the site specific application form.

If you have questions please contact: boe_secretariat@worksafe.govt.nz or 04 901 0691.

Details:

Criteria for a CoC as a manager to manage the quarrying operation specified in the certificate

a)  There are no more than four workers, including the applicant, ordinarily working at any one time:

b)  explosives are not used:

c)  the base of any excavation carried out at the quarrying operation is no more than 5 metres from the surface:

d)  there are no voids or underground workings within the planned extraction zone:

e)  no worker is required to work below the surface level of a body of fluid material

f)  the actual processing rate does not exceed an average of 1,000 tonnes per week:

g)  the quarry will be operating for a period or periods that total at least 24 months:

h)  any tip head or stockpiles at the operation are less than 5 metres high: operation specified in the certificate

Requirements

Unit standards for manager to manage a quarrying operation specified in the certificate (only one required)

Applicants for a CoC for a specified quarry who have already undertaken an oral examination will not be required to undertake another oral examination.

1. Defining Workings – as previously agreed and set out in the Gazette notice drafted unless otherwise specified operational experience includes experience carrying out the following types of work related to the workings of a mine, tunnel or quarry:

(a)    emplacement stabilisation:

(b)    electrical engineering:

(c)    environmental management:

(d)    exploration or site investigation:

(e)    use, storage and transport of explosives:

(f)     fire and explosion detection or prevention:

(g)    flammable dust management:

(h)    gas management:

(i)     ground or strata control:

(j)     design, installation and maintenance of plant guarding:

(k)    use of hyperbarics to control the working environment

(l)     inrush and inundation management:

(m)   instrumentation and monitoring:

(n)    fixed and mobile plant maintenance:

(o)    mechanical engineering:

(p)    mine surveying:

(q)    operational planning:

(r)    outburst management:

(s)    operation of plant and equipment:

(t)    design, construction and maintenance of ponds, dams and waste dumps:

(u)    materials processing:

(v)    risk management:

(w)   roads, rail and vehicle operations:

(x)    safety management:

(y)    handling of pre-cast tunnel linings:

(z)    installation, maintenance and removal of utilities supplied:

(aa)   slope stabilisation:

(bb)   spontaneous combustion prevention, detection and response:

(cc)   design, construction and maintenance of stockpiles:

(dd)   design, construction and monitoring of temporary or preparatory works:

(ee)   construction and maintenance of ventilation control devices:

(ff)     operating winding engines:

(gg)   worker health management:

(hh)   any other work in operating and safety systems related to the workings of a mine, tunnel or quarry.

A & B grade opencast coal mine; A & B grade, quarry site specific: Within the specified period of experience, a minimum of 9 months in production operations  in more than one of the following: drill and blast; load and haul; processing or stockyard loadout

First class coal mine manager: at least 12 months of the operational experience described in paragraph (a) was at the extraction face of a coal mine.

First class mine manager; A-grade tunnel manager; B-grade tunnel manager: Within the specified period of experience, a minimum of 9 months in production operations in more than one of the following: development operations including tunnel boring machine operations for tunnelling; extraction; installation of ground support systems; filling operations; shaft sinking.

Coal Mine Underviewer; Coal mine deputy: Within the specified period a minimum of 9 months in the following: the development and extraction of coal and support of the face openings; all of the following types of shift work; preparing for and installing either mechanical or hydraulic transport of coal; building permanent or temporary stoppings; installation of auxiliary ventilation; erection of either steel or timber sets; installation of roof bolts; installation of services.

Surveyor: have had at least 3 years' practical work experience in surveying including 12 months' work experience underground in the surveying of mines

Ventilation Officer: satisfy the Board that the applicant has operational experience in the workings of an underground mining operation for a period or periods totalling not less than 2 years

Mechanical superintendent: satisfy the Board that the applicant has a minimum of 3 years' work experience acceptable to the Board in the extractives or heavy industry, including a minimum of one year's operational experience in the installation, commissioning, mechanical maintenance and repair of mobile and/or fixed plant.

Electrical superintendent: satisfy the Board that the applicant has a minimum of 3 years' work experience acceptable to the Board in the extractive or heavy industry including a minimum of one year's operational experience in the installation, commissioning, electrical maintenance and repair of mobile and/or fixed plant.

First aid certificate

The following unit standards are required:

6400: Manage first aid in an emergency operation

6401: provide first aid

6402: provide basic life support

Summary and analysis of submissions report

This report outlines the results of the consultation on the proposed changes to WorkSafe's extractives' CoC requirements.