Edition 66, April 2009

High risk work licensing units of competency update

This article was updated on 22 May to hightlight information about NSW transition arrangements.

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations has released the following update on the National Standard for Persons Performing High Risk Work (April 2006) and the implementation of high risk work licensing units of competency.

The National Standard for Persons Performing High Risk Work (April 2006) requires training and assessment for high risk work licences to occur within the vocational education and training system. The aim is to achieve nationally uniform, competency based training.

The Standard recognises 29 licence classes. Units of competency have now been endorsed for 24 of these classes. These units are contained within the CPC08 Construction, Plumbing and Services Integrated Framework Training Package or the TLI07 Transport and Logistics Training Package. All of the endorsed units are now available on the National Training Information Service.

Two further units are being finalised. These units will be contained in the UEP06 Electricity Supply Industry � Generation Sector Training Package. Once final, the units will move through the endorsement process.

Units to support the boiler licence classes have not been developed. Feedback has indicated the licence class structure needs to be modified before the training change is introduced. The existing training arrangements for these licence classes will continue until that work can occur.

The new high risk licensing units require the use of mandated assessment instruments. The instruments to support the endorsed units are expected to be approved by late May 2009. Access will only be available to registered training organisations with these units on their scope of registration.

Since access to the mandated assessment instruments will be restricted, general information on the assessment requirements for each instrument is being prepared. This information includes the assessor instructions and the equipment lists for the practical assessment.

Most states and territories will start to recognise training against the new units from 1 July 2009. In all cases (excluding NSW)*, a transition period will occur. This period is to allow registered training organisations to become familiar with the new unit requirements and register for scope. During that time, training will be recognised against either the units or the existing system.

Unless otherwise advised within your state or territory, all training for licences must be against the new units by 1 July 2010. Registered training organisations wishing to deliver in this area will be required to apply to their relevant registering body prior to this date to have any of the new units added to their scope of registration.

The table on the page below lists which training package the high risk work licensing units of competency are contained within.

All Industry Skills Councils will be required to import units of competency from these training packages where the occupational outcome from a qualification and/or Statement of Attainment requires a licence to operate in one of these licence classes.

For more information visit www.licensinglinenews.com/highriskworklicensing

*WorkCover NSW will implement the National Standard on 1 September 2009. There will be no transition period after this date. Therefore, between now and 1 September 2009 WorkCover NSW accredited assessors are required to align with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), and RTOs are required to add the required units to their scope of registration and apply to WorkCover NSW for licensing purposes i.e. the existing National Certificate of Competency (NCOC) assessment procedure will apply upto 31 August 2009, with the new high risk work training and assessment arrangements to commence on 1 September 2009 with no overlap. For further information, please contact WorkCover NSW on 1800 855 969.

This page was generated on 26 August, 2009