Most applications for plant registration will require a ‘safe to operate’ statement by a competent person. This person will make a declaration that the item of plant has been inspected and assessed as being safe to operate.
Plant must be maintained, inspected and if necessary, tested by a competent person. This must be done:
- in accordance with any manufacturer’s recommendations, or
- if there are no manufacturer’s recommendations, then in accordance with the recommendations of a competent person, or
- if neither of the above are reasonably practicable to be complied with, the inspection is to be conducted annually.
Competent persons
A competent person means someone who has educational or vocational qualifications in an engineering discipline relevant to the plant to be inspected or the knowledge of the technical standards relevant to the plant to be inspected.
A competent person has a more specific meaning in the following circumstances:
- annual inspection of amusement devices
- major inspection of cranes.
Annual inspection of amusement devices
A detailed inspection of an amusement device must be carried out at least once every 12 months by a competent person.
If the amusement device contains an electrical installation then the person inspecting the electrical installation needs to be qualified, or assisted by a person who is qualified, to inspect electrical installations.
For an inflatable device (continuously blown) with a platform height less than 9 metres, a competent person is someone who has acquired (through training, qualification or experience) the knowledge and skills to inspect the device.
For any other amusement device or passenger ropeway, a competent person is someone who has acquired (through training, qualification or experience) the knowledge and skills to inspect the plant and is:
- registered on the National Professional Engineers Register administered by the Institution of Engineers, Australia, or
- a member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia with the status of Chartered Professional Engineer, or
- is determined by the Regulator to be a competent person.
Major inspection of cranes
For the major inspection of a crane, a competent person must have acquired (through training, qualification or experience) the knowledge and skills to carry out a major inspection and is
- registered on the National Professional Engineers Register administered by the Institution of Engineers, Australia, or
- a member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia with the status of Chartered Professional Engineer, or
- is determined by the Regulator to be a competent person.
10 year mobile crane inspections
Major inspections apply to a mobile crane or tower crane at a workplace. A major inspection is an examination of all critical components of the crane —if necessary, by stripping down the crane and removing paint, grease and corrosion, to allow a thorough examination of each critical component and to check the effective and safe operation of the crane.
You must ensure that a major inspection of the crane is carried out by or under the supervision of a competent person:
- at the end of the design life recommended by the manufacturer for the crane, or
- if there are no manufacturer recommendations, in accordance with the recommendations of a competent person, or
- if it is not reasonably practicable to comply with either of the above, then every 10 years from the date the crane was first commissioned or first registered, whichever occurred first.
See Major inspection of cranes above for a definition of a competent person.
Resources
Guide to inspecting and maintaining elevating work platforms: Safe Work Australia
Lifting clutch failure safety alert: Queensland Workplace Health and Safety
Callaghan 37 metre concrete placing booms safety alert: Queensland Workplace Health and Safety