When don't I need a licence?

You must have the relevant high risk work (HRW)  licence, unless:

• the work is carried out while completing training for the relevant licence class and you are being supervised by a licensed person
• you have applied for the licence and are waiting for a decision on your application
• the work is carried out at the workplace solely for the manufacture, testing, trialing, installation, commissioning, maintenance, servicing, repair, alteration, demolition or disposal of the plant or moving the plant within the workplace and the plant is operated or used without a load except when standard weight loads with predetermined fixing points are used for calibration of the plant
• you are setting up or dismantling a crane or hoist and you hold the appropriate rigging licence
• you are carrying out work with a heritage boiler.

Licences no longer required

Discontinued licences that were previously issued by Workplace Health and Safety are:

• building maintenance unit
• bulk loader or ship loader
• internal combustion locomotive
• refrigeration plant
• trencher
• crane chaser
• dragline
• straddle carrier
• cable way
• explosive power tool
• front-end loader/backhoe
• front-end loader
• skid steer loader
• excavator
• dozer
• bridge or gantry crane with 3 or less powered operations
• road roller
• scraper
• grader.

If you are conducting a business or undertaking, where a licence was previously required, you still have a duty to provide information, training, instruction and/or supervision necessary to ensure the health and safety of all persons.

Exemptions that have been converted into permanent arrangements

Operators with a bridge and gantry crane  (remote) certificate are exempt from holding a dogging licence to sling their  own loads.

Operating earthmoving or particular crane (EPC) machinery in crane mode

While a certificate is no longer required to operate an earth moving or particular crane (EPC) occupational class of machinery, including operating it in crane mode, the PCBU with the management or control of the plant must ensure that operators are competent to use the equipment.

You should keep the evidence of the competency on the file as a record in the event of an incident.

If EPC machinery is used in crane mode to move a load you may require a  dogging  HRW licence.

There are limited circumstances where a person without a high risk work dogging (DG) licence can safely sling a load.

A competent person is able to sling a load, without holding a dogging HRW licence (or rigging) when there is no judgement required for slinging techniques or the suitability and the condition of lifting gear because the following factors are predetermined:

• the weight of the load (or within a weight range) to be lifted is predetermined by a competent person (e.g. may be marked on the load)
• selection of the sling and slinging techniques for the load is predetermined by a competent person
• the condition of lifting gear is predetermined by a competent person
• the lifting points are predetermined by a competent person and marked on the load
• the load is lifted within the view of the operator at all times
• standard lifting procedures have been documented and signed-off by a competent person.

A person with a high risk work dogging (DG) licence must be used if these circumstances are not met.

Multi-purpose tool carrier

A Multi-purpose tool carrier is powered mobile plant fitted with a non-slewing or slewing superstructure with a boom. This plant can be fitted with a variety of attachments, some of which include, but is not limited to:

• fork arms
• bucket
• work platform
• boom or jib
• hoist
• grab.

For Multi-purpose non-slewing mobile crane/tool carrier:

• A high risk work licence for a non-slewing mobile crane (CN) is required for this plant when used as a crane where the rated capacity exceeds 3 tonne and when fitted with a boom or jib and hook.
• A high risk work licence for a boom-type elevated work platform (WP) is required for this plant when the plant is fitted with a work platform attached directly to the main boom and the work platform can be extended 11 metres or more.
• Where the plant is fitted with other attachments (e.g. fork arms, bucket or grab etc), no high risk work licence is required.

For Multi-purpose slewing mobile crane/tool carriers:

• A high risk work licence for a slewing mobile crane is required to operate this plant when used as a crane when fitted with a boom and/or jib and/or hoist rope and hook. The rated capacity of the crane will determine which of the following high risk work licences will be required to operate this crane.
  • C2 for cranes up to 20 tonnes
  • C6 for cranes up to 60 tonnes
  • C1 for cranes up to 100 tonnes
  • C0 for cranes with capacity over 100 tonnes
• A high risk work licence for a boom-type elevated work platform (WP) is required for this plant when the plant is fitted with a work platform attached directly to the main boom and the work platform can be extended 11 metres or more.
• Where the plant is fitted with other attachments (e.g. fork arms, bucket or grab etc), no high risk work licence is required.

When a high risk work licence is required to operate this plant, you will need to enrol with a Registered Training Organisation, complete the relevant unit of competency and be assessed under the National Assessment Instrument prior to applying for your high risk work licence.