MinEx is keen to see some changes to extractives sector Certificates of Competence (CoC) introduced as quickly as possible.
Along with other industry representatives, including AQA and IOQNZ, MinEx met WorkSafe’s Board of Examiners (BoE) last week to discuss progress on industry submissions to the BoE on CoC changes.
Following BoE proposals for changes to CoCs, 88 submissions were made by industry last August, of which 60% supported the MinEx submission.
MinEx has now learned that all submissions have been considered by the BoE and a summary position paper has been prepared for the WorkSafe Board, who will make final decisions.
The position paper has been put on hold due to the Review of Regulations, which new Workplace Relations and Safety Minister, Iain Lees-Galloway wants completed by Dec 2018.
However, MinEx understands unit standard requirements and criteria for managers of any site-specific quarry will be gazetted by June.
We understand from our meeting that it is possible for First Aid requirements and other issues not impacted by the review of regulations to be added to the BoE’s recommendations and have requested this be done.
The BoE will consider recommendations at its meeting this month and make recommendations to the WorkSafe Board.
There are unintended consequences from WorkSafe’s tougher line with non-complying quarry sites which risk non-complaint quarries poaching CoCs from those which already have CoCs in place.
That has added to MinEx’s case that the BoE’s recommendations on CoCs be forwarded to this month’s WorkSafe Board meeting so these changes can be made promptly. A site-specific qualification will help ease some of the pressures that are building.
We have also noted WorkSafe’s timeline for the regulations review, with a consultation paper to be published next month.
MinEx and industry have requested that WorkSafe expand its consultation with the extractives sector so we can develop a unified government/industry approach to those regulations that we agree on.
