WorkSafe

The Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022 (WHS Mines Regulations) set out the statutory certificates that may be granted to a person, and the eligibility requirements for those certificates. Schedule 27 should be consulted for full details of requirements and functions.

Following an assessment by the relevant competence committee that an applicant is suitable to hold a certificate, a statutory certificate may be granted by the WorkSafe Commissioner as the regulator.

The eligibility criteria for statutory positions, including the competency requirements to be met before a person may be appointed to a position, are listed in regulations 675ZI(1) for site senior executive and 675ZM(1) for exploration manager, and Schedule 26 of the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022 (WHS Mines Regulations) for the remaining statutory positions.

Part 10.7A of the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022 [WHS (Mines) Regulations] prescribes positions in relation to mines. These statutory positions are appointed by the mine operator to carry out specific functions in relation to the operations of a mine.

Statutory positions are classified in several categories, with different functions and obligations, and levels of knowledge, experience and formal qualifications for the appointed persons, with some positions requiring statutory certificates.

Work health and safety is everybody’s business. We all have a role to play in keeping our workplaces healthy and safe.

You can stay connected by:

WorkSafe is developing a series of case studies showcasing:

The first step in risk management is to identify workplace hazards. This means looking for those things that have the potential to cause harm. Harm can be short or long term and may adversely affect the health and safety of workers, property, the environment, and community relationships.

Hazards can be identified through one or more of the following activities:

Duties of volunteer organisations under the WHS Act

If a volunteer organisation (or a volunteer on its behalf) engages at least one paid worker, this makes the organisation a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WHS Act).

A notifiable occurrence is an unplanned event or situation that can cause injury, illness, damage or loss. A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), including the operator of a facility, should first assess a situation to determine if a notifiable incident or notifiable occurrence has taken place.

Mines and mine sites have an additional reporting requirement to notify reportable incidents.

If a ‘dangerous incident’ arises through the conduct of a business or undertaking the regulator must be notified immediately.

Where the dangerous incident is currently life-threatening, the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) should ensure the regulator is notified by calling 1800 678 198 (24 hours).