OHS - Plant and Equipment Procedure

1 Introduction
1.1 Definitions
Employees

All staff, contractors, consultants and temporary workers of Company.

Health and Safety

Representatives

Persons responsible for facilitating consultation and cooperation

between management and employees on health and safety issues.
Defined by areas of responsibility and operation where employee
numbers demand such consultation.

Hierarchy of Controls

1. Elimination 2. Substitution 3. Isolation 4. Engineering

5. Administration 6. Safe Work Practices or PPE.

Manager

An individual employees direct supervisor/manager.

Responsible Officer

The person accountable for ensuring the effective implementation of

Companys health and safety policies and procedures.

1.2 Purpose
Company acknowledges that we have an occupational health and safety responsibility to our
employees, and occupational responsibilities to the immediate surrounding public and the
environment itself. Company is committed to purchasing and using only quality plant and
equipment that meets legislative requirements.
Company is committed to providing and maintaining, plant and equipment suitable for its intended
purpose and without risk to employees health and safety. This commitment is intended to:

ensure the operational integrity of the plant

ensure plant meets all statutory, regulatory, safety and environmental requirements.

In support of this commitment, we shall undertake to ensure contractors entering worksites also
comply with standard safety requirements pertinent to their purpose on site.

1.3 Scope
This procedure is relevant to all staff, contractors, consultants and temporary workers of Company
to ensure that the Company Occupational Health and Safety Policy is enforced.

1.4 Responsibilities
Company
Company is responsible for the following:
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Provide the necessary resources to meet the requirements of this procedure and related
legislative requirements.

providing mobile plant and equipment appropriate to site need

providing systems for maintenance and repair

ensuring compliance to regulatory and manufacturers requirements

Conduct risk assessments in accordance with OH&S Regulations and implement

appropriate risk controls following consultation with those affected.

Train staff in safe work practices relating to the use of new plant and equipment.

Employees

Employees are responsible for:

using plant and equipment in a safe and responsible manner

not placing themselves or others at risk of injury

operating only equipment for which they have been trained

not making any alterations or repairs to plant or equipment unless they are authorised in
writing by Company to make such alterations or repair

reporting any fault with the equipment being used immediately to the manager.

Contractors

Contractors are to advise management of all plant and equipment brought onto the
premises in the course of carrying out the contract.

Contractors must ensure that all plant and equipment brought onto the premise is removed
safely on completion of work.

1.5 Enquiries and Faults

Adherence to this procedure will generally ensure compliance with the requirements of relevant
legislation. Employees requiring assistance with interpretation of this procedure, or who wish to
report a breach of this procedure, should contact the Managing Director.

2 Procedure
2.1 Purchasing Plant and Equipment
The purchase of plant and equipment will be planned and coordinated, following established
procedures for capital expenditure.
Where plant is imported from overseas, be it new or used plant, Company will meet all regulatory
requirements in identifying the hazards of the plant prior to importing it. Where necessary, this will
be done in consultation with the appropriate advisory bodies.
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Under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007 (Victoria) and Occupational Safety
and Health Regulations 1996 (Western Australia), importers, suppliers and Australian designers or
manufacturers must supply information on the plant in relation to the hazards associated with the
plant. Company will not accept any plant unless those statements are available.
All persons erecting or installing plant will ensure that, prior to and during the installation process,
hazards are identified and addressed using the hierarchy of control (elimination, substitution,
isolation, engineering controls, administrative control (policies and procedures) and PPE.
All plant must be commissioned with a OHS-Risk Assessment of the plant integrated into the
whole system. This assessment will be retained. The plant must not be used by employees until
this risk assessment has been completed and any identified controls put into place.
The control of any identified hazards will follow the hierarchy of controls and be used in designing
work practices and procedures.
Particular attention will be given to:

plant under pressure

plant with moving parts

powered mobile plant

plant with hot or cold parts

electrical plant

plant designed to lift or move

lasers

scaffolds

lifts.

All records of OHS-Risk Assessments will be retained until reviewed and a new assessment
report becomes available. Risk assessments will be completed at least every five years, or when
any changes to the plant or process are made. On the sale of any item of plant, completed risk
assessments will be given to the new owner.
Refer to OHS-Risk Management Procedure.

Plant Requiring Registration

The following plant requires registration with the relevant state or territory WorkSafe Authority.
Registration forms can be obtained from the relevant state or territory WorkSafe Authority.

Plant and equipment generally requiring registration includes (but is not limited to):

boilers with a hazard level of A, B or C according to the criteria

specified in AS 3920.1 Assurance of Product Quality Pressure
Equipment Manufacture

pressure vessels with a hazard level of A, B or C according to the

criteria specified in AS 3920.1, other than:

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a) gas Cylinders covered by AS 2030

b) LPG fuel vessels for automotive use covered by AS/NZS 3509 LPG Fuel
Vessels For Automotive Use
c) serially numbered pressure vessels covered by AS 2971 Serially
Produced Pressure Vessels.

lifts

mobile cranes with a safe working load not exceeding 10 tonnes.

All requirements concerning plant and equipment can be found in the

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007 (Victoria). It is the
intention of Company to meet these requirements at all times.

2.2 Purchasing Plant and Equipment

If purchasing or hiring new or second-hand equipment or substances, an identification of hazards
and risk assessment must be completed prior to agreeing to the purchase. When determining
whether or not to purchase the item, the following considerations must be taken into account:

The items suitability for required use.

What type of hazards does the new item introduce?

What will it take to control these hazards?

Controls of hazards should be based on the following order elimination, engineering

(guards, barriers, ventilation, design features), administration (standard operating
procedures, training, signage), provision of PPE (safety equipment).

How much training will be required and who will provide it? (Try to include this in the
contract.)

The availability of service and ease of maintenance.

Cost this should not be the sole determining feature. If a preferred product cannot be
identified from the above issues, cost may determine the purchase.

After a decision has been made as to the suitability of any plant or substance, all hazard controls
will be implemented before its use.
All plant and equipment purchased by Company must be recorded on the OHS-Plant and
Equipment Register.
Under no circumstances will any employee use new plant or equipment until the above process
has been completed and they have been fully trained in all aspects of its use and required
precautions.

2.3 Purchasing controls

Senior management shall jointly determine plant and equipment needs.

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Consultation with operators shall occur when determining hazards and general operational safety
matters.
Should plant or equipment require some re-design to ensure safety and appropriate fitness for
purpose, the manufacturers or an appropriately qualified engineer shall be consulted to ensure
design planning, review and approval to meet manufacturers and regulatory requirements and
Australian Standards are met.

2.4 Maintenance Planning

Repairs shall be organised when equipment is not subject to a maintenance schedule due to the
nature of the equipment.
Contractors used to provide maintenance or repair services shall be subject to normal prequalification systems of the company.
In appointing contractors for maintenance, ensure they are competent/qualified to work on new
plant/vehicles to ensure warranties are maintained.
Suppliers of spare parts must also be pre-qualified and must be capable of supplying
manufacturers genuine spare parts.
Records of all maintenance, repair shall be kept.

2.5 Operators of Mobile Plant

Mobile Plant operators shall be competent to operate the plant according to national competency
standards or manufacturers requirements where national standards do not exist.
Operator competency/permits are required and shall be recorded on personnel files for company
employees and contractor files for subcontractors.
Contractors operating mobile plant on company sites shall be required to show
competency/licence/ permits to the Area Manager prior to commencing work. Photocopies may be
made and filed where the contractor is likely to provide future services on site.
i)

Vehicles licenced to travel on public roads are required to be registered and drivers
licenced. An annual review of driver licences shall be undertaken and records updated
annually on the OHS-Register of Driver Licences.

Personnel licence copies shall be kept on employee files. Vehicle registration records shall be kept
on file against the vehicle records.
Should notification be received that drivers have broken road rules [speeding or other offences],
the driver shall be required to show proof that their licence is still valid. This requires requesting a
statement [via internet or by mail] from the relevant road traffic authority.
Operators of mobile plant must conduct a pre start check. Refer to OHS-Mobile Plant Pre-Start
Checklist.

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2.6 Audit and Review

All plant and equipment shall be reviewed annually by senior management for ongoing fitness for
purpose.
Aged plant and equipment shall be considered for replacement as part of the overall Fleet
Management Plan.

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3 Procedure Implementation
This procedure is to be implemented through the policies and arrangements established under
Companys Occupational Health and Safety Program, which has been designed to provide the
highest level of safety for both employer and employee.

3.1 Procedure Review

This procedure will be reviewed annually or as required to reflect changes in business practice or
relevant legislation.

3.2 Dissemination of Procedure

A copy of this procedure will be made available to each employee upon commencement of work
and additional copies made available upon request.

3.3 Authority and Responsibility

This procedure is issued under the authority of the Managing Director of Company.

3.4 Related Documents

a) Forms
i)

OHS-Plant and Equipment Register

ii) OHS-Mobile Plant Pre-Start Checklist

iii) OHS-Risk Assessment Form
iv) OHS-Register of Driver Licences
b) Procedures
i)

OHS-Breach of Occupational Health and Safety Requirements Procedure

ii) OHS-Risk Management Procedure

c) Policies
i)

OHS-Occupational Health and Safety Policy

ii) OHS-Plant and Equipment Policy

d) Legislation1
i)

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Victoria)

v) Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007 (Victoria)

The above legislation was true and correct as of 1st July 2014. However, it is imperative that Occupational
Health and Safety legislation is verified on a regular basis. The regulatory body for Victoria maintains
information for Occupational Health and Safety laws and regulations.
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3.5 Procedure Version Control

Date

Author/Department

Version
Number

Change Summary

1.0

Original

This document shall be retained for a period of X years from the date of authorisation.

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