Completing a Notification of Plant Design
Why is notification of plant design required?
Some items of plant, due to their hazardous nature, require specific management to minimise any danger to the operator or other parties. It is important to ensure that these items of plant are designed and manufactured according to accepted design standards.
An item of plant listed in Part 1 of Schedule 6 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Safety Standards) Regulations 1994 (the Regulations) that is design registered with an Australian state or territory occupational health or safety authority, must be notified to the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC) in accordance with Regulation 4.50.
Your employer’s responsibilities regarding the registration, notification or alteration of plant design are set out in Regulations 4.49, 4.50, 4.51 and 4.54. Please read these before starting your application.
A copy of the Regulations is available online at www.comlaw.gov.au
How do I notify the SRCC of plant design?
To notify the SRCC of plant design, the application form, Notification of Plant Design (Regulation 4.50), must be completed and submitted to Comcare. Details for submitting the notification are listed further down.Evidence of design registration for plant listed in Part 2 of Schedule 6 of the Regulations, can be notified to the SRCC using the application form New Licence to Operate Plant (Regulation 4.41). There is no additional requirement to submit a notification of plant design for these items. For more information, refer to Part 2 of Schedule 6.
Does hired plant need to be notified?
Under Regulation 4.49 design registration details are not required for an item of plant if:
- the item is mentioned in Part 2 of Schedule 6
- the item is hired by the employer for less than 12 months
- your employer obtains evidence from the supplier of the item the design for that type of plant is registered under a law of the state or territory in which the supplier operates.
What type of plant requires a notification of design?
Plant requiring notification of design includes:- pressure equipment, other than pressure piping, that have a hazard level of A, B, C, or D determined in accordance with AS 4343-1999 Pressure equipment - Hazard levels and specifically covered by AS/NZS Pressure equipment
- gas cylinders covered by AS2030, AS2030.1-1999, AS2030.2-1996 and AS2030.4-1985
- tower cranes*
- building maintenance units
- hoists, with a platform movement in excess of 2.4 metres, designed to lift people*
- work boxes suspended from cranes
- amusement structures covered by AS3533.1-1997 Amusement rides and devices – Part 1: Design and construction, other than class 1 structures
- prefabricated scaffolding
- boom-type elevating work platforms
- gantry cranes*:
- with a safe working load greater than five tonnes
- designed to handle molten metal or dangerous goods**
- bridge cranes*:
- with a safe working load of greater than 10 tonnes
- designed to handle molten metal or dangerous goods**
- vehicle hoists*
- mast climbing work platforms*
- mobile cranes with a safe working load greater than 10 tonnes.*
*Note: For the purposes of licensing, cranes and hoists in Schedule 6 exclude those that are
manually powered, elevating work platforms or tow trucks.
**Note: Dangerous goods are defined in the Australian Dangerous Goods Code.
Please be aware that design notification is only required for plant designed after the
commencement of the Regulations on 1 July 1996. If the item was manufactured after 1 July 1996, and proof can be provided that it was designed prior to this date, a notification of plant design does not need to be submitted.
How do I complete the application form?
The following information will help you complete the form.
Section 1: Design notification number
- Unless the plant item has an existing design notification number issued by the SRCC, please leave this field blank.
Section 2: Employer and applicant details
- Enter the details of your employer, including the title of the Principal Officer.
- Enter your details (i.e. the person making the application).
Please note:
1. The meaning of Principal Officer is defined in Section 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991. For example, this would be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in a Commonwealth authority or in the case of a department this would be the Secretary.
2. You must have the written authorisation of the Principal Officer to sign the declaration at Section 6. You should read the declaration before proceeding.
3. Personal information collected by Comcare in connection with the application will be used for the purpose of administering the Safety Standards Regulations, as well as the enforcement and administration of other legislation administered by Comcare. For more information, refer to the applicant’s statement of consent at Section 6.
Section 3: Type of plant
Tick one box only to identify the type of plant to be licensed and indicate the hazard level as A, B, C or D (if applicable).
For more information about:
- items of plant requiring registration or notification of design—see Part 1 of Schedule 6 of the Regulations
- items of plant requiring a licence—see Part 2 of Schedule 6 of the Regulations
- the type of plant design to be registered or notified—see Part 20 (Definitions) of the Regulations
- identifying the appropriate hazard level of plant items—see the Unfired Pressure Vessel Assessor on the Comcare website
- Australian standards for items of plant—see Schedule 5 of the Regulations.
Section 4: Plant item identification
- Enter the name of the manufacturer, date of manufacture, model number, serial number, vehicle registration number (if applicable) and any owner identification markings (such as organisation bar code or unique plant number) for the item of plant.
- Enter the design registration number and the name of the issuing authority (e.g. Work Safe Victoria, Work Cover New South Wales etc.). If the item was designed after 1 July 1996, evidence of registration must be provided.
- Tick yes or no to indicate if the plant design has been altered since registration. If the design has been altered, please ensure you re-register the design with an Australian state or territory occupational health and safety authority before entering the registration details. You will be unable to proceed with the application if you tick yes.
Please note:
1. If the plant item was designed after 1 July 1996, and there is no evidence of design registration with any Australian state or territory occupational health and safety authority, please ensure the design is registered with a state or territory authority before entering the registration details. If you are unsure whether an item of plant has been design registered previously, the relevant state or territory authority may be able to assist in confirming if the design has been registered with them.
2. If the plant item was manufactured after 1 July 1996, and proof can be provided that it was designed prior to this date, the design registration details do not need to be provided. However, if there has been any alteration to the design of the item after 1 July 1996, evidence of registration must still be provided.
3. Your employer must not use plant, or allow employees to use plant, if the plant has not had its design registered following an alteration to the design under Regulation 4.54. For more information, call 1300 366 979 or email the plant helpdesk at ohs.plant@comcare.gov.au
Section 5: Plant location
- Tick the box to indicate if the plant is normally fixed or mobile.
- Enter the location of the plant. For mobile plant, this is the depot or other place where the item is usually kept when not in use.
Section 6: Consent and declaration by applicant
- Carefully read the statement of consent.
- Complete, sign and date the declaration.
Please note:
1. By signing the declaration, you agree to take responsibility for managing the plant item on behalf of the Principal Officer.
2. Correspondence from Comcare regarding the plant licence will be addressed to you. Ensure the contact details provided at Section 2 are correct.
How do I submit the application form?
Please fax completed forms to (02) 6274 8866 or post to:
Plant Contact Officer
Comcare
GPO Box 9905
Canberra ACT 2601
The PDF version of 'Completing a Notification of Plant Design' is also available here.