To best understand the need for RPEQ Certification and its relationship to Australian Standards compliance, a basic understanding of the legislative rules and regulations is required. These rules vary slightly from state to state, on-shore to offshore and can also be effected depending on the type of site or lease (Petroleum, Gas, Mining or building). However, there is a common idea of ensuring the safety of plant and who’s liable for that responsibility. For example the WHSQ regulation states: “Manufactures must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the plant is manufactured without risks to the health and safety to people”. This statement considers importers to have the same responsibility as manufactures and also implies designers to have a share. The same regulation also draws owners and managers of plant into the same duty of care, stating: “A person conducting a business unit has a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers while they are at work in the business or undertaking.”
Within Queensland, the obligations of plant safety has become entwined into the Professional Engineers Act (RPEQ). In that; “…when a professional engineering service is carried out in, or for Queensland, that the work is done or supervised by an RPEQ engineer”. And that a; “…professional engineering service is defined as a service that requires, or is based on, the application of engineering principals and data to design, or to a construction, production, operation or maintenance activity, relating to engineering.”. So when considering the breadth of those statements, the need for RPEQ Certification becomes more obvious. That is, RPEQ supervision is required when plant is manufactured or modified in Queensland or specifically for Queensland.
The inspection and assessment for continued safe use of various items of plant will also fall under the ‘professional engineering services’ and most commonly applied to major inspection periods on cranes and amusement rides. Proof of RPEQ supervision is most effectively achieved through independent engineering assessment and issue of a RPEQ Certificate.
The following is a list of regulations and key items of plant and equipment that is commonly assessed:
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland Regulation.
High risk plant – verification and design registration of:
Elevating work platforms,
Car hoists,
Lifts,
Pressure Vessels, &
Amusement devices (fun park rides).
Other high risk equipment – codes of practice and recommendations
Roll over protective structures,
Falling object protective structures,
Fall from heights & Confined spaces,
Fork lifts,
Machine & plant safety
Excavator quick hitches, &
Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Regulation.
Drill rigs
Rig site Equipment
Gas handling equipment
Explosives (see below)
Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation.
Tyre handlers,
Explosives (see below).
Explosives Regulation.
Explosive magazines (Fixed and transportable)
Department of Agriculture and water resources.
AQIS - Sea freight container inspection stands.
Transport (Rail Safety) Regulation.
Infrastructure structures and equipment.
Transport Operations (Road use Management – Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation.
Light vehicle modifications.
Heavy vehicle modifications.
Infrastructure structures and equipment.
Heavy Vehicle National Law Act.
Trucks
Trailers (+4.5T)
Front under run protective systems
ADR certifications
Road train trailers
Draw bars
Tow hitches