EWPA – Yellow Card

Employers must provide the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure the health and safety of employees at work.
Manufacturers and suppliers of plant must ensure equipment is safe to use and must make available adequate information about the conditions for the safe use of the equipment manufactured or supplied.
Employees must co-operate with efforts to comply with OH&S requirements.

Duties of a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU)/employer.
A PCBU/employer has the primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers while they are at work.
A PCBU/employer is also responsible for ensuring work carried out does not carry risk to the health and safety of others.

1. Provide and maintain a safe work environment
2. Provide and maintain safe plant and structures
3. Provide and maintain safe systems of work
4. Ensure the safe use, handling and storage of plant, structures and substances
5. Provide adequate facilities and ensure access is maintained
6. Provide instruction, training, information and supervision
7. Monitor the health of workers and conditions at the workplace

In reality, there needs to be some form of proof that the operator has been trained in the safe use of an elevating work platform (EWP). Verbal instruction is not an effective method of training. The EWP Operator Training Program or ‘Yellow Card’ is the result of the EWPA helping the industry to comply with the acts. The intention of this program is to assist operators, employers, equipment owners and manufacturers to comply with the WHS regulation.

The EWP Operator Licence or “Yellow Card” as it is commonly known, is proof of completion in one or more modules in various types of EWPs. There are five different EWP training modules plus a transport module.

• Trailer Lift – TL
• Self Propelled Boom Lift – BL
• Vertical Lift – VL
• Scissor Lift – SL
• Truck Mounted Lift – TM

While these are all classed as EWPs, each one is very different in use and safe operation. The transport module is aimed at transporters of EWPs and allocators. The EWPA ‘Yellow Card’ is a nationally recognised industry training program mapped to Unit of Competence (UoC) RIIHAN301E Operate Elevating Work Platforms, developed by the EWPA in consultation with members and industry.

The ‘Yellow Card’ provides evidence that the operators of specific types of EWPs have been trained in the safe use of that type of work platform. The site specific training given by BKR TRAINING meets and exceeds Unit of Competence RIIHAN301E Operate Elevating Work Platforms. The supplier, employer and user all have documentary evidence of the training received. This can be verified on the EWPA website. If you require the SOA (RIIHAN301E) or a VOC, enquire for further details.

The EWPA Yellow Card is the Association’s method of meeting industry needs for EWP training. Other methods include having in-house training schemes or user specific programs. All programs need to include a structured training format delivered by a qualified trainer, with training content that meets or exceeds the Australian Standard 2550.10, and manufacturer’s safe operating procedures in line with the Unit of Competency RIIHAN301E Operate Elevating Work Platforms.

A blatant disregard of the Act will result in hefty fines and or jail, and that’s if your lucky enough to get caught before a life changing injury or fatality occurs on your site, to either you or your employees.

We all have a responsibility for workplace health and safety, every employee has the right of a safe place to work and to return home from work safely.

This “high risk work” licence is regulated by each State and Territory Regulatory Authority (SafeWork/WorkCover NSW for instance), and covers boom type EWP’s (truck mount, trailer mount and self-propelled), capable of reaching 11 metres and over ONLY.

It is a common misconception that this licence covers scissor lifts and vertical lifts as it is a longer course duration and covers larger machines.

Put simply, it does not touch on the safe use of scissor lifts or vertical lifts in the course delivery so it cannot be considered to be appropriate training for these machine types in a court of law.

If the operator is to only operate an EWP, self-propelled, truck or trailer mounted above 11 metre then the operator must comply with state or national regulation for high risk work licensing. For operators of any boom type EWPs under 11 metres or scissor lifts (of any height) and vertical mast/personal lifts must obtain training so that compliance with the WHS and OHS regulation is met. This can be confusing but an example may clarify the point.

Example:

You have just gained your over HRW 11m boom licence WP you are going to be using a mobile elevating work platform with a boom length of 11.2m. The next day you are required to operate a scissor lift with a 18 metre platform height. Both EWPs and are over 11m but very different units hence different licences (Scissor lift is NOT included in the HRW Licence to operate a Boom-Type EWP).

Explanation:

The high risk licence identifies that scissor type EWPs are not covered under the EWP high risk license. However the operator of the scissor lift is required by regulation to be trained in its safe operation. The Yellow Card is an industry driven and Nationally recognised training that provides the holder with evidence of training in a particular type of EWP. It is based on EWP product type and not boom length.

In Summary:

The OHS and the WHS Acts and Regulations are there to protect you in the workplace.

The EWPA Operator Licence (Yellow Card) is an industry initiative helping to provide a safer working environment for all stake holders. It is a nationally recognised program with a national database and aligned to the National Unit of Competency, RIIHAN301E – Operate Elevating Work Platforms.

The WP class high risk work licence issued by the state regulator (SafeWork NSW), is only required when operating Boom Type EWP’s capable of reaching 11 meters or greater, regardless of high high the work is to be performed at. An example of the high risk work licence is below.