Frequently asked questions about registering classified plant

On 31 March 2022, the Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws replaced the health and safety elements of the Mines Safety and Inspection laws. For information visit www.demirs.wa.gov.au/whs

Transitional arrangements may be in place for the compliance requirements on this page.

All health and safety notifications, forms and guidance for mining and petroleum has moved to the WorkSafe website

For updated information relating to the information on this page go to Plant design and registration

The information below has been left for historical compliance reference purposes

 

 

Do serially produced pressure vessels need to be registered?

Serially produced pressure vessels are covered by Australian Standard AS 2971, and their design needs to comply with the definition, scope and other requirements of this standard. Serially produced pressure vessels that strictly comply with AS 2971 are not required to be registered with Resources Safety. However, it is essential for these vessels to be operated, maintained and inspected in a safe manner and in accordance with relevant Australian Standards AS 3788.

Australian Standards are available from Standards Australia.

Does Resources Safety register designs?

Unlike other authorities with responsibility for plant safety in Australia, Resources Safety does not register classified plant designs. This means that each application to register individual items of classified plant is assessed separately, even in the case of identical plant at the same mine site.

Regulation 6.34(1) of the Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 only stipulates (classified) plant registration.

What about pre-existing design approval or registration by other authorities?

If classified plant has been design registered with another authority within Australia responsible for plant safety, and under the conditions of the general exemption issued on 17 June 2013 by the State Mining Engineer,  there is no need to register the item of plant with Resources Safety.
 

General exemption: Registration of certain classified plant [r.6.34(1)] - 67 Kb

General exemption from provisions of Regulation 6.34(1) of the Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 in respect of the registration of certain classified plant

This exemption supersedes several other previous exemptions. See General exemptions relating to classified plant in What are the requirements for classified plant?

For a list of current general exemptions, refer to Minerals safety legislation.

Does plant that has been repaired or modified need to be re-registered?

Once classified plant has been allocated a registration number, the number must be permanently marked on the unit or nameplate as appropriate. This registration number cannot be changed or altered until the end of the plant’s operation at a particular mine site. Hence, minor modifications or repairs of any registered classified plant at a mine site do not require re-registration.

However, before the plant is used again, it must conform with the relevant Australian Standard unless prior written approval by the State Mining Engineer is obtained.

What other requirements are there for registered classified plant?

Besides operational and maintenance requirements applicable to all plant at a mine site, there are two requirements in the regulations that are specific for registered classified plant:

  • incidents involving registered classified plant must be reported immediately in writing to the department (r. 6.36)
  • registered classified plant is not to be used at a mine site unless it has undergone a statutory inspection - the time limits for statutory inspections for different classified plant are set in the regulations (r. 6.40 and Schedule 3).

Refer to rr. 6.36, 6.40 and Schedule 3 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 for more detail.

Contact

For any enquiries related to the registered classified plant, please email MinesSafety@dmirs.wa.gov.au.