Registering a plant design informs WorkSafe WA of the technical standards and engineering principles used in the blueprints of high-risk plant. The aim of plant design registration is to validate that items of plant are manufactured to safe designs without serious defects.
More detailed information on how to comply with work health and safety (WHS) law can be found in the Managing risks of plant in the workplace code of practice.
When does a plant design require registration?
Registration is required for a plant design in Western Australia if:
- Items of plant manufactured from the plant design are to be used on a workplace. Workplace is defined in s.8 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 as “… a place where work is carried out for a business or undertaking and includes any place where a worker goes, or is likely to be, while at work.” Workplaces include vehicles and mobile structures (including on water); and
- The kind of plant in the design is specified in Schedule 5, Division 1 of the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022; and
- The plant design isn’t already registered with WorkSafe WA or a corresponding Australian WHS law and isn’t covered by an exemption issued by WorkSafe WA.
Applying for an original design vs alteration of a plant design
This registration process allows an applicant to register an original design or alter an existing design using the same application form.
Apply for an original design if your plant design isn’t registered with WorkSafe WA or a corresponding regulator. Plant made from an unregistered design can’t be item of plant registered and used on a workplace.
Apply for an alteration to a plant design if an existing plant design registration has changed to the degree that it affects health and safety. Routine maintenance, repairs or replacements aren’t considered alterations.
Who can apply to register a plant design?
A person may apply to register a plant design or alteration if they conduct a business that designs, manufacturers, imports or is in management or control of an item of plant. An importer is the person that brings an item of plant into Australia from another country. A person with management or control is typically the owner, contracted service provider or other person who regularly use, manages and has control over the use of the item in question. Generally, plant designs that are currently registered with another work health and safety regulator in Australia under a corresponding WHS law do not require registration with WorkSafe WA.
Before you apply
You'll need to:
- Gather all design drawings and supporting documentation. Applying for a plant design registration or alteration is a detailed and involved process. For the most efficient turnaround, please review this above section and Information required to register a plant design or alteration at the bottom of the page, to reduce the possibility of mistakes.
- Complete and sign
- Visa/Mastercard for fee payment.
How to apply
Online
Applying online is the fastest and most efficient method of applying for an item of plant registration.
If you are unable to complete the online lodgement process, you can download and complete the Form 200 - Registration of Plant Design or Alteration to Plant Design and lodge it by email. This is not a preferred method and may cause additional delays in processing. You'll need to attach design drawings and any other supporting or specifically requested documentation. You will be contacted within a few days for payment of the application fee.
Fees
Please refer to the plant registration fee page for fees related to plant design registration.
After your application has been submitted
You will automatically be emailed a tax receipt for your payment along with a lodgement confirmation.
Your application will be assessed in line with the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 and the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022. If the assessment process raises further questions, the application contact person will be informed by email and given the opportunity to respond.
If a registration is granted, the applicant will be sent a registration document to their nominated email address.
If you have any questions or concerns relating to an application to register your plant design or alteration, you may call 1300 424 091 or email.
Designs requiring registration
Show moreKind of Plant | Design Registration |
|---|---|
Amusement Devices | ✔️ Registration Required For passenger ropeways or when classified by Section 2.1 of AS 3533.1:2009 (Amusement rides and devices — Design and construction). Registration is not required for:
|
Boilers | ✔️ Registration Required When categorised as hazard level A, B, C or D according to the criteria in Section 2.1 of AS 4343:2014. Registration is not required for:
|
Boom-type Elevating Work Platforms | ✔️ Registration Required Registration is not required for:
|
Bridge Cranes | ✔️ Registration Required When designed with a safe working load of greater than 10 tonnes or to handle molten metal or dangerous goods. Registration is not required for:
|
Building Maintenance Units | ✔️ Registration Required |
Concrete Placing Booms | ✔️ Registration Required |
Escalators and Moving Walkways | ✔️ Registration Required |
Gantry Cranes | ✔️Registration Required When designed with a safe working load of greater than 5 tonnes or to handle molten metal or dangerous goods. Registration is not required for:
|
Gas Cylinders | ✔️ Registration Required When classified in Section 1 of AS 2030.1:2009 (Gas cylinders — General requirements). |
Hoists | ✔️ Registration Required Designed with a platform movement exceeding 2.4 metres, designed to lift people. Registration is not required for:
|
Lifts | ✔️ Registration Required |
Mast Climbing Work Platforms | ✔️ Registration Required |
Mobile Cranes | ✔️ Registration Required When designed with a rated capacity of greater than 10 tonnes. Registration is not required for:
|
Pre-fabricated Scaffolding | ✔️ Registration Required |
Pressure Vessels | ✔️ Registration Required When categorised as hazard level A, B, C or D according to the criteria in Section 2.1 of AS 4343:2014. Registration is not required for:
|
Tower Cranes | ✔️ Registration Required Includes self-erecting tower cranes. Registration is not required for:
|
Vehicle Hoists | ✔️ Registration Required Registration is not required for:
|
Work Boxes | ✔️ Registration Required When designed to be suspended from cranes. |
Information required to register a plant design or alteration
Show moreTo successfully register a plant design or alteration, the following information is required:
Screening information:
- If the plant is exclusively for use on a mine site;
- if so, the Site Group (SG) number of the site where the plant will be used;
- If the plant is an original design or alteration of a design;
- If an alteration:
- The original design registration number,
- The state or territory where the design was registered,
- A copy of the original design registration document.
- If an alteration:
- If the design or alteration has been registered in another Australian state under a corresponding WHS law.
Plant design details
- The kind of plant,
- The plant type, and
- The plant description (see section 9 of explanatory note on the application form).
Applicant details:
- If the applicant is an individual or body corporate / company,
- If an individual:
- The name of the applicant;
- The business name (if applicable) and ABN;
- The applicant's address, email and phone number;
- Proof of identification documents, such as driver's licence or passport (does not need to be certified); and
- If the applicant resides within Western Australia,
- If not, a written justification as to why the registration should be granted.
- If a body corporate/ company:
- The company name, as registered with ASIC and ACN number;
- The designated contact person;
- The business name (if applicable);
- The registered company address (as registered with ASIC);
- The contact person's email and phone number;
- Proof of company registration, being the certificate of registration issue by the Australia Government Business Registration Service; and
- If the body corporate/ company's registered address is located in Western Australia
- if not, a written justification as to why the registration should be granted.
Statement by designer
The registration process requires the plant designer and the design verifier to declare that the designer has complied with their obligations under section 22 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020.
The designer must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the plant, substance or structure is designed to be without risks to the health and safety of persons at a workplace. For more information can be found on WorkSafe WA's information sheet on the duties of a design verifier.
The design verifier must verify and declare that the design was produced in accordance with published technical standards or engineering principles. The design verifier can’t be involved in the production of the design. The design verifier must be a competent person in relation to plant, requiring:
- The knowledge and skills to design the plant or verify the design of plant through training, qualification or experience; and
- Eligibility for professional engineering membership with Engineers Australia.
- The designer of the plant must state that they have complied with the designers' obligations under section 22 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 and followed the published technical standard and engineering principles.
- The designer must specify the published technical standards and engineering principles used in the design.
- The designer must sign the form and provide the required information.
Design verification statement
- The design verifier must state that the design detailed in the application was provided in accordance with published technical standards or engineering principles as specified in the designer's statement and the design verification documentation process has also met the requirements of Regulation 253 of the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022.
- The design verifier must sign the form and provided the requested information.
- The design verifier must provide evidence that they are a competent person pursuant to regulation 252 of the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022.
- Typically, this can be demonstrated by providing qualifications as an engineer in the relevant field and by demonstrating eligibility for membership in Engineers Australia by either producing an eligibility letter or a certificate of membership.
- The design verifier may not be involved in the production of the design they are verifying.
Representational drawings
- The drawing numbers of all design drawings used in the design of the plant. The drawings must also be provided.
Additional plant details:
- The 'additional plant details' field allows for plant type specific details to be provided. When completing an application, you will be required to consult section 4 of the explanatory notes and provide specific technical information relating to your design under the corresponding lines of the application. See the table below for the required information for each plant type.
| Line 1 | Line 2 | Line 3 | Line 4 | Line 5 | Line 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amusement Devices | Class of device (2,3,4,5) | Number of persons | Maximum person speed (m/s) | |||
| Hoists with a platform movement exceeding 2.4 m, designed to lift people | Rated load (kg) | Maximum hoist height (m) | ||||
| Boilers | Hazard level (A, B, C, D) | Class (If AS1228) (1, 2, 3) | Volume (m3) | Design pressure (kPa) | Design temperature (degrees C) | Power output (kW) |
| Lifts | Number of persons | Rated load (kg) | Travel distance (m) | Number of levels served | ||
| Boom-type Elevating Work Platforms | Rated load (kg) | Maximum platform height (m) | ||||
| Mast Climbing Work Platforms | Rated load (kg) | Maximum platform height (m) | ||||
| Bridge Cranes | Rated capacity (t) | Span distance (m) | ||||
| Mobile Cranes | Rated capacity (t) | Maximum boom length (m) | ||||
| Bailing Maintenance Units | Type (A, B, C) | Rated load (kg) | Maximum suspension height (m) | |||
| Pre-fabricated Scaffolding | Rated load per bay (kg) | Maximum height (m) | ||||
| Concrete Placing Booms | Maximum boom length (m) | Maximum pump capacity (m3 per hours) | Maximum delivery rate (m3 per hour) | |||
| Pressure Vessels | Hazard level (A, B, C, D) | Class (If AS1210) (1, 2A, 2B, 3) | Volume (m3) | Design pressure (kPa) | Design temperature (degrees C) | |
| Escalators and Moving Walks | Rated capacity (persons per hours) | Travel length (m) | Incline angle (degrees) | Number of levels served | ||
| Tower Cranes, including self-erecting tower cranes | Rated capacity (t) | Maximum boom length (m) | Maximum height under hook (m) | |||
| Gantry Cranes | Rated capacity (t) | Span distance (m) | ||||
| Vehicle Hoists | Rated load (kg) | Maximum hoist height (m) | ||||
| Gas Cylinders | Volume (m3) | Design pressure (kPa) | ||||
| Work Boxes | Rated load (kg) | Tare mass (kg) |
Declaration
A Declaration by the applicant stating the following must be made:
- The design is not registered under a corresponding Work Health and Safety law;
- Consent for the regulator to make enquiries and exchange information with other jurisdictions; and
- The application for registration is being made under regulation 250 of the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022.
Plant design exclusively used on a mine site
Show moreDesigns for plant that are used on mine sites in Western Australia require registration with WorkSafe WA. This requirement came into effect in 2022 with the implementation of the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulation 2022. More information on the transition to the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2022 can be found on our dedicated webpage.
Should I register my plant design as general plant or mining?
The application process for mining plant designs and alterations is similar for general plant, with one key difference: As mine operators have paid the mines safety and inspection levy, the cost of registering designs exclusively used on a mine site is different.
Given the difference in cost, it is essential that applicants understand whether their design qualifies as mining plant. Plant designs only qualify as mining plant when they are exclusively used on a mine site and the applicant is a mine operator. Refer to the chart below for an illustration of when an applicant should indicate their plant is mining plant.
| Applicant for registration of design or alteration | Plant design status | Registration Stream |
|---|---|---|
| Is a mine operator (as registered in SRS) | Exclusively used on a mine site | Mining Plant |
| Isn't a mine operator | Not exclusively used on a mine site | General Plant |
| Is a mine operator (as registered in SRS) | Not exclusively used on a mine site | General Plant |
| Isn't a mine operator | Exclusively used on a mine site | General Plant |
Statement by the designer and design verification statements
Show moreThis registration process requires the plant designer and the design verifier to declare that the designer has complied with their obligations under section 22 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020.
The designer must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the plant, substance or structure is designed to be without risks to the health and safety of persons at a workplace.
The design verifier must verify and declare that the design was produced in accordance with published technical standards or engineering principles. The design verifier can’t be involved in the production of the design. The design verifier must be a competent person in relation to plant, requiring:
- The knowledge and skills to design the plant or verify the design of plant through training, qualification or experience; and
- Eligibility for professional engineering membership with Engineers Australia.
For more information can be found on WorkSafe WA's information sheet on the duties of a design verifier.
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