Due to numerous inquiries and misunderstandings regarding the licensing requirements for operating EWP’s at heights of 11m or above, we feel it necessary to provide clarification.

Individuals operating a boom-type elevated work platform with a height or reach of 11m or more are required to possess a valid National Licence to Perform High Risk Work class WP, issued by a Work Health and Safety Regulator. It should be noted that this license does not apply to scissor lifts or vertical lifts.

For employees operating any boom-type EWP under 11m or scissor lifts (of any height) or vertical mast/personal lifts, training is required to ensure compliance with WHS and OHS regulations.

All states in Australia have implemented an Occupational Health and Safety Act (OH&S) dedicated to safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of individuals in the workplace. These legislations expressively affirm the responsibility to maintain safety at work. Generally speaking, each State OH&S Act covers the following key points:

• It is incumbent upon employers to deliver the requisite information, guidance, training, and supervision to guarantee the health and safety of their workforce during work hours.
• Manufacturers and providers of machinery have a duty to ensure that their equipment is safe for use when operated correctly. They must also provide comprehensive information about the conditions necessary for the safe utilisation of the equipment they manufacture or supply.
• Workers are required to collaborate in the execution of OH&S mandates to ensure compliance.

This means that as an employer, it’s necessary to have some form of evidence indicating that the operator has received training in the secure operation of an elevating work platform (EWP).

Verbal instruction is not an effective method of training as it lacks proof of training evidence.

The EWP Operator Training Program (or Yellow Card) is the result of the EWPA helping employers to comply with the OH&S Act.

The EWPA Yellow Card is widely accepted in the industry as the principal proof of training for Elevated Work Platforms. It is acknowledged nationwide by all major manufacturers, suppliers, and users of EWPs.

The Yellow Card training aligns with the two primary goals of the OH&S Acts, which are:

• It validates that the operators of specific kinds of EWPs have received training in the secure operation of the work platform.
• It provides tangible proof to the supplier, employer, and user that the necessary ‘duty of care’ has been fulfilled or surpassed.