Some sectors of the industry,
by the nature of their work, require certain employees to have a licence, or there may be restrictions on the tasks an employee can take on.
People involved in Harvesting and Haulage (see below) and Sawmilling and Processing, for example, often need a licence for the work they do.
In all sectors, operating forklifts, cranes and other load-shifting equipment generally also requires a licence. (There are exemptions and exceptions, however, so it is wise to check state requirements.) Boilers and pressure vessels, confined spaces and hazardous goods are other areas that are often subject to licensing, registration or codes of practice.
Harvesting and Haulage
Harvesting and Haulage - the sector which fells trees and transports them to sawmills - involves heavy work and heavy machinery, so licensing is particularly important. State regulations and requirements control where and how people can work and what equipment they can operate. There are also codes of practice that apply to forest harvesting operations.
Anyone whose job it is to assess workers' skills in this sector must be aware of state requirements for assessment. Most workers will be assessed against a Forest and Forest Products Industry unit of competency to satisfy forest operational licensing requirements.
Around Australia, harvesting is normally carried out by harvesting contractors working in small teams. Generally, team workers employed by a contractor must have an operator's licence, which means they are suitably trained and accredited to handle harvesting equipment, such as earthmovers.
State forests agencies and some private plantation companies, may also require operators of harvesting machinery to have successfully completed training courses in environmental care, product care, OHS or a particular forest code. Note also that there may be age restrictions on work in this sector.
