CMPA NEWS (Issue 42)

By SARAH ANDREW

We hope this finds all readers refreshed after the Christmas and New Year break and wish them every success for the coming year. No doubt this year will present all with opportunities and challenges that were not available last year.

NATIVE VEGETATION GUIDELINES

After considerable work, the ‘Native Vegetation Management Guide for the Earth Resources Industries’ has been finalised and will shortly be released for public comment.

The guide summarises the native vegetation process and attempts to marry these requirements to the operations of the earth resources industry (including the extractive industry). In particular, the guide discusses:

• Victoria’s native vegetation management framework including the purpose of the framework and the native vegetation management framework offset requirements
• Calculating net gain requirements including determining value of native vegetation to be cleared and offset requirements
• Options to implement your net gain requirements including onsite offsets, BushBroker, transfer of land to the crown, crown land, third parties (outside of the BushBroker register) and the timing of offsets
• Drafting your offset plan

As a member of the Working Party assisting DPI and DSE in the development of this guide, the CMPA has attempted to articulate Member’s concerns during all communication with both departments.

Fundamental concerns the CMPA have raised include:

• There needs to be more accountability of assessments to ensure consistency between providers;
• The principle of reasonably practicable needs to be brought into the framework; and
• The value of offsets should be able to be appreciated over time to encourage proactive management of native vegetation.

We will continue to work with the DPI and the DSE on this matter, however would appreciate your feedback when the draft is released for public comments.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ENERGY, EARTH RESOURCES AND MAJOR PROJECTS

Dale Seymour has received an offer of a secondment to the Australian Government for six months, as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, to help lead the establishment of the new Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute (GCCSI). With my support, he has accepted this offer.

The GCCSI is an important initiative for Victoria and Australia, with the crucial task of accelerating the near term deployment of large scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects globally.

Dale has been with DPI since its establishment, and acted as Secretary for the first seven months of its existence. His contribution to the Department’s work through that time has been considerable.

Richard Aldous has agreed to act as Deputy Secretary Energy, Earth Resources and Major Projects during this time.

Provided by John Mitas, Acting Director, Minerals and Petroleum Regulation, DPI

CHANGES TO FUEL TAX CREDITS

Fuel acquired from 1 January 2009 for use in heavy vehicles travelling on public roads can now be claimed at a rate of 17.143 cents per litre. Fuel acquired prior to this is to be claimed at the old rate of 18.51 cents per litre.

The ATO considers a heavy vehicle to be one with a gross vehicle mass (GMV) greater than 4.35 tonne.

Th is change has occurred as a result of an increase in the road user charge which in turn reduces the available fuel tax credit.

There have been no other changes to the fuel scheme.

For further information, contact the ATO via their website www.ato.gov.au/fuelscheme or phone 13 28 66

FREE OHS CONSULTANCIES

Three hours OHS consulting on us!

The CMPA is pleased to report that it has reached an agreement with WorkSafe to provide those within the industry access to a free, three hour site safety consultancy.

Victorian businesses with up to 50 employees can register for a free three hour session with an independent health and safety consultant. The consultant will come to your workplace, help identify safety issues relevant to your business and provide useful advice on how to go about addressing these issues.

The CMPA is able to facilitate these visits and has selected a number of consultants based on their knowledge of the construction materials industry. We have agreed to provide 25 OHS consultancies before the end of the financial year, and would strong recommend accessing this service if eligible.

At this point we have five consultants servicing all areas of Victoria who are available on various days that should suit.

Interested parties (CMPA Members or not) are invited to contact the office, and book in a date that suits.

WA APPROVALS STUDY

Applying for a new Work Authority or varying an existing one is a task that is commonly reported as being time consuming and difficult.

The CMPA has engaged a consultant to consider eleven recent cases to establish exactly the process the site followed, any difficulties they faced and in turn to establish if the process had become more expensive or onerous over the last ten years. This information is then collated and analysed.

Although the project is still underway, early issues that have risen include the duplication of information requirements, delays and complexity, and placing greater onus on objectors. These issues and others will be more fully explored in the final report.

It is envisioned that the report will provide much needed factual case studies for Government bodies and others in the industry to consider and hopefully enable the process to be better streamlined and more efficient.

Thanks to those businesses who have participated in the process. If your company has a case study which it feels may be relevant please contact the Secretariat.

LIFTING LUG PROTOTYPE

After considerable work, including a small workshop with 15 participants, the CMPA is pleased to report that Crushing Equipment will be testing a prototype in cast lifting arrangement for wear parts in the coming months.

This was the culmination of work on this matter over the last year and most recently consisted of a small workshop with participants from a number of sites across the state. The purpose of this workshop was to explore current practices and to investigate option to remove the need to weld lifting lugs onto jaw liners and concaves into the future.

It was established that the procedures followed for welding lifting lugs did not vary between the participant sites with key aspects including:

• Two engineered lifting lugs
• Viewing a material certificate prior to welding
• No preheat – grind only to clean site
• Utilising 309 or 312 welding rods
• Quench area after welding
• Conduct a tap test to ensure the lug will hold

Investigating the various in-cast lifting mechanisms already available highlighted the issues of placement, availability of suitable lifting mechanisms and the transferability of the technology between wear parts.

A prototype was presented to the group which on initial consideration was able to address all these issues. This will be tested over the coming months and a report provided once testing is complete.

Our most sincere appreciation is extended to Crushing Equipment, Boral Resources, Quantec Solutions and all workshop participants.

MELBOURNE @ 5 MILLION

The Victorian Government has announced two significant planning reforms to accommodate Melbourne’s growing population which is expected to reach five million people before 2030. This is expected to require an additional 284,000 homes in Melbourne’s growth areas – Casey-Cardinia, Melton-Caroline Springs, Hume-Mitchell Whittlesea and Wyndham by 2026.

Submissions are now being taken on land within the interest areas, and those planning Work Authorities within these areas are strongly encouraged to make a personal submission. Visit www.gaa.vic.gov.a

SCREENING WORKSHOP

An industry workshop will be held on Thursday 2 April focusing particularly on screens.

It is intended that the workshop will:

• Raise the level of knowledge in new (and existing) industry participants on the hazards, risks and possible controls when carrying out duties on and around screens
• Explore recent incidents and the lessons that these provide
• Discuss, and if possible resolve the question, ‘Are screens confined spaces?’
• Provide industry owners/managers/operators, suppliers, educators and regulators the opportunity to network

The workshop will include a presentation from WorkSafe. It will follow the format of previous workshops held by the CMPA.

Team discussions will consider the following tasks to identify hazards and risks that may be present and discuss possible controls:

• Removing the top deck
• Removing the bottom deck
• Conducting daily wear checks
• Changing screen media
• Repairing the screen frame or other integral components

The information collected at the workshop will then be consolidated and provided to industry to assist them in their site’s activities.

Invitations will be sent out shortly, however if you would like to secure a place beforehand, please contact the Secretariat.

RECENT EVENTS

Due to the Christmas break, the number of meetings and events has dropped off over the last two months.

A number of meetings that were scheduled with the DPI to continue working through the review of the Extractive Industries Development Act were cancelled.

Early December saw the CMPA meet with SkillsDMC and other members of the Working Party to the Extractive Industry Training Package to discuss the proposed revision to the qualifications. The meeting was attended by several CMPA Members including the new Education Chairperson, Garry Cranny. We greatly appreciate their time and contribution.

December and January saw several Work Authority holders contacted in relation to the CMPA’s approval study that is presently underway. The report will be finalised over the coming month.

Mid January saw a meeting held at Boral Wollert to discuss management mechanisms for lifting manganese. The meeting covered both the welding procedures used and possible options for designing out the issue. It is anticipated that the results of this meeting will be presented in detail in the next issue of Sand & Stone magazine.

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