Licensed activities
Licensing is a way of making sure people carrying on high risk activities have the training, systems, equipment and procedures to conduct them safely or to restore critical risk controls to a safe state.
Attention: licence applications available through the Resources Regulator portal from 19 August 2024
Organisations who hold licences have been notified of the changes and invited to attend a webinar on 19 August 2024. A recording of the webinar giving an overview is available here.
Only online applications can be made via the Resources Regulator portal from 14 September 2024. Individuals can set up a user account to access the portal to make applications on behalf of their organisation. Email mca@regional.nsw.gov.au if your organisation does not currently have an authorised representative with a user account.
From 17 September 2024, a live register of licences will be available here.
Certain potentially hazardous activities in a coal operation require a licence and must not be carried out without one. This is a legal requirement under Part 10 of the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022.
Licensed activity application forms
Activities that require a licence are detailed below. Applications must be made online through the Resources Regulator portal.
The online application must attach evidence where requested to demonstrate that all activities carried out under the licence will be:
- supervised by a competent person
- carried out by workers who have had training in safe working methods in relation to the activity, and
- carried out by workers who have:
- completed a course of training specified by the regulator in relation to the activity, or
- appropriate experience or training in the carrying out of the activity
- carried out using procedures, equipment and facilities that are suitable for those activities.
Licenced activities include:
| Licenced activity | Applicable mine type |
| Sampling or analysing airborne dust under Schedule 6 of WHS (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022 | All mines |
| Sampling or analysing of diesel engine exhaust under section 74 of WHS (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022 | Underground coal |
| Overhauling or repairing activities that may affect the explosion-protection properties of explosion-protected diesel engine systems (ExDES) | Underground coal |
| Overhauling or repairing activities that may affect the explosion-protection properties of explosion-protected electrical plant | Underground coal |
| Any repairing of flexible reeling, feeding or trailing cables for use in a hazardous zone | Underground coal |
|
Undertaking a polymeric process Guide: Licence testing requirements - Materials to be polymerised underground (PDF, 456.18 KB) |
Underground coal |
Further resources
Change of information
The online application form in the Resources Regulator portal is to be completed to notify of a change of information that was previously given in an application for a licence under Part 10 of the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022 (the Regulation).
Fact sheets
Reporting non-compliance
Licence holders required to report can do so by completing the notification form through the Resources Regulator portal.
Schedule of fees
A fee may be applicable to your application. For further information see the Schedule of fees for authorisations page.
Register of licences
A public register is available from 17 September 2024. It is also visible within the portal by those with user accounts.
The register has 4 tabs that show the status of the licences:
- Licensed
- Cancelled
- Suspended
- Surrendered
Within each tab you can filter for the type of licence you want to view from a general list.
If you need further clarification about any of the register licences, email mca@regional.nsw.gov.au or 1300 814 609 (option 2 then 2).
General guidance and events
Webinars
Relevant webinars are being held, as communicated through our Events page. Recordings can be accessed below:
Webinar: Applying for licence registration using the Resources Regulator portal