WorkSafe, The New Zealand Mining Board of Examiners (the Board) and the Secretariat understand the serious concerns industry has about recent developments with the Delta variant outbreak and the possible effects of lockdowns, on the ability of Certificate of Competence (CoC) holders to apply for and renew CoCs and complete CPD.
The Delta variant is highly contagious therefore it is difficult to predict how the situation will develop and how long the impacts may be felt. The situation requires us to be flexible, understanding and patient while the situation fully evolves. There are some immediate updates that the Board would like to announce:
New CoC applications
Secretariat staff are currently working from home and are unable to process new CoC applications.
During alert levels 3 &4 documents are unable to be certified. Please wait till it is safe to get your documents certified then submit your application to the Secretariat.
Oral Examinations
All oral examinations scheduled for August are cancelled. Face to face oral examinations cannot be held during Alert Levels 3 & 4. While the Board does, at times, use video conference software for oral exams, the Board has a policy that a ‘trusted person’ must be in the room with the applicant. This precludes any video oral exams being held during Alert Levels 3 & 4.
CoC renewals
It is important that you still submit your renewal application if it is due during lockdown. This will allow you to comply with the regulations. The Board and Secretariat recognise you are not able to get documents certified during alert levels 3 &4. Please submit your renewal application with the uncertified documents and send in certified documents once you can. The important thing is to get your renewal application in before/on the due date.
CPD activities
The current lockdowns may impact on planned CPD activities. However, a reminder to CoC holders that they have the entirety of the 5 years of the duration of their CoC to complete their CPD hours. This current lockdown will have the most impact on those CoC holders who are due to renew their CoC soon and were relying on upcoming CPD activities to meet their CPD requirements. If you are in risk of not completing your CPD requirements before you are due to submit your renewal application, or you are not working on site during lockdown and looking for constructive ways to use your time the Board and Secretariat has the following suggestions:
- You can read relevant publications and listen to relevant podcasts and claim these as restricted hours. You do not need evidence for these two restricted activities; however, you will need a particularly strong key learning to demonstrate what you learnt and how you applied/intend to apply in the workplace. A reminder that depending on your CoC you can only claim either 10 or 20 restricted hours. Please check first how many restricted hours you ay have already claimed.
- Development or formal review of critical health and safety documents are an unrestricted CPD activity that has the potential to be completed during lockdown. Remember to think carefully about suitable evidence that demonstrates your involvement and a strong key learning to demonstrate what you learnt and how you applied/intend to apply in the workplace.
- There are a variety of pre recorded webinars (which are an unrestricted activity) which are available from various industry groups. Industry groups may also provide some live ones during lockdown. Now is the time to check out these webinars.
- There are a variety of online courses that would be relevant to CoCs, these would be an unrestricted activity.
Trial of Zoom information session
The Secretariat would like to trial a weekly Zoom information session while in lockdown. This will be an opportunity to talk to Secretariat and ask any questions about new and renewal CoC applications and CPD. This will be each Friday, starting this Friday 27 August, from 11am – 12 pm. Use the link below to join in.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84720389966?pwd=THk0a3MxRWdvYWFNQWYxbXBFcTlEZz09
Meeting ID: 847 2038 9966
Passcode: 747251
We all recognise that the health and well-being of the people in NZ is the most important priority, and WorkSafe, the Board and the Secretariat will therefore base all their decisions on maintaining the protection of people by supporting all the measures recommended by the Ministry of Health. The Secretariat is very happy to help, if you have any further question or concerns please do not hesitate to contact them on:
04 901 4980 or [email protected]