Do you need a dangerous goods security card?

The revamped West Australian dangerous goods safety legislation has introduced new requirements for those working with explosives and other substances considered to pose a security threat.

Holders of licences for the storage, handling, transport, manufacture, sale, import and use of explosives and security risk substances (SRS) now need a security clearance, in the form of a dangerous goods security card.

Anyone who has unsupervised access to explosives and SRS also needs to hold a card.

The security clearance is conducted by the WA Police, who will issue a plastic photo ID card that is valid for five years from the date of issue.

Once individuals are security cleared, WA Police may monitor their status to ensure that they remain suitable to hold the card.

Who needs the card?

Anyone over 18 working in the mining, transport and farming industries and those involved in the manufacture, sale and import of explosives and SRS could be affected by these regulatory changes.

All explosives and SRS licence holders will require the card, as will people with unsupervised access who work for a licence holder.

The card holder also requires authorisation from their employer to have unsupervised access to explosives or SRS. This establishes that the employee has an operational need and the competence to have unsupervised access to explosives or SRS, and gives the employee the legal status of a 'secure employee'.

People with access to explosives or SRS in the normal course of their work will not require a dangerous goods security card if it can be shown that they are 'in the presence of' or 'under the control of' a person who already holds a dangerous goods security card.

Before lodging an application, employees should consult their employer to determine if the employer needs them to be security cleared.

Information on the dangerous goods security card is located on the Resources Safety website.