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Information for a manager to manage the quarrying operation specified in the certificate (site-specific manager) certificate of competence (CoC), including how to apply, legislative requirements, and where to find help.

A CoC is valid for 5 years and is issued by the New Zealand Mining Board of Examiners (the Board).

As a site-specific manager you are required to implement and control safe operations, including procedures for emergencies for your site. Site-specific CoC holders must be able to apply knowledge of legislative requirements and have task responsibility and decision making abilities related to this role and for the specific site operation.

What you need to know

To apply for this CoC, you need to prove that you meet all the requirements. In summary, you need to:

  • be a fit and proper person (see below under Requirements)
  • complete a statutory declaration (see below under Requirements)
  • complete the required unit standards (see below under Requirements)
  • hold a current first aid certificate
  • demonstrate that you have the required practical experience for this CoC.

You are also required to sit an oral examination to satisfy the Board that you are competent to hold a site-specific CoC. Note, an applicant who already holds a site-specific CoC and applies for another site-specific CoC will not need to sit another oral examination.

Site criteria

To apply for a site-specific CoC, the following criteria must be met:

  1. No more than 4 quarry workers ordinarily work at the site at any one time, and
  2. Explosives are not used, and
  3. The base of any excavation carried out at the quarrying operation is no more than 5 metres from the surface, and
  4. There are no voids or underground workings within the planned extraction zone, and
  5. No worker is required to work below the surface level of a body of fluid, and
  6. The actual processing rate does not exceed an average of 1,000 tonnes per week (calculated by dividing the actual tonnes processed by the actual time of weeks spent processing), and
  7. The quarry will be operating for a period or periods that total at least 24 months, and
  8. Any tip head or stockpiles at the operation specified in the certificate are less than 5 metres high.

Cost

The application fee for this certificate is NZ$140.00 (including GST).

Please pay by internet banking. Instructions are included in both the online and PDF forms.

How to apply

To apply for a new CoC, use our online form.

With online applications you can:

  • complete your application form and upload all supporting documentation
  • track the progress of your application, including saving it and coming back to it if you need to.

Note, to access the form you will be asked to register for our online system. To do this you need a RealMe login. If you do not currently have a RealMe login the registration process will guide you through setting one up.

Applications that are completed and submitted through our online system automatically get sent to the Board's Secretariat for processing.

Start a CoC application(external link)

If you are unable to apply using the online form, download the PDF form below. 

PDF
Application for a certificate of competence as a manager to manage the quarrying operation specified in the certificate (PDF 1.2 MB)

Once you have completed the PDF form, email printed copies of your application form and supporting documentation to the Board's Secretariat or post to:

New Zealand Mining Board of Examiners
PO Box 165
Wellington 6140.

Note – the fastest way to apply for your CoC is online. Paper applications may take longer as they need extra processing.

Our application process map provides you with an overview of what is required at each stage of this CoC.

PDF
CoC application process map (PDF 40 KB)

Documentation

You must provide a certified copy of the following documents. This means they must be certified by an authorised person such as a Justice of the Peace, Court Registrar, lawyer, or notary public to confirm that they are a true copy of the original document.

In addition, you are required to provide a statutory declaration (to be completed by the operator of the quarry that is specified on the certificate) that needs to be witnessed by a Justice of the Peace or solicitor of the High Court.

Identification

Provide a certified copy of one of the following items to confirm your identity. The copy must be of a current (unexpired) document.

  1. New Zealand driver’s licence.
  2. New Zealand or overseas passport.
  3. New Zealand firearms licence.
  4. Certificate of identity.
  5. New Zealand Police or New Zealand Defence Force photo identity card issued to non-civilian staff.
  6. Refugee travel document used by or on behalf of the government of New Zealand.

 Fit and proper person 

To apply for a CoC, you are required to provide evidence that you are a fit and proper person. The Board may refuse an application if there is insufficient information to verify that you are a fit and proper person to hold this CoC. 

  • Complete the fit and proper person form (included in the online system or attached to the application form).
  • Provide a current certified copy of your New Zealand criminal record check from the Ministry of Justice(external link).
    • Your criminal record check must be provided to the Board even if there are no convictions listed.
    • The date on your criminal record check must not be more than 3 months old when we receive your application.
  • If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more within the 5 years before making your application, you must also provide a criminal history from that country.

You can find more information on how criminal records are considered in our Fit and proper person policy.

First aid certificate

Training of first aid personnel in workplaces must be carried out by individuals who are employed by an organisation granted consent by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to assess first aid unit standards.

  • Provide a certified copy of your current first aid certificate.

New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) Record of Achievement

Provide a certified official transcript of your Record of Achievement from NZQA, that shows the unit standards required for this CoC.

You can obtain this by contacting NZQA on 0800 697 296 or online(external link).

The following unit standards are required for a site-specific manager CoC and should be showing on your Record of Achievement:

Unit standards

Title

7142 

or

 

28742

Demonstrate knowledge of the application of regulatory requirements to manage an extractive site


Explain legislation related to health and safety, and supporting documents, applicable to an extractive site

8905

Demonstrate knowledge of construction and maintenance of working surfaces at an extractive site

16686 

Conduct an incident investigation at an extractive site 

19522

Undertake job safety analysis

23648

Demonstrate knowledge of and follow safe working practices at an extractive site

28793

Conduct safety inspections for extractive operations

28983

Carry out the risk management process at an extractive site

31092

Demonstrate knowledge of conveyors, and crushing and scereening plant for extractive industries

First aid unit standards  

6400

Manage first aid in an emergency situation

6401 

Provide first aid

6402 

Provide basic life support

For information on unit standards for all CoCs, please see below.

PDF
Extractives CoC Unit Standards 18 July 2023 (PDF 381 KB)

Statutory declaration

A statutory declaration is to be completed by the operator of the quarry that is specified on the certificate. This needs to be witnessed by a Justice of the Peace or solicitor of the High Court. 

PDF
Statutory declaration - application for a certificate of competence as a manager to manage the quarrying operation specified in the certificate (PDF 336 KB)

Certificate of Competence Experience Logbook

Provide a completed Certificate of competence experience logbook where you record your practical experience that is required for this CoC.

PDF
Extractives CoC Experience Logbook (PDF 275 KB)

SECTION A

This section should show the following experience:

Holder of a certificate of competence as an A-grade or B-grade opencast coal mine manager, A-grade or B-grade quarry manager, or A-grade or B-grade alluvial mine manager;

or

At least 2 years’ work experience in the workings of an opencast mining operation, quarrying operation, or alluvial mining operation;

or

At least 2 years in the underground workings of a mining operation and 12 months in the workings of an alluvial mining operation, opencast mining operation, or quarrying operation.

SECTION B

If you are the holder of a certificate of competence as an A-grade or B-grade opencast coal mine manager, A-grade or B-grade quarry manager, or A-grade or B-grade alluvial mine manager you do not need to complete Section B of the logbook.

or

If the above does not apply to you:

At least 9 months carrying out 3 or more of the following types of work:

  1. excavation
  2. drill and blast
  3. load and haul
  4. processing
  5. stockpile and loadout.

Before sending in your Certificate of competence experience logbook, check that you have: 

  1. filled in all the fields in Section A and Section B (if applicable)
  2. demonstrated the required amount of experience as outlined above
  3. had your logbook signed by a supervisor/manager or expert as verification
  4. completed the Contacts page (at the back of the logbook).

Your logbook will be reviewed by the Board. If the Board requires clarification of your logbook, you will be given the opportunity to do this.

You will be invited to attend an oral examination once your experience logbook has been approved by the Board.

For your application to be considered complete, you must provide all required information and supporting documents. If your application is considered incomplete, you will be given 10 working days to provide the requested information or documents. If you have not provided this within the 10 working days, your application and supporting documents may be returned to you.

You will need to reapply for your CoC when you have the correct documents, ensuring your Ministry of Justice criminal record check is still dated within 3 months and your first aid certificate is still current.

For more information, see our Incomplete applications policy [PDF, 47 KB].

Once your completed application has been reviewed, logbook approved and a date has been set for your oral examination, you will receive an email outlining the date and time of your online examination. Scheduling of oral examinations is based on availability of suitable panel members and the number of applicants applying for similar CoCs. Your oral examination could take place up to a few months after the Board has received your complete application and you should allow approximately 1 hour for the examination.

An oral examination panel consists of 3 members who will mostly be senior colleagues from the extractives industry relevant to your CoC. A member of the Board’s Secretariat is also present to ensure the Board’s processes and procedures are followed. In some instances, such as moderation, the Board wishes for observers to be present during an oral examination. If this is the case, you will be asked for permission prior to your examination.

The panel will assess you against the benchmarks set out in the High level framework for oral exam requirements.

PDF
High level framework for oral examination requirements (PDF 128 KB)

The panel will use workplace-based scenarios to assess you against these benchmarks. The scenarios may include follow-up questions. You will be asked to demonstrate the application of your skills and/or knowledge relevant to the CoC. This means that the panel will expect you to talk about the scenarios you have been presented with, including the actions you would take, putting into practice what you have learnt and explaining why you have taken the action(s).

The scenarios will cover these 4 competencies:

  1. Operating and safety systems.
  2. Legislation.
  3. Emergency management.
  4. Leadership.

Each competency has a range of topics that can be found on page 3 in the High level framework for oral examination requirements.

For more information, see our oral examination policies.

It can take up to 2-3 weeks after your oral examination for a response from the Board on the outcome of your overall application.

If the Board finds you competent and grants you with a site-specific CoC, a letter of confirmation will be sent, along with your certificate and information on continuing professional development (CPD) requirements.

If the Board finds you not yet competent and refuses your application for your site-specific CoC, you will receive a letter including the report from your oral examination. This will assist you to prepare, should you wish to reapply.

You can reapply at any time.

Contact us for more help

If you have any questions about CoCs or anything else relating to the New Zealand Mining Board of Examiners, please contact our Board Secretariat team, who are happy to help:

Email: BoE_Secretariat@worksafe.govt.nz