Licensing questions come up on almost every hire. This is the NSW position in plain language: what needs a high risk work licence, what the Yellow Card covers and what sites typically demand beyond the legal minimum.
Do I need a licence for a scissor lift in NSW?
No high risk work licence is required for scissor lifts, because they are vertical lifts rather than boom-type platforms. You must still be trained and competent, and most commercial sites require evidence of that training.
What is the Yellow Card?
An industry training card issued under the EWPA program covering safe operation of elevating work platforms by class. It is the standard evidence of operator training that principal contractors ask for on site.
When is a high risk work licence required?
For boom-type EWPs with a boom length of 11 metres or more, you need a WP class high risk work licence issued by SafeWork NSW. Boom length, not working height, is the trigger.
What about booms under 11 metres?
No WP licence is required, but operators must be trained, and the Yellow Card for the boom class is the accepted standard. Site rules can and often do require it.
Do I need a harness?
In boom-type platforms yes, a harness on a short lanyard clipped to the anchor point. In scissor lifts a harness is generally not required unless the site or a specific risk assessment demands one.
What are my duties as an employer?
Provide a safe system of work: trained operators, a machine that suits the task, pre-start checks, and control of the work area. The machine hire is the easy part; the planning around it is the duty.
Where do I verify the current rules?
SafeWork NSW publishes the licensing requirements and the code of practice for managing the risk of falls. When rules change, those pages are the authority. We keep this guide reviewed against them.
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