WorkCover NSW: Does your licence check out?

Businesses should regularly check the high risk work licences of workers to ensure the licence:

• has not expired
• includes the relevant classes
• has the correct photo and name of the worker.

You can quickly check the validity of a licence by calling WorkCover on 13 10 50.



High risk licences are compulsory for a range of high risk activities such as operating a forklift, erecting scaffolding, operating cranes, carrying out rigging or dogging etc.

A number of fraudulent WorkCover high risk work licences have been discovered in New South Wales and Western Australia that had been sourced from overseas. These cases are currently being investigated.

It is an offence under the Work health and safety legislationto allow persons to perform high risk work without a current licence and it is an offence under the Crimes Act (1900) for using or possessing or making a false document. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to 10 years.

In March 2013, WorkCover successfully prosecuted an asbestos / demolition licence holder under the Crimes Act for altering the expiry date on an out of date licence.

A person also attempted to transfer an unsupported high risk licence to Queensland. The checking systems used by WorkCover detected the fraud.

While the current WorkCover licensing systems and Inspector site validations are intercepting fraud, advancing technology and printing capabilities continue to be an issue to watch out for.

WorkCover has, over the past 10 years, continued to upgrade licences to make them harder to forge, and our Inspectors request licences when observing licensed activity.

To check a WorkCover licence call 13 10 50 or email: contact@workcover.nsw.gov.au.