AusIMM and BPEQ to work together to increase registration of engineers in Queensland’s resources sector

The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and Queensland’s engineering regulator, the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland (BPEQ), are working together to promote registration for engineers in the resources sector.

In Queensland, engineers must be registered to carry out engineering work, unless they are directly supervised by someone who is.

Despite the long history of mining in Queensland, and the sector being a major employer of engineers, the number of registered mining engineers is relatively low.

AusIMM and BPEQ will deliver a series of workshops and other initiatives to increase registration of engineers working in mining.

AusIMM CEO Stephen Durkin said that the AusIMM was committed to upholding industry standards and that the registration scheme in Queensland helped to achieve this.

“AusIMM protect and promote the recognition of professionals working across the resources industry, and our members are recognised for their expertise and global leadership,” Mr Durkin said.  

“We are pleased to be working with the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland to encourage registration of mining engineers in the state. Registration allows Queensland mining engineers to align themselves to the highest professional, technical and ethical standards, in turn ensuring the Queensland resources industry continues to operate at the forefront of global practice.”

BPEQ Chair Andrew Seccombe MAusIMM(CP), an experienced registered engineer in the mining industry, said that engineers owe it to their peers and the Queensland public to prove their professional standard and always carry out their work competently and ethically.

“Engineers carry out highly complex and at times risky work, particularly on mine sites, so it is vitally important that only those engineers who are qualified, competent and ethical are permitted to practice,” said Mr Seccombe.

“In recent years we have seen some dangerous incidents on mine sites, some impacting the public, and these incidents coupled with relatively low rates of registration of engineers in the mining sector is a concern for BPEQ.”

“Partnering with the AusIMM, our aim is to increase the number of registered engineers in mining and therefore improve standards for the benefit of mine site workers and the public.”

The workshops delivered by AusIMM and BPEQ will focus on the Professional Engineers Act 2002, the Act’s application to the mining sector and AusIMM’s assessment process to determine an engineer’s eligibility for registration with BPEQ.

Workshops will be held at mine sites in the Bowen Basin, Central Highlands, North-West and North Queensland regions in the coming months.

For information on the workshops contact: engagement@bpeq.qld.gov.au.

For information on AusIMM assessment processes visit: www.ausimm.com/career-hub/accreditation/registration-engineers-queensland/

For information on the registration system for engineers in Queensland or to become a RPEQ visit: https://bpeq.qld.gov.au/