Does my plant need to be registered?

Only the plant listed in Schedule 5 of the model WHS Regulations must be registered. That includes certain pressure equipment, gas cylinders, boilers, certain pressure vessels, tower cranes, lifts and escalators, building maintenance units, hoists that lift people more than 2.4 metres, work boxes suspended from cranes, amusement devices, concrete-placing booms and mobile cranes rated over 10 tonnes. If your plant is not on the Schedule 5 list it does not need registration, but the general plant duties in Part 5.1 (guarding, pre-start inspection and maintenance) still apply.

What is the difference between design registration and item registration?

Design registration (Schedule 5 Part 1) registers the design of the plant once with the regulator. Item registration (Schedule 5 Part 2) registers each physical unit of plant before it is used. Some plant needs both — a tower crane, building maintenance unit, amusement device and concrete-placing boom each need the design registered once and every individual item registered before use.

Do I need to register a forklift?

No. A forklift is not registrable plant under Schedule 5, so neither the design nor the item needs registration. The operator does need a high risk work licence (class LF, or LO for an order-picking forklift), but that is a licence to operate, not plant registration. The general plant duties in Part 5.1 still apply to the forklift.

What are my pre-start duties for plant?

Under Part 5.1 of the model WHS Regulations you must guard dangerous parts of the plant, inspect it before use and keep it in a safe condition (controls and emergency stops working as intended), and maintain, inspect and where needed test the plant so it stays without risks to health and safety. These duties apply to plant generally, whether or not it must be registered.

Does plant registration differ in Victoria and Western Australia?

Yes. The harmonised model WHS Regulations apply in the Commonwealth, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, ACT and NT. Victoria runs the OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations and Western Australia the WHS Act 2020 with its own instrument, and their plant registration lists differ. Check your state or territory regulator for the exact requirements that apply to you.

Plant Registration & Pre-Start Checker

Pick the kind of plant you operate and this checker tells you whether its design must be registered, whether each item must be registered before use, and your guarding, pre-start and maintenance duties, under the model WHS Regulations Schedule 5 and Part 5.1.

Last verified: 21 June 2026

Only the plant listed in Schedule 5 must be registered. Some plant needs the design registered once (Part 1), some needs each item registered before use (Part 2), and tower cranes, building maintenance units, amusement devices and concrete-placing booms need both. General plant duties in Part 5.1 — guarding, pre-start inspection and maintenance — apply to all plant.

What kind of plant do you operate?

Pick the closest match. The checker tells you whether the design must be registered, whether each item must be registered before use, and your general plant duties, under the model WHS Regulations Schedule 5 and Part 5.1.

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FairWork Mate is an independent commercial service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Fair Work Commission, or any Australian Government agency. Content is general information and estimates only — not legal, financial, or tax advice. Always verify with the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified professional.

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