EWP Licence Over 11m: WP High Risk Work Licence (TLILIC0005) Explained

What is TLILIC0005?

TLILIC0005 is the nationally recognised unit of competency from the Transport and Logistics Training Package that satisfies the training requirement for the WP class High Risk Work Licence. It covers the knowledge and skills needed to safely operate a boom-type EWP with a boom length of 11 metres or more — including pre-operation checks, safe set-up and positioning, hazard identification, emergency procedures and shutdown.

The unit is delivered by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) who are authorised to assess learners and issue a statement of attainment. The statement of attainment from the RTO is then submitted with a licence application to the relevant state or territory safety regulator, who issues the HRWL itself. Training alone is not the licence — the government-issued card is.

Which EWPs require the WP High Risk Work Licence?

The HRWL requirement applies to boom-type EWPs where the boom length is 11 metres or more. This captures most full-size telescopic and articulating boom lifts used on construction sites, major infrastructure projects and industrial facilities.

EWPs that do not require the WP HRWL

Not every EWP triggers the HRWL requirement. Scissor lifts, vertical mast lifts, push-around platforms and boom-type EWPs with a boom length under 11 metres fall outside the HRWL scope — but that does not mean operators need no training. Australian WHS legislation still requires operators of those machines to be trained and competent, typically assessed under RIIHAN301E and the EWPA Yellow Card program.

The distinction matters: if you operate both a 10-metre articulating boom (under the threshold) and a 12-metre telescopic boom (over the threshold), you need the HRWL to lawfully use the larger machine — and separate RIIHAN301E training to cover the smaller one.

How to get the WP High Risk Work Licence

State and territory regulators

The WP High Risk Work Licence is nationally recognised — a licence issued in Queensland is valid in Western Australia, Victoria or any other jurisdiction. However, the licence is applied for and issued by the regulator in the state or territory where you sit the assessment. Each regulator's website provides current application forms, fees and renewal requirements.

The HRWL and EWP certification — two different things

A common source of confusion is between the operator's licence and the machine's certification. The WP HRWL is the operator's credential — it says the person is qualified to operate a qualifying EWP. The machine's certification, managed under AS 2550.10, is the plant's compliance record — annual inspections, NDT, load testing and the major structural assessment — demonstrating the machine itself is safe to operate.

Both are required and both are independent. An operator with a current HRWL cannot lawfully use an uncertified machine; and a fully certified EWP cannot lawfully be operated by an unlicensed person. EWP Australia manages the machine certification side — inspection, testing and engineering documentation to AS 2550.10. For the operator licence, your RTO manages the training and your state regulator issues the card.

Verification of Competency (VOC) for HRWL holders

Many employers and sites require Verification of Competency (VOC) assessments even for operators who already hold a current HRWL. A VOC confirms the operator's competency on a specific type or model of machine — it is a site or employer safeguard, not a government requirement. It is particularly common in mining, resources and major infrastructure projects where principal contractor safety management systems go further than the minimum legal requirement. VOC assessments are conducted by RTOs and some larger employers using their own authorised assessors.