Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Non-Compliance – WPS Documentation Gaps
Definition
Welding Procedure Specifications are legally required documentation in Australia under Work Health and Safety Act 2011. Non-compliance with proper WPS documentation, testing (PQR), and welder qualification (WPQ) records can result in WorkCover investigations, WHS authority audits, and corrective action orders. For boilers and pressure vessels, this overlaps with ASME/ISO certification requirements (ISO 15612, ISO 15609 referenced in Australian standards). Failure to maintain current WPS documentation creates liability for defective welds that cause injury, equipment failure, or customer claims.
Key Findings
- Financial Impact: AUD $15,000–$300,000+ per breach (WorkCover/WHS fines under WHS Act 2011; estimated range based on severity and company size). Additional exposure: rework costs (30–50% of original labor), equipment downtime, potential customer contract penalties, and litigation costs if weld failure causes injury or property damage.
- Frequency: Triggered by: WorkCover inspections, customer audits, weld defect investigations, or third-party liability claims (typically once every 2–5 years for fabricators, but catastrophic if weld failure occurs).
- Root Cause: Manual WPS management leads to version control errors, expired qualifications, missing PQR/WPQ records, or failure to update procedures when equipment or materials change. Non-technical staff often cannot identify documentation gaps until audit or failure occurs.
Why This Matters
The Pitch: Boiler, tank, and container manufacturers in Australia 🇦🇺 lose money through WHS audit failures and penalties caused by incomplete WPS records. Automated WPS version control and compliance tracking eliminates documentation gaps and reduces penalty exposure.
Affected Stakeholders
Production Manager, Quality Assurance, Welding Supervisor, Compliance Officer, Senior Management (liability exposure)
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Financial Impact
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Methodology & Sources
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