Weed and Seed Certificate

Weed and Seed Training is Important because it:

• Supports biosecurity management efforts and minimises risks of non-compliance with country and state legal requirements
• You learn about the human impact people and vehicles have on the environment, how pathogens, dirt, weeds, seeds and other plant matter can travel, and the implications
• It helps ensure appropriate risk minimisation to landowners as part of operation responsibilities
• Organisations build staff skills to understand and abide by important safe work practices

Your issued certificate number is the number to use on the weed hygiene declaration. You will find it in at the lower half of your issued certificate.

A vehicle or machinery inspection is the detailed inspection of all parts of a machine. The goal of a vehicle and machinery inspection is to locate potentially very small plant or soil particles (weeds, seeds and any other pathogen) that could be transported and spread to another site by vehicles. The inspection procedure will indicate all the areas to be inspected as well as how to inspect these areas of the vehicles so that you can undertake the required procedures until the vehicles or machinery are considered clean. This is often associated with the procedure to subsequently clean and remove any biosecurity hazards.

A weed & seed training washdown is the process of completely washing, from top to bottom, inside and out a piece of machinery or vehicle. Effective weed and seed washes are very important due to the almost microscopic nature of some pathogens and seeds. It is a process that requires a high attention to detail. Weed & seed wash downs can only be performed by those who have completed the nationally accredited Statement of Attainment for AHCBIO203

In addition to Work Health and safety protocols, specific biosecurity legislation exists and organisations operating across multiple work sites – particularly in regional or remote areas have additional obligations. Some core Acts include:

1 – Biosecurity Act 2014 – Biosecurity Act 2015  – Under the Biosecurity Act, everyone has a general biosecurity obligation (GBO) to prevent or minimise the risks of spreading weeds. Under the Act, certain species of invasive weeds are listed as restricted biosecurity matter because of their adverse impact in QLD, WA or other Australian States. The Act requires everyone to take all reasonable and practical measures to minimise the biosecurity risks associated with invasive plants and animals under their control. This is called a general biosecurity obligation (GBO). Clearly, companies and workers operating in areas where these invasive weeds exist thus have an obligation to stop the spread – and is a key reason to participate in weed control training.

2 Mineral Resources Acts – Land Access Code. Under the Land Access Code, a resource authority holder may need to provide a landholder with a copy of the clean-down record. Examples and approaches to completion and compliance are an important components within the Harness Weed & Seed Course.