Funding to enhance cane rail safety
Posted on Friday, August 14 @ 08:19:46 EST by Jason
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In a Queensland first, a joint project between the State Government,
Mackay Sugar, CSR Sugar and the Central Queensland Institute of TAFE
(CQIT) is set to make the sugarcane rail network safer.
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional
Queensland Tim Mulherin said the program involves training industry
workers to become traffic officers.
“It is being developed specifically for the sugar cane industry to
enhance the safety of the cane rail network by giving traffic officers
the opportunity to gain formal qualifications,” he said.
“I’d like to thank Mackay Sugar, CSR Sugar, and CQIT for developing the program with the assistance of the State Government.
“It is the first formal training program for traffic officers working
in the sugar industry, developed by and for regional Queensland, aimed
at improving safety in one of our most vital industries – sugar.
The Minister said CSR Sugar received $50,000 in funding in February,
through the Blueprint for the Bush initiative to further develop the
program.
“The training program will provide a range of nationally accredited
assessment tools for personnel charged with the responsibility of
keeping cane trains separated,” he said.
“As the Member for Mackay, I know how important the cane rail network
is for the industry and the importance of safety for those who operate
it.
“The aim of the 16 month project is to develop a host of assessment
tools aligned with the National Transport and Logistics Training
Package, and to formalise the training and assessment of sugar industry
traffic officers.”
Mackay Sugar trainee traffic officer, Andrea Vella is proud to be the first student trialling a new training system.
“Taking on a job as a traffic officer in the sugar industry is pretty
daunting, but I’m excited by the prospect of being the first traffic
officer to be assessed under the program,” she said.
Mackay Sugar Cane Supply and Transport Manager, Dave Langham said
Mackay Sugar recognised the need to enhance traffic officer training
and assessment.
“We felt formal assessment and training was appropriate, given the highly responsible nature of the role,” he said.
“In 2007, Mackay Sugar began working with CQIT to develop a recognition of prior learning program for traffic officers.
“This will make the sugarcane industry safer by ensuring the system we
use to assess traffic officer competency operates within a structured
and standardised framework.”
More than 150 Blueprint for the Bush initiatives across the state
already contributing to the increased sustainability of primary
production and prosperity of rural Queensland.
Investing in the future of rural and regional Queensland enables
communities across the state to deliver practical measures to address
development issues.
The funding also allows local Councils to implement projects to improve
community capacity, access to transport services and the image of rural
areas.
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