The first step to starting your journey to obtaining the GCC Mines & Works is understanding its context and why South African mines require it.
The purpose of this post is to summarise the requirements for the GCC Mines & Works.
What does GCC stand for in engineering?
GCC stands for the Government Certificate of Competency. GCC is a colloquial term used mostly in South African industries such as mining, engineering, manufacturing, heavy engineering, chemicals, FMCG, and other industrial workplaces.
The GCC refers to a Certificate of Competency, which is usually a requirement by regulations governed by the:
Occupational Health and Safety Act,
Mine Health and Safety Act, or
South African Maritime Safety Authority, amongst others.
What is the GCC Certificate?
A GCC certificate is a "license" granted by a South African Government Department. The "license" serves two purposes:
It certifies that the license holder has the necessary competency to fulfil the functions expected of them, and
It permits the license holder to perform the functions stipulated under the governing regulation relevant to the license.
There are several certificates of competency issued by various Government Departments in South Africa. The popular two types of GCC certificates are:
GCC Factories issued by the Department of Employment and Labour's Chief Inspector. The GCC Factories is essentially a license granted to mechanical or electrical persons to supervise machinery as required by the General Machinery Regulations.
GCC Mines & Works (or GCC Mining) issued by the Department of Mineral Resources' Chief Inspector of Mines. The GCC Mines & Works is essentially a license granted to mechanical or electrical persons to supervise machinery as required by the Minerals Act Regulation.
Why is the GCC Mines & Works necessary? - Mine Health and Safety Act requirements
According to the Minerals Act Regulation 2.13.1, an engineer needs to be appointed in writing by the mine manager whenever:
the rating of machinery used for power generation and from other power sources exceeds 2500 kW, or
there is an installation of any winding plant used to convey persons.
The 2.13.1 appointment is the common name used to refer to the engineer appointment.
The engineer (or 2.13.1 appointment) must be a holder of a mechanical or electrical engineer's certificate of competency (also referred to as GCC Mines & Works).
Other GCC Mines & Works colloquial terms
The GCC Mines & Works has many colloquial terms, such as:
Mine Engineer's Certificate of Competency
"The Ticket"
GCC Mining
GCC Mines
Certificate of Competency for Mines
Engineer's Certificate of Competency
Who issues the GCC Mines & Works?
The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) issues two types of GCC Mines & Works certificates:
Certificate of Competency as Electrical Engineer for Mines and Works
Certificate of Competency as Mechanical Engineer for Mines and Works
The Department of Mineral Resources' Chief Inspector of Mines issues the GCC Mines & Works.
The Chief Inspector of Mines will issue the certificate upon receiving a recommendation from the Commission of Examiners at the DMR.
The Commission of Examiners will recommend you if you meet the GCC Mines & Works requirements as stipulated under the DMR rules.
How do I obtain the GCC Mines & Works?
The nine steps that you must complete to obtain the GCC Mines & Works are as follows:
Step 1 - Obtain a qualification evaluation letter from an approved body
Step 2 - Apply for permission to commence training
Step 3 - Obtain the 'Annexure E' book
Step 4 - Secure an engineering mentor
Step 5 - Complete the 'Annexure E' modules under the supervision of the engineering mentor
Step 6 - Apply to write the GCC Mines & Works examinations
Step 7 - Prepare for the GCC Mines & Works plant engineering and legal knowledge exams
Step 8 - Register, write, & pass the GCC Mines & Works plant engineering and legal knowledge exams
Step 9 - Apply to be issued with the GCC Mines & Works
What are the DMR requirements for the GCC Mines & Works?
The DMR requirements for the GCC Mines & Works are as follows:
Qualification: You need an acceptable mechanical or electrical qualification.
Engineer-in-training: You need to complete at least two years of engineering training at a mine. During the training, you must ensure you meet all the prescribed 'Annexure E' modules. A registered DMR mentor needs to sign to confirm your competency on each of the module outcomes. You must obtain permission from the DMR to commence with your training.
Pass the GCC Mines & Works exams: You need to write and pass the GCC Mines & Works plant engineering and legal knowledge exams. You need to obtain permission from DMR before you can write the exams. You need to pass these exams within two years of securing permission to write the exams. The pass mark of the exams is 50%. Click here for guidelines of the steps to complete to get the GCC Mines & Works.
Request issuing of the Certificate of Competency: You need to apply to the Commission of Examiners to recommend the issue of your GCC Mines & Works certificate. The Commission of Examiners will recommend the issue of the GCC Mines & Works certificate once you have met all the above requirements. The Chief Inspector of Mines will then issue the GCC Mines & Works certificate.
Once you passed the GCC Mines & Works exams, you can then apply to the DMR for the Chief Inspector of Mines to issue you with your certificate.
Conclusion
The Chief Inspection of Mines issues the GCC Mines & Works upon recommendation from the Commission of Examiners.
The Commission of Examiners will recommend you be issued the GCC Mines & Works when you have met all the requirements. The three main requirements for being given the GCC Mines & Works are as follows:
You must have an acceptable qualification.
You must complete at least two years of engineering training under the supervision of a DMR registered mentor. You must make sure you obtain permission to commence with training. Click here for guidelines of the steps to complete to get the GCC Mines & Works.
You must obtain at least 50% in the GCC Mines & Works plant engineering and legal knowledge exams to pass. You need to pass both exams within two years of obtaining permission to write the exams.
Register fo Annexure E GCC Electrical