Plant and Equipment
Plant and equipment is a broad term encompassing machinery, vehicles, tools, and other physical assets used in industrial, construction, mining, and commercial operations. In Australian workplace health and safety legislation, ‘plant’ is defined to include any machinery, equipment, appliance, container, implement, or tool, and any component or fitting thereof. The term covers everything from hand tools to heavy earthmoving machinery and cranes.
Why it matters
Plant and equipment typically represents one of the largest capital investments for asset-intensive businesses. Proper management including tracking, maintenance, inspection, and lifecycle planning directly affects profitability, safety, and regulatory compliance. Under Australian WHS laws, a duty holder must ensure that plant is maintained, inspected, and tested so that it remains safe and without risks to health.
How MapTrack helps
MapTrack provides a unified platform for tracking all plant and equipment regardless of type or size, from hand tools through to heavy machinery, with tailored maintenance, compliance, and tracking workflows for each category.
Frequently asked questions
What is the legal definition of ‘plant’ in Australia?
Under the model Work Health and Safety Regulations, plant includes any machinery, equipment, appliance, container, implement, or tool, and includes any component or fitting of any of those things, or anything connected to any of those things. This broad definition captures everything from a simple hand drill to a tower crane, and each carries corresponding obligations for registration, inspection, and maintenance.
What are the WHS obligations for managing plant and equipment?
A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must ensure that plant is maintained, inspected, and tested in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and any applicable Australian Standards. They must also provide appropriate information, training, and instruction to operators, maintain records of maintenance and inspections, and ensure that high-risk plant is registered where required.
Related terms
Asset Lifecycle Management
Asset lifecycle management (ALM) is the practice of managing a physical asset through every stage of its life, from planning and acquisition through operation, maintenance, and eventual disposal or replacement. It integrates financial, operational, and technical data to optimise decisions at each stage. The goal is to maximise the value an asset delivers over its entire useful life while minimising total cost of ownership.
Pre-Start Inspection
A pre-start inspection is a systematic check performed on plant, equipment, or vehicles before each use or shift to identify defects, damage, or unsafe conditions. It typically follows a standardised checklist covering safety-critical items such as brakes, steering, lights, tyres, guards, fluid levels, and warning devices. Pre-start inspections are a legal requirement under workplace health and safety regulations in most Australian jurisdictions.
Fleet Management
Fleet management is the administration of an organisation’s vehicles and mobile plant, including acquisition, maintenance, fuel management, driver compliance, GPS tracking, and disposal. It covers light vehicles, heavy vehicles, trailers, mobile plant, and any other registered or unregistered mobile assets. Modern fleet management relies on telematics, GPS tracking, and software platforms to optimise operations and reduce costs.
Asset Register
An asset register is a comprehensive database or record of all physical assets owned, leased, or managed by an organisation. Each entry typically includes the asset’s unique identifier, description, category, serial number, purchase date, cost, location, assigned custodian, warranty details, and current condition. The asset register serves as the single source of truth for what the organisation owns and where it is.
Compliance Management
Compliance management in asset-intensive industries is the systematic process of ensuring that equipment, operations, and personnel meet all applicable regulatory, safety, environmental, and contractual requirements. It encompasses tracking inspection due dates, certifications, licences, safety checks, environmental obligations, and industry-specific standards. Compliance management requires both proactive scheduling and thorough record-keeping.
See how MapTrack handles plant and equipment