Free operator competency and licence matrix
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Free competency matrix template (PDF). Map workers to plant, high-risk work licences, VOC and ticket expiry dates so only authorised people operate plant.
Commercial Director
Key takeaways
- A competency matrix maps each worker against the plant they are authorised to operate, with licence numbers, VOC dates and ticket expiry in one view.
- It is the fastest way to answer 'who can run this machine today' and to spot expired or missing authorisations before someone operates plant.
- High-risk work under the WHS Regulations 2011 needs a current HRW licence; the matrix records the class and number so it can be verified on site.
- A verification of competency (VOC) confirms practical skill on a specific machine; record the VOC date and expiry, not just the statutory licence.
Updated 4 June 2026
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What is a operator competency and licence matrix?
An operator competency and licence matrix is a single grid that shows which workers are authorised to operate which items of plant or perform which high-risk activities. Worker names run down the rows and the plant types, licence classes or competency units run across the columns. In each cell you record the status: licensed and current, verification of competency (VOC) completed, training booked, or not authorised, along with the licence or ticket number and its expiry date. It turns a pile of separate licence cards and training certificates into one view that a supervisor can read at a glance before allocating work.
The matrix is used by site managers, supervisors and training coordinators across construction, mining, civil, manufacturing and plant hire to make sure only competent, authorised people operate plant such as forklifts, elevating work platforms, cranes, excavators and dogging or rigging tasks. Under the WHS Regulations 2011, certain high-risk work requires a current high-risk work (HRW) licence, and a person conducting a business must verify a worker holds it before that work starts. In MapTrack, each worker and asset carries its own record, so licence and VOC expiry dates can be tracked against the plant they apply to and flagged before they lapse, rather than discovered after an incident or during an audit.
Learn more about compliance and inspections in MapTrack.
Benefits of using this operator competency and licence matrix
- Authorisation at a glance: one grid shows who can legally and competently operate each item of plant, so work is allocated to authorised people only.
- Expiry control: recording licence, ticket and VOC expiry dates against each worker makes lapsing authorisations visible before they are needed on site.
- Audit evidence: a completed matrix is the practical record an auditor or regulator asks for to confirm operators were competent and authorised.
- Gap visibility: empty or amber cells expose where you are short of licensed operators for a machine, so training can be booked before it bites.
- VOC tracking: the matrix separates a statutory HRW licence from a site VOC, so practical competency on a specific machine is not assumed from a ticket alone.
- Faster mobilisation: when crews move between sites, a current matrix confirms in minutes who can run the plant on the new job without re-checking every card.
- Incident defence: after an incident, the matrix shows the operator was authorised and competent at the time, supporting the reasonably practicable test.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move your matrixs from paper to MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
- Automatically get alerts when faults are identified.
- Link every form digitally as a PDF to the relevant asset, location or person.
- Receive a digital PDF copy with every submission to your email.
- Ability to share forms digitally.
- Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
- Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
- Electronic signatures.
- Edit forms later without reprinting.
- Restrict permissions (who can view, complete or approve).
- Build forms with AI (describe what you need and MapTrack suggests the form).
- Set recurring audit schedules with automatic reminders and escalation.
- Produce regulator-ready PDF compliance packs in one click.
- Track corrective actions from finding to close-out with full audit trail.
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What to include in a operator competency and licence matrix
This operator competency and licence matrix covers 10 key areas:
- Matrix details: organisation, site or project, prepared by, and the date the matrix was last reviewed.
- Worker name and role: the person and their position, one per row.
- Employee or contractor ID: a reference linking the worker to their personnel or induction record.
- Plant or competency columns: each item of plant, licence class or competency unit assessed, one per column.
- Authorisation status: a consistent code per cell such as licensed and current, VOC done, training booked, or not authorised.
- High-risk work licence class and number: the HRW class (for example LF, WP, CN) and the licence card number where it applies.
- VOC date: when verification of competency was last completed on that machine or task.
- Expiry date: the soonest expiry of the licence, ticket, medical or VOC that governs the authorisation.
- Evidence reference: where the licence copy, ticket or VOC record is filed for verification.
- Verified by and date: who confirmed the authorisations and when the matrix was signed off.
How to use this operator competency and licence matrix
- List the plant and high-risk activities that need a column on the matrix.: Walk the site or fleet and decide which machines, licence classes and competency units carry a real authorisation requirement, such as forklifts, elevating work platforms, cranes, excavators and dogging or rigging. Each one becomes a column so the grid covers every controlled task.
- Add every worker as a row with their role and personnel ID.: List each person who may be allocated to that plant, including contractors and labour hire, with their position and an employee or induction reference. Capturing contractors in the same matrix prevents an unauthorised operator slipping through because they sit outside the payroll system.
- Record the authorisation status in each cell with a consistent code.: For each worker and machine, mark licensed and current, VOC done, training booked or not authorised. Use one agreed legend so any supervisor reads the grid the same way, and leave a cell blank only where the worker is genuinely not assessed for that plant.
- Capture the licence class, number and the controlling expiry date.: Where the task needs a high-risk work licence, record the class and card number and check it against the official register. Note the soonest expiry across the licence, ticket, medical or VOC, because the earliest date is the one that actually limits the authorisation.
- Verify a VOC where practical competency matters, not just the ticket.: For machines where a generic licence does not prove site competency, complete a verification of competency on that specific plant and record the date. This closes the common gap where a worker holds a valid ticket but has never operated your particular machine or attachment.
- Review the matrix on a set cycle and act on every expiry and gap.: Set a review date, then before each cycle chase licences and VOCs that are due to expire and book training to fill empty columns. Sign off the reviewed matrix so there is a dated record that authorisations were current at that point in time.
In MapTrack, you can automate compliance tracking and audit trails. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.
Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full operator competency and licence matrix as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this matrix?
Review the competency and licence matrix at least quarterly, and update it immediately whenever a worker joins, leaves, gains a new ticket or has a licence or VOC expire. Check it every time crews are mobilised to a new site or a new item of plant arrives, so authorisations are confirmed before work starts rather than after. High-turnover sites with contractors and labour hire benefit from a monthly check. In MapTrack, licence and VOC expiry dates are held against each worker and the plant they apply to, so an upcoming expiry is flagged automatically instead of being missed in a static grid.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- WHS Regulations 2011, Part 4.5 - High Risk Work (licensing requirements for high-risk work such as forklifts, cranes and EWPs)
- WHS Act 2011, Section 19 - Primary duty of care (ensuring workers are competent and authorised for the plant they operate)
- Model Code of Practice - How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks (assessing and verifying worker competency)
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