Why Study / Key Benefits

• Understand the significant health and safety hazards associated with bitumen, bitumen emulsions and hot-mix asphalt.

• Learn safe procedures for handling, blending, transporting and spraying bituminous materials.

• Recognise hazards associated with bitumen plants, hot-mix plants, field operations and equipment maintenance.

• Understand the dangers of water coming into contact with hot bitumen.

• Develop awareness of dangerous goods, flash points, auto-ignition, fire and explosion hazards.

• Learn first-aid procedures for bitumen, emulsion and chemical burns.

• Improve understanding of individual and company health and safety responsibilities.

• Complete a safety-awareness course that WITT identifies as a prerequisite for certain advanced bitumen courses.

Programme Structure and Subjects/Topics

The official WITT brochure identifies the following learning areas:

1. Introduction to bituminous materials

• Introduction to bitumen.

• Bitumen emulsions.

• Basic characteristics of bituminous materials.

2. Health hazards and personal precautions

• Health hazards associated with bitumen.

• Personal safety precautions.

• Appropriate protective procedures.

3. Bitumen and hot-mix plant hazards

• Hazards when working around bitumen plants.

• Hazards associated with hot-mix plants.

• Safe working procedures around plant and equipment.

4. Field-operation hazards

• Hazards associated with road-surfacing field operations.

• Safe handling and use of bituminous materials.

• Importance of appropriate training.

5. Water-related dangers

• Risks associated with water coming into contact with hot bitumen.

• Precautions to reduce the risk of incidents.

6. First aid and burn management

• First aid for bitumen burns.

• First aid for emulsion burns.

• Management of chemical-burn incidents.

• Coordination with medical personnel following an incident.

7. Dangerous goods and fire safety

• Dangerous goods.

• Flash points and auto-ignition.

• Safe distances.

• Explosion hazards.

• Empty-tank hazards.

• Fire-safety procedures.

8. Maintenance and spillage precautions

• Hazards during maintenance and repair.

• Spillage precautions.

• Response to bitumen-related spills.

• Other hazards encountered in the road-surfacing industry.

Learning outcomes:

On completion, participants should be able to:

• Identify basic hazards associated with bitumen, emulsions and hot-mix asphalt road surfacing and stabilising.

• Identify safety procedures for handling, blending, transporting and spraying bituminous materials.

• Recognise hazards associated with maintaining and repairing bitumen equipment.

• Carry out first-aid procedures for bitumen and emulsion burns.

• Understand how to manage the interface with medical personnel following a burn incident.

• Carry out first aid for chemical burns.

Disciplines/Specialisations

The course is relevant to:

• Civil engineering and infrastructure.

• Road construction and maintenance.

• Road surfacing and chipsealing.

• Asphalt paving.

• Bitumen and emulsion handling.

• Bitumen plant and hot-mix plant operations.

• Industrial health and safety.

• Equipment maintenance and workshop safety.

• Dangerous-goods and fire-risk awareness.

Programme Highlights

• One-day professional safety-awareness course.

• Current course location listed as Hamilton.

• Presenter: Barry Gundersen.

• Uses practical examples and videos.

• Covers bitumen, emulsions and hot-mix asphalt safety.

• Includes plant, field-operation, maintenance and fire hazards.

• Covers first aid for bitumen, emulsion and chemical burns.

• Intended for a broad range of road-surfacing personnel.

• WITT identifies it as a prerequisite for certain advanced bitumen courses.

• Minimum participant numbers apply before a course is confirmed.

Career Outcomes

This course provides safety knowledge for people already working in road surfacing and related industries. It is not advertised as a qualification that independently prepares graduates for a particular occupation or guarantees employment.

The knowledge may be useful in roles such as:

• Road construction worker.

• Road-surfacing crew member.

• Chipsealing worker.

• Asphalt paving worker.

• Bitumen plant worker.

• Maintenance workshop employee.

• Road maintenance worker.

• Road-surfacing supervisor.

• Civil engineering technician.

• Local-authority road maintenance personnel.

Latest Updates/Special Requirements

• WITT currently lists Hamilton as the course location.

• The live course page displays an intake of 13 October 2026, which has passed.

• The downloadable brochure displays 23 October 2026, also in the past.

• The brochure was last updated on 24 October 2025.

• The course duration is one day.

• Barry Gundersen is the listed presenter.

• Minimum participant numbers apply before a course is confirmed.

• The course is identified as a prerequisite for certain advanced bitumen courses involving personnel who handle, operate, maintain or work near bitumen equipment, or supervise the use of bituminous materials.

 

International Student Visa Requirements

This course lasts one day, so the relevant immigration rules are those for short-term study rather than a long-term full-time academic programme.

1. Short-course study permission

Immigration New Zealand allows people holding an appropriate Visitor Visa, work visa or visa-waiver visitor permission to study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period, subject to their visa conditions.

For short courses lasting 3 months or less, Immigration New Zealand states that a student visa and an offer of place are not required where the course is approved or exempted by NZQA. WITT should confirm whether this specific short course meets that requirement.

2. Likely visa route for applicants from India

• Indian passport holders generally need a New Zealand Visitor Visa before travelling.

• A Visitor Visa allows study for up to 3 months, subject to its conditions.

• The current published Visitor Visa application cost starts from NZD $441.

• Immigration New Zealand currently lists 80% of Visitor Visa applications as processed within 2 weeks.

• The actual fee and processing time may depend on the applicant's circumstances and application location.

3. Visitor Visa requirements

Applicants should be prepared to provide:

• A valid passport and identity documents.

• Evidence of the purpose of travel, such as course registration or confirmation from WITT.

• Evidence of sufficient funds for accommodation, meals, transport and other expenses, or an acceptable sponsor.

• Evidence of plans to leave New Zealand at the end of the visit.

• Any health and character information required by Immigration New Zealand.

• English translations of supporting documents that are not in English.

Immigration New Zealand currently states that visitors funding their own stay generally need at least NZD $1,000 per month, or NZD $400 per month if accommodation has already been paid for. Outward travel funds must be available separately.

4. Work conditions

• A Visitor Visa does not permit employment in New Zealand.

• Course attendance does not provide work rights.

• The visitor must comply with the conditions printed on their visa.

5. Student Visa

A Fee Paying Student Visa is generally used for longer-term study with an approved education provider. This one-day short course alone does not establish a need or eligibility for a student visa. If a student intends to undertake additional study, the appropriate visa must be checked against the total study period and the relevant course approvals.