Knowing when you should report incidents to the regulator.
When an incident occurs, it may need to be reported to the regulator.
This depends on which country you're located in and sometimes even region.
Here is what you need to know.
In New Zealand
- a death
- a notifiable illness or injury or
- a notifiable incident
Only serious events are intended to be notified. These trigger requirements to preserve the site, notify the regulator and keep records.
A PCBU must ensure the regulator is notified as soon as possible after it becomes aware of a notifiable event arising from the conduct of the business or undertaking.
This notification must be done even if emergency services attend. Only one notification is required for each notifiable event.
If there has been a death, call WorkSafe immediately. Call 0800 030 040 (24/7)
If you're still unsure about notifiable events, click here to see what WorkSafe advise. Alternatively, visit the WorkSafe website to get the latest regulator news and updates - https://www.worksafe.govt.nz
In Australia
Safe Work Australia considers a ‘notifiable incident’ is:
- the death of a person
- a ‘serious injury or illness’, or
- a ‘dangerous incident’ that exposes someone to a serious risk, even if no one is injured.
‘Notifiable incidents’ may relate to any person—whether an employee, contractor or
member of the public.
If you're still unsure about notifiable events, click here for further information from Safe Work Australia. Alternatively, the comprehensive Safe Work Australia Information sheet, which includes contact information for regulators, can be found here.
Each state has a different governing regulator and can also have slightly different variations of requirements surrounding a notifiable event.
We recommend finding out the requirements for your specific state from the list below;
New South Wales - http://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/
Victoria - http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/
Queensland - https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/
South Australia - http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/
Western Australia - http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/
Australian Capital Territory - http://www.worksafe.act.gov.au/health_safety
Tasmania - http://www.worksafe.tas.gov.au/
Northern Territory - http://www.worksafe.nt.gov.au/home.aspx
Commonwealth - http://www.comcare.gov.au/