People and Culture

Incidents and Injuries

Notifiable Incidents

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Part 5) requires employers to notify the Victorian WorkCover Authority immediately after becoming aware that an incident has occurred at a workplace under the management and control of the employer, and to provide a written record of the incident within 48 hours thereafter.

The Act also requires employers not to disturb the site where a notifiable incident occurs until a WorkSafe inspector arrives at the scene or otherwise directed by an inspector. However, a site may be disturbed if necessary to protect the health and safety of a person, to aid an injured person involved in the incident, or to take essential action to make the site safe or to prevent a further occurrence of an incident.

A Notifiable Incident is an incident which results in:

1. The death of any person; or
2. A person requiring medical treatment within 48 hours of exposure to a substance; or
3. A person requiring immediate treatment as an in-patient in a hospital; or
4. A person requiring immediate medical treatment for-
1. the amputation of any part of his or her body; or
2. a serious head injury; or
3. a serious eye injury; or
4. the separation of his or her skin from underlying tissue (such as de-gloving or scalping); or
5. electric shock; or
6. a spinal injury; or
7. the loss of a bodily function; or
8. serious lacerations
5. Any other injury to a person or other consequence prescribed by the regulations

An incident is also notifiable if that incident exposes a person in the immediate vicinity to an immediate risk to the person's health and safety through-

1. The collapse, overturning, failure or malfunction of, or damage to, any plant that the regulations prescribe must not be used unless the plant is licensed or registered; or
2. The collapse or failure of an excavation or of any shoring supporting an excavation; or
3. The collapse or partial collapse of any part of a building or structure; or
4. An implosion, explosion or fire; or
5. The escape, spillage or leakage of any substance including dangerous goods (within the meaning of the Dangerous Goods Act 1985); or
6. The fall or release from a height of any plant, substance or object.
7. In relation to a mine-
1. the overturning or collapse of any plant; or
2. the inrush of water, mud or gas; or
3. the interruption of the main system of ventilation; or
8. (h) Any other event or circumstance prescribed by the regulations