WHS INCIDENT REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE [WHS.06] 1.0 Purpse This dcument prescribes requirements fr wrk health and safety (WHS) incident reprting, investigatin and crrective actin. Definitins Incident Ntifiable Incident Respnsible Officer fr WHS Senir Administratr Any unplanned event resulting in, r having the ptential fr, injury, ill health (including psychlgical health), damage r ther lss related t the management f WHS. Fr example: accidents and near misses; fire; certain prperty damage and security breach incidents; uncntrlled r prly cntrlled wrkplace hazards; the failure f existing cntrls; regulatry breaches; and failures f the WHS management system. An incident required by Sectin 35 f the Wrk Health and Safety Act 2011 [NSW] t be ntified t WrkCver (see appendix A) The respnsible fficer fr WHS is the Vice President - Finance A senir Administratr will be the President r a Vice President 2.0 Reprting and Recrding Incidents Wrkers Reprt all incidents, whether r nt they invlve damage t persns r prperty, t yur Manager/Supervisr. This requirement applies t all incidents, including thse invlving vlunteers, cntractrs, wrkers frm ther rganisatins, wrk experience students and visitrs Managers/Supervisrs Immediately ntify the WHS Crdinatr, if nt available the, the Officer Respnsible fr WHS, if nt available, a Senir Administratr in the event f a Ntifiable incident (see appendix A). It is the respnsibility f the WHS Crdinatr, Officer Respnsible fr WHS, r Administratr t ntify WrkCver. Ensure, in the event f a Ntifiable incident, that the incident site is secured t prevent it being disturbed pending directin frm a WrkCver inspectr (see appendix A, clause 39). Incident Reprting and Investigatin Prcedure [WHS.06] 1
Cmplete r ensure the cmpletin f - an Incident Reprt fr all incidents. The incident must be recrded n the apprved Incident Reprt Frm (appendix B). Cmplete the incident investigatin as sn as is reasnably practicable, f the incident. Frward a cpy f the reprt t the WHS Crdinatr within 24 hurs f the ccurrence f the incident. Make sure that required crrective actin is implemented as sn as is reasnably practicable after the event. Wrk Health and Safety Crdinatr Review upn receipt incident reprts frm managers/supervisrs t determine if further actin is taken. Ensure fllw-up actin is taken if required. Maintain n file received incident reprts. Prepare incident summaries fr presentatin t the Bard. 3.0 Investigatin f Incidents Incidents may be a result f multiple causes, ranging frm wrk methds, the wrker, wrk envirnment, the equipment being used and rganisatinal structure. Incidents ccur as a result f a deficiency in the whle ccupatinal health and safety management system, nt a fault in an individual. Factrs t cnsider when identifying causes t incidents:- Wrk rganisatin Lk at hw the wrk is rganised including wrk prcesses, prductin demands, etc. Wrk methds Identify whether the jb being perfrmed at the time f the incident had been subject t a jb safety analysis. If the jb had been analysed, then the risk cntrl measures may require mdificatin. If the jb has nt been analysed then an analysis may identify hazards assciated with the jb that cntributed t the incident. Wrk Envirnment Identify envirnmental cnditins and stressrs that may have affected the health f emplyees. Examples f envirnmental factrs can include chemicals; nise; illuminatin; vibratin; climate; radiatin and bilgical agents. Wrk Equipment/Plant Identify if plant is:- Designed fr the wrk it is intended fr Adjustable t accmmdate the user Incident Reprting and Investigatin Prcedure [WHS.06] 2
Emplyees Adequately safeguarded Regularly inspected fr defects and repaired where required Rutinely maintained Nt used beynd its rated capacity Used in accrdance with manufacturer s specificatins Identify the skills, attitudes, habits, physical attributes, experience and training f the individual/s invlved. Frmulatin f Safety Slutins Recmmended safety slutins will be identified frm the careful analysis f the facts btained frm the incident investigatin. Identify apprpriate risk cntrl measures in cnsultatin with emplyees. Use the hierarchy f hazard cntrl utlined in the Risk Management Prcedure Implement agreed risk cntrl measures Establish a system fr regular review and evaluatin f risk cntrl measure Appendices A. Ntifiable Incidents B. Incident Reprt Frm Apprved by Date Uplad Authrised by Replaces Review Cllege Cuncil 13 March 2012 VP(A&R) NEW Octber 2014 Incident Reprting and Investigatin Prcedure [WHS.06] 3
Appendix A Wrk Health and Safety Act 2011 N 10 Current versin fr 2 January 2012 t date (accessed 9 February 2012 at 09:24) 35 What is a ntifiable incident In this Act, ntifiable incident means: (a) the death f a persn, r (b) a serius injury r illness f a persn, r (c) a dangerus incident. 36 What is a serius injury r illness In this Part, serius injury r illness f a persn means an injury r illness requiring the persn t have: (a) immediate treatment as an in-patient in a hspital, r (b) immediate treatment fr: (i) the amputatin f any part f his r her bdy, r (ii) a serius head injury, r (iii) a serius eye injury, r (iv) a serius burn, r (v) the separatin f his r her skin frm an underlying tissue (such as deglving r scalping), r (vi) a spinal injury, r (vii) the lss f a bdily functin, r (viii) serius laceratins, r (c) medical treatment within 48 hurs f expsure t a substance, and includes any ther injury r illness prescribed by the regulatins but des nt include an illness r injury f a prescribed kind. 37 What is a dangerus incident In this Part, a dangerus incident means an incident in relatin t a wrkplace that expses a wrker r any ther persn t a serius risk t a persn s health r safety emanating frm an immediate r imminent expsure t: (a) an uncntrlled escape, spillage r leakage f a substance, r (b) an uncntrlled implsin, explsin r fire, r (c) an uncntrlled escape f gas r steam, r (d) an uncntrlled escape f a pressurised substance, r (e) electric shck, r (f) the fall r release frm a height f any plant, substance r thing, r (g) the cllapse, verturning, failure r malfunctin f, r damage t, any plant that is required t be authrised fr use in accrdance with the regulatins, r (h) the cllapse r partial cllapse f a structure, r (i) the cllapse r failure f an excavatin r f any shring supprting an excavatin, r (j) the inrush f water, mud r gas in wrkings, in an undergrund excavatin r tunnel, r (k) the interruptin f the main system f ventilatin in an undergrund excavatin r tunnel, r (l) any ther event prescribed by the regulatins, but des nt include an incident f a prescribed kind. Incident Reprting and Investigatin Prcedure [WHS.06] 4
38 Duty t ntify f ntifiable incidents (1) A persn wh cnducts a business r undertaking must ensure that the regulatr is ntified immediately after becming aware that a ntifiable incident arising ut f the cnduct f the business r undertaking has ccurred. Maximum penalty: (a) in the case f an individual $10,000, r (b) in the case f a bdy crprate $50,000. (2) The ntice must be given in accrdance with this sectin and by the fastest pssible means. (3) The ntice must be given: (a) by telephne, r (b) in writing. Example. The written ntice can be given by facsimile, email r ther electrnic means. (4) A persn giving ntice by telephne must: (a) give the details f the incident requested by the regulatr, and (b) if required by the regulatr, give a written ntice f the incident within 48 hurs f that requirement being made. (5) A written ntice must be in a frm, r cntain the details, apprved by the regulatr. (6) If the regulatr receives a ntice by telephne and a written ntice is nt required, the regulatr must give the persn cnducting the business r undertaking: (a) details f the infrmatin received, r (b) an acknwledgement f receiving the ntice. (7) A persn cnducting a business r undertaking must keep a recrd f each ntifiable incident fr at least 5 years frm the day that ntice f the incident is given t the regulatr under this sectin. Maximum penalty: (a) in the case f an individual $5,000, r (b) in the case f a bdy crprate $25,000. (8) Despite subsectin (1), a persn is nt required t give ntice under this sectin f an incident that ccurs at a mine t which the Mine Health and Safety Act 2004 applies r at a cal wrkplace. 39 Duty t preserve incident sites (1) The persn with management r cntrl f a wrkplace at which a ntifiable incident has ccurred must ensure s far as is reasnably practicable, that the site where the incident ccurred is nt disturbed until an inspectr arrives at the site r any earlier time that an inspectr directs. Maximum penalty: (a) in the case f an individual $10,000, r Incident Reprting and Investigatin Prcedure [WHS.06] 5
(b) in the case f a bdy crprate $50,000. (2) In subsectin (1) a reference t a site includes any plant, substance, structure r thing assciated with the ntifiable incident. (3) Subsectin (1) des nt prevent any actin: (a) t assist an injured persn, r (b) t remve a deceased persn, r (c) that is essential t make the site safe r t minimise the risk f a further ntifiable incident, r (d) that is assciated with a plice investigatin, r (e) fr which an inspectr r the regulatr has given permissin. (4) This sectin des nt apply t a mine t which the Mine Health and Safety Act 2004 applies r t a cal wrkplace. Incident Reprting and Investigatin Prcedure [WHS.06] 6