When To Notify SafeWork

If there is an incident on your work site, you must notify the relevant authority (e.g. SafeWork SA in south Australia) when the incident meets certain criteria.

Here is the list from SafeWork SA web site:

” Work Health and Safety Act 2012 Section 35 – What is a notifiable incident?

notifiable incident means—
(a) the death of a person; or
(b) a serious injury or illness of a person; or
(c) a dangerous incident.

Section 36 – What is a serious injury or illness serious injury or illness of a person means an injury or illness requiring the person to have—
(a) immediate treatment as an in-patient in a hospital; or
(b) immediate treatment for—
(i) the amputation of any part of his or her body; or
(ii) a serious head injury; or
(iii) a serious eye injury; or
(iv) a serious burn; or
(v) the separation of his or her skin from an underlying tissue (such as degloving or scalping); or
(vi) a spinal injury; or
(vii) the loss of a bodily function; or
(viii) serious lacerations; or
(c) medical treatment within 48 hours of exposure to a substance, and includes any other injury or illness prescribed by the regulations but does not include an illness or injury of a prescribed kind.

Regulation 699 – Incident notification – prescribed serious illnesses
My note: Doesn’t really apply to construction – see SafeWork web site for the list.

Section 37 – What is a dangerous incident ?
A dangerous incident means an incident in relation to a workplace that exposes a worker or any other person to a serious risk to a person’s health or
safety emanating from an immediate or imminent exposure to—
(a) an uncontrolled escape, spillage or leakage of a substance; or
(b) an uncontrolled implosion, explosion or fire; or
(c) an uncontrolled escape of gas or steam; or
(d) an uncontrolled escape of a pressurised substance; or
(e) electric shock; or
(f) the fall or release from a height of any plant, substance or thing; or
(g) the collapse, overturning, failure or malfunction of, or damage to, any plant that is required to be authorised for use in accordance with the regulations; or
(h) the collapse or partial collapse of a structure; or
(i) the collapse or failure of an excavation or of any shoring supporting an excavation; or
(j) the inrush of water, mud or gas in workings, in an underground excavation or tunnel; or
(k) the interruption of the main system of ventilation in an underground excavation or tunnel; or
(l) any other event prescribed by the regulations,

Note: If the incident being notified is related to an electric shock, gas infrastructure, or gas fitting, please call the Office of the Technical Regulator (OTR) on: 1800 558 811″

You can download the Notification form here.