After a tragic start to 2017, do you know what to do in the event of a notifiable incident in your workplace?
Sadly, not even halfway through the month of January, seven Australian workers had already lost their lives in workplace accidents. Five of these workers died on the job in the first week of the month.
Latest figures from Safe Work Australia show the following industries have recorded workplace fatalities for the year:
- 4 workers from the transport, postal and warehousing industry
- 1 worker from the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry
- 1 worker from the construction industry
- 1 worker from the arts and recreation services industry
Last year, the transport, postal and warehousing industry tragically recorded the highest number of workplace deaths, with 64. And it doesn’t seem to be off to a good start this year.
Do you know what you need to do if tragedy strikes your workplace?
What is a Notifiable Incident?
In the unfortunate event that a incident happens in your workplace, certain incidents need to be reported immediately to the WHS Regulator. For South Australia, the WHS Regulator is SafeWork SA.
An incident is deemed notifiable if it’s:
- the death of a person,
- a ‘serious injury or illness’, or
- a ‘dangerous incident’
Notifiable incidents may relate to anyone, whether they be a worker, contractor or member of the public, if the incident arises as a result of the conduct of a business.
How do I report a Notifiable Incident
Under WHS law, any person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must report a notifiable incident to the regulator immediately after becoming aware it has happened. Generally the quickest and easiest way is via a phone call. You may be asked to provide written notification within 48 hours.
If you are a manager, supervisor or worker, it is important that you notify your Manager immediately, and provide medical assistance if trained and it’s safe to do so.
It is important that any incident site must not be disturbed until an inspector arrives, or a business is directed otherwise. Preserving an incident site does not prevent a business or other workers from assisting injured people, making the site safe to minimise the risk for further incidents or to help with police investigation. Preserving a site assists inspectors to determine the cause of the incident.
For full details, including contact details of relevant state regulators, click here for Safe Work Australia’s Information Sheet on Notifiable Injuries. If you need assistance with any type of incident you may have had in your workplace, WLSS is hear to help
