Reporting Hazards and Accidents

The University requires that all injuries, incidents and hazards are properly reported, investigated and recorded in accordance with the procedures detailed below.

Contents

Definitions

Injury Reporting

Hazard Reporting

Statutory Requirement

Notification and Reporting of Serious Injury

Injury, Incident and Hazard Investigation

Definitions

An accident is commonly used to describe an incident which has resulted in an injury.

An incident is any unplanned event resulting in or having the potential for injury, ill health, damage or loss.

A hazard is a source or a situation with the potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill health.

Injury Reporting

In the event of an injury the person involved should;

1. seek first aid or medical attention as required;
2. inform their supervisor as soon as possible;
3. complete Part 1 of the Confidential Incident / Injury Report Form and fax it to the Safety and Health on 6488 1179; and
4. assist their supervisor in the investigation and reporting on the incident or accident.

The Supervisor of the person(s) involved in the incident is required to;

1. ensure that any injured person is promptly attended to;
2. conduct an initial investigation into the cause of the incident;
3. complete Part 2 of the Confidential Incident / Injury Report Form and ensure that it reaches the Safety and Health within five (5) working days; and
4. notify and liaise with the local Safety & Health Representative and line management in relation to the incident.
5. ensure that all serious injuries are reported to the Safety and Health immediately by phone on 6488 3938 or Security (6488 3020) for after hours assistance. A list of serious injuries as defined by WorkSafe WA is provided below.

A Confidential Incident / Injury Report Formshould be completed for every incident and faxed to the Safety and Health on 6488 1179.

Hazard Reporting

On identifying a hazard, staff must act as quickly as possible to eliminate it. This may mean a simple alteration, substitution or removal of the hazard or even talking to the people involved to enlighten them of their hazardous practices.

If staff are unable to make a hazardous situation safe they are required to notify the Safety and Health on 6488 3938 or by reporting the Hazard.

Statutory Requirement

"If, at a workplace, an employee incurs an injury, or is affected by a disease, that –

1. results in the death of the employee; or
2. is of a kind prescribed in the regulations for the purpose of this subsection,

the employer of that employee shall forthwith notify the Commissioner in the prescribed form giving such particulars as may be prescribed."

S19 (3) OS&H Act 1984, Reg 2.4 and 2.5 OS&H Regulations 1996

Notification and Reporting of Serious Injury

It is a requirement of WorkSafe WA that all serious injuries are reported to them as soon as possible. If unable to contact the Safety and Health out of hours a 24 hour reporting line on (08) 9327 8800 for any injury at work involving an employee which resulted in the following:

1. Death

2. Fracture of the skull, spine or pelvis

3. Fracture of a bone in:

1. The arm, (other than in the wrist or hand).
2. In the leg, (other than a bone in the ankle or foot).

4. Amputation of an arm, hand, finger, finger joint, leg, foot, toe or toe join.

5. Loss of sight of an eye.

6. Any other injury that results in, or on the basis of medical advice, appears likely to result in the employee being unable to work for 10 or more days from the day of the injury.

UWA Safety and Health must be immediately notified of these incidents by contacting 6488 3938 or Security (6488 3020) for after hours assistance.

Incident, injury and Hazard Investigation

The main aim of investigating incidents is to:

• Prevent similar incidents recurring in the future.
• Identify any new hazards.
• Identify and choose suitable controls.

Investigation should occur as soon as possible. The less time between an incident and the investigation, the more accurate the information obtained. While concern for an injured person shall take precedence over everything else, when incidents involving injury or illness occur, early investigation is essential.

Information required when investigating an incident, injury or hazard includes:

• WHAT happened?
• HOW it happened?
• WHY it happened?

Investigations of incidents, injuries or hazards are not to be used as vehicles to allocate BLAME. Successful incident investigation requires everyone's co-operation to prevent possible recurrence in the future. Any suggestion that blame allocation or 'scapegoating' is intended would jeopardise the investigator's credibility and reduce the quality and accuracy of information supplied.

Related Information:
Resolving Safety and Health Issues