INCIDENTS, INJURIES and DANGEROUS EVENTS

REPORTING AND RECORDING PROCEDURES

 

Approving Authority:	Pro Vice Chancellor (Administration)
Approval Date:	22 December 2006
Approved Document No:	2007/0000005
Review Date:	2009
Policy Advisor:	Health & Safety Team, Central HR Services

 

Description of the Procedures:

These procedures set out the requirements for reporting, recording and notifying workplace injuries, work-caused illnesses, and dangerous or potentially dangerous events.

 

Related Policies, Procedures & Forms:

 

First Aid Policy

First Aid Guidelines

Health and Safety Policy

Workers' Compensation

Rehabilitation Policy

Electrical Safety Policy

Incident/Injury Report Form

Griffith University Vehicle Damage Report Form

Record Management Policy

 

Links to external documents:

Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995

(http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/W/WorkplHSaA95.pdf)

Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997

(http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/W/WorkplHSaR97.pdf)

Electrical Safety Act 2002

(http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/E/ElectricalSA02.pdf)

Electrical Safety Regulation 2002

(http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/E/ElectricalSR02.pdf)

Gene Technology Act 2000 (http://scaletext.law.gov.au/html/pasteact/3/3428/top.htm)

Radiation Safety Act 1999 (http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/R/RadiatSafA99.pdf)

Radiation Safety Regulation 1999

(http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/R/RadiatSafyR99.pdf)

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

(http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/pasteact/3/3295/top.htm)

Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2003

(http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/W/WorkersCompA03.pdf)

 

This document is available in Word format for downloading.  Click here to download this document. 

 

[Introduction] [Scope] [Application] [Delegated Authorities]

1.0   Introduction

The University has a statutory obligation to keep a record of all workplace incidents (work injuries, work-caused illnesses and dangerous events) which arise from its activities. In addition, the University must notify Workplace Health and Safety Queensland of any serious bodily injuries, work-caused illnesses and dangerous events. The primary purpose of an incident reporting system is to ensure that appropriate action is taken to prevent future incidents/injuries, and to provide data to assist the University to continuously improve its health and safety management system.

 

2.0     Scope

These procedures apply to all staff, students, contractors and visitors at the University.

 

3.0       Application

To comply with the requirements of legislation and to maintain an incident monitoring system, the University is committed to:

·                 prompt reporting of all incidents involving staff, students, contractors and visitors, and investigation where required

·                 recording and reporting of incidents in accordance with the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 and associated Regulation prompt action by supervisors to initiate action to prevent recurrence

·                 monitoring and review of incident statistics by University health and safety committees

 

3.1      Reporting & Recording Incidents

All workplace incidents, injuries and near misses must be recorded on the Griffith University Incident/Injury Report Form within three days of a workplace incident occurring. These records will be kept on a central incident database.

               

How to report

·         Report all workplace incidents (any incident resulting in a work injury, work-caused illness or dangerous event) to the supervisor or lecturer as soon as possible.

·         'Near misses' – incidents which could have caused a death, serious injury, work-caused illness or dangerous event, but fortunately did not – must also be reported 

·         Complete the Griffith University Incident/Injury Report Form

·         Contact the relevant Element or Group Workplace Health & Safety Officer  to lodge the form or for assistance in completing the form. These officers will arrange for the appropriate level of investigation, and recording onto the University's incident database.

·         Certain serious incidents (see 3.1.1 Notifiable Incidents) must be notified to Workplace Health & Safety Queensland.

 

3.1.1       Notifiable Incidents

(a)      What to notify

The following incidents must be notified to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland within 24 hours of becoming aware that the event has happened. In the case of death, notification must be made immediately after becoming aware of the death.

 

Serious bodily injury - an injury to a person that causes death, loss of a body part, or an absence from work of more than 4 days (need not be consecutive)

 

Work caused illness - an illness or exacerbation of an illness to which work, a workplace, a workplace activity or specified high risk plant was a significant contributing factor

 

Dangerous event - an event which involves or could have involved exposure of persons to risk to their health and safety due to fire/explosion/chemical/electrical event etc

 

Serious electrical incident – any shock or injury caused by electrical equipment

 

Dangerous electrical event – any event involving electrical equipment or electrical work which results in a person not being electrically safe, or which causes significant property damage

 

(b)      How to notify

·         During business hours, contact the Health & Safety Specialist in your Element or the Senior Policy Adviser, Health & Safety on extension 57802 who will arrange notification in the approved Incident Notification Form.

·         After hours, notify Security on extension 7777 (unless the incident relates to a University Residential College, in which case contact the Residential Adviser.) Security will pass on to the relevant Campus Facilities Manager who will in turn notify the appropriate Director. The Senior Policy Adviser, Health & Safety must also be advised as soon as possible on extension 57802.

·         The scene of a NOTIFIABLE INCIDENT must not be interfered with except to save life, relieve suffering or prevent injury to persons or damage to property.

3.1.2      Reporting other incidents

Property loss or damage and theft or other criminal matters must be reported by completing the online Griffith University Security Incident Report Form on the Office of Facilities Management web page.  Alternatively, you may send a completed printed copy to your Campus Security Office. The Office of Facilities Management will ensure notification of these incidents to the Insurance and Risk Management Officer, Finance and Business Services.

 

Note: If the incident involves damage to University vehicles, a Griffith University Vehicle Damage Report Form must be completed. This form can also be obtained from the Transport Office, N54 Room 1.25, or by telephoning extension 57325.

 

3.2      Reporting Hazards

If you observe physical hazards, risks or hazardous activities:

·         Correct immediately if you have the capacity and authority to do so.

·         For hazards relating to building maintenance or landscaping call the Office of Facilities Management on extension 8888

·         For other hazards report to your Element or Group Workplace Health & Safety Officer

 

3.3       Workers' Compensation

All staff suffering a work injury (this includes injuries incurred while travelling to or from work) or work caused illness must contact their Group HR Adviser, or the Workplace Health & Safety Officer or Rehabilitation Coordinator for the Element or Group who will advise of their right to apply for workers' compensation and can assist with claim form completion.

 

4.0         Delegated Authorities

 

·               The Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) is responsible for the oversight of strategic direction and policy related to health and safety within the University.

·               Accountability for ensuring that health and safety management strategies are implemented at element level rests with senior managers. 

·               Heads of Elements are responsible for ensuring that incidents are reported, and that action is taken to prevent recurrence.

 

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Reporting and recording of work-caused injury, illness and occurrences procedure, reporting and recording of work-caused injury, illness and occurrences, reporting and recording of work-caused injury and illnesses, work-caused injury, illness, workplace health and safety, health and safety, health, safety, dangerous events, accident, incident, workplace incident, incident reporting, incident recording, incident notification, notifiable incident, near-miss, notifying, reporting, recording, injury, work injury, serious injury, dangerous event, dangerous electrical event, serious electrical incident, vehicle damage, workplace incident, work-caused illness, death, fatality, hazard, theft, security, insurance, risk, motor vehicle accident, workplace injury, hazard reporting, workers' compensation, human resources, hrm, hr, hr policies, hr procedures

 

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Hazard – any thing that has the potential to cause harm (injury or damage)   Workplace incident  - an incident resulting in a work injury, work-caused illness or dangerous event   Work injury - an injury to a person that requires first aid or medical treatment if the injury was caused or exacerbated by work, a workplace, a workplace activity or specified high risk plant   Near Miss  - an incident which could have caused serious bodily injury or extensive damage to property, but in the particular case did not.  These are recorded so that steps can be taken to prevent a recurrence where injury or damage may occur   Serious bodily injuries -  an injury to a person that causes (a)the injured person's death (b)the loss of a distinct part or an organ of the injured person's body (c)the injured person to be absent from work for more than 4 days.   Work caused illness  (a)an illness contracted by a person to which work, a workplace, a workplace activity or specified high risk plant was a significant contributing factor (b) the recurrence, aggravation, acceleration, exacerbation or deterioration in a person of an existing illness if work, a workplace, a workplace activity or specified high risk plant was a significant contributing factor to the recurrence, aggravation, acceleration, exacerbation or deterioration.   Dangerous event - an event caused by specified high risk plant, or an event at a workplace caused by a workplace activity, if the event involves or could have involved exposure of persons to risk to their health and safety because of (a)collapse, overturning, failure or malfunction of, or damage to, an item of specified high risk plant (b)collapse or failure of an excavation or of any shoring supporting an excavation (c)collapse or partial collapse of any part of a building or other structure; or (d)damage to any load bearing member of, or the failure of any brake, steering device or other control device of, a crane, hoist, conveyor, lift or escalator (e)implosion, explosion or fire (f)  escape, spillage or leakage of any hazardous material or dangerous goods (g)  fall or release from a height of any plant, substance or object (h)  damage to a boiler, pressure vessel or refrigeration plant (i)uncontrolled explosion, fire or escape of gas or steam   Serious electrical incident is an incident involving electrical equipment where – (a)  a person is killed by electricity; or (b)  a person receives a shock or injury from electricity, and is treated for the shock or injury by or under the supervision of a doctor; or (c)  a person receives a shock or injury from electricity at high voltage, whether or not the person is treated for the shock or injury by or under the supervision of a doctor.   Dangerous electrical event is - (a)  when a person is not, or may not have been electrically safe because of circumstances involving high voltage electrical equipment; or (b)  an event involving electrical equipment and in which significant property damage is caused directly by electricity or originates from electricity; or (c)  the performance of electrical work by a person not authorised under an electrical work licence to perform the work; or (d)  the performance of electrical work resulting in a person or property not being electrically (e)  the discovery by a licensed electrical worker of electrical equipment that has not been marked as required under the Electrical Safety Act 2002.

 

 

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