Goulburn Ovens

Institute of TAFE
Procedure no. CS15-P75
Refer OHS Policy no. CS15
(Copy on Web Site)

Title: Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

Executive Management approved: 9/5/2005
Reviewed: 12/10/05, 16/1/06, 12/6/07, 13/3/08, 19/04/2011
Responsible Officer: OHS Coordinator
Authorising Officer: Deputy Director
Review: Biennial (19th April 2013)

Disclaimer: Printed hard copies of this document are uncontrolled. For the current version, please
refer to the Intranet site.

INCIDENT REPORTING AND

INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
1.

PURPOSE

to ensure all OHS incidents are reported;

to ensure all OHS incidents are investigated appropriately, with a view to
prevention of similar occurrences;
to ensure compliance with legal requirements for incident notification to
the Victorian Workcover Authority.

2.

SCOPE
This procedure is applicable to all incidents:
that occur on Institute premises, &/or;

that occur on Institute premises under the control of Institute staff, &/or;

involve Institute staff or students, while involved in work related to Institute

business or programmes.

3.

DEFINITIONS
Incident:

An unplanned event resulting in, or having potential for injury, ill

health, damage or other loss. Incidents may involve actual or
potential injury/illness, property/environment damage, motor
vehicle accidents or near-misses.

Hazard:

Any source or situation with a potential for harm in terms of

injury/illness, damage to property/plant/equipment, or damage to
the environment.

Near Misses:

Near Misses may be incidents that involve very minor losses or no

loss as such, and when there is no injury/illness involved. Nearmisses, however highlight workplace hazards and the need to
initiate corrective action, eg: tripping without falling.

Staff:

Staff refers to any persons employed by the Institute, whether

employment is ongoing, fixed term, part-time or casual/sessional.

Supervisor:

An Institute Staff member with supervisory responsibilities, either

of students or other staff. Staff supervisors will include
Commercial Managers, Support Managers, and Executive
Officers. Student Supervisors will include teaching staff, as well as
the listed staff supervisors.

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Risk:

Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

A risk is the likelihood that exposure to a hazard will result in injury

or disease

Risk Assessment: The process of analysing all of the risks associated with hazards
and evaluating them to determine steps for risk control and
priorities. Risk Assessment considers two (2) main factors: the likelihood that the hazard will result in injury/illness, loss or
damage to the environment, property, plant or equipment. This
assessment of likelihood also needs to consider frequency or
exposure to the hazard
the potential severity of that injury, illness, loss or damage
Risk Score:

The risk score is the number allocated following risk assessment,

which describes the level of risk, ranging from H (very high risk) to
L (very low risk). The risk score is also used to identify the priority
and timeframe of response to the identified hazard.

Risk Control:

Risk Control is a method of managing the risk, which involves

taking actions to eliminate &/or reduce the likelihood that
exposure to a hazard will result in injury/disease. There is a
hierarchy of control measures to be followed with the primary
emphasis on controlling the hazards at source. Methods of Risk
control in preferred priority order are: Elimination
Substitution
Isolation enclosing or isolating a hazard
Engineering controls/Redesign changing processes,
equipment, tools
Administrative controls changing work procedures
Personal Protective Equipment

Notifiable Incident:
Notification is required to the Victorian Workcover Authority where
an incident at a workplace or equipment site results in:(a) the death of any person
(b) a person requiring medical treatment within 48 hours of
exposure to a substance
(c) a person requiring immediate treatment as an inpatient in a
hospital
(d) a person requiring immediate medical treatment for:
amputation
serious head injury
serious eye injury
separation of skin from underlying tissue (for example
degloving or scalping)
electric shock
spinal injury
loss of bodily function
serious lacerations

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Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

Notifiable Dangerous Occurrence:

A Dangerous Occurrence is an incident at a workplace which
may seriously endanger the health and safety of people in the
immediate vicinity: the collapse, overturning, failure or malfunction of, or
damage to, any item of plant listed in Schedule 2 of the
OHS Regulations 2007;
the collapse or failure of an excavation, or the shoring
support of an excavation;
the collapse or partial collapse of any part of a building or
structure;
an implosion, explosion or fire;
the escape, spillage, or leakage of substances;
the fall from a height of dangerous or heavy objects.
4.

PROCEDURE
4.1 INCIDENT REPORTING PROCESS
The Institute Incident Reporting Flowchart outlines the steps involved in
Incident Management. There are 5 main steps:4.1.1 Immediate Response to an Incident

4.1.2

Appropriate first aid/Medical treatment arranged if required

Incident reported to supervisor verbally
Supervisor takes any steps required to protect the health and safety
of all persons following incident

Significant Incidents reported immediately to OHS Coordinator, and

Notifiable Incidents &/or Dangerous Occurrences immediately reported to
Victorian Workcover Authority.

Notifiable Incidents or Notifiable Dangerous Occurrences reported to

OHS Coordinator
OHS Coordinator co-ordinates notification to Victorian Workcover
Authority if required
In the case of a workplace death or notifable incident, where
practicable, the site of the incident must be preserved (ie: not
disturbed) until directed by a Workcover Inspector.
In the event that the OHS Coordinator is not available, the incident
must be reported to the Organisational Development Manager.
In the event that the Organisational Development Manager is not
available, the senior most manager aware of the incident, should
notify the Victorian Workcover Authority on Ph: 132 360
A Victorian Workcover Authority Incident Notification Form must be
completed and forwarded to Workcover within 48 hours of incident.

4.1.3 Incident Documentation and Investigation

Completion of Incident Report Form Part A (Incident Notification)

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4.1.4

Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

If it is not possible for the involved person to complete the Institute

Incident Report form, the staff or student supervisor, or another
responsible officer is to complete the form on their behalf.
Fax Incident Report Form, to Organisational Development within 48
hours of incident
Completion of Incident Report Form Part B (Incident Followup) is to be completed for all Major Incidents (Reportable to
WorkSafe) or accidents requiring a doctor or a hospital visit.
Incident follow-up conducted within department by supervisor, with
involved person and Health and Safety representative as appropriate
Incident follow-up to include:
a. identification of contributing factors to incident
b. risk assessment
c. development of risk control measures in a Corrective Action Plan,
according to hierarchy of risk controls
Incident Report Form Part B, completed and sent to Organisational
Development within 3 days of Incident Notification.
OHS Coordinator involved in further Accident Investigation process
or Risk Assessments if required, eg: for serious incidents or incidents
involving manual handling, chemical substances, plant/machinery.

Implementation of Risk control measures within Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Plan including Risk control measures, implemented

by department
The Corrective Action Plan may include multiple risk control
measures, for example interim control measures that can be
implemented immediately, and longer term control measures that
may be more effective.

4.1.5 Follow-up to ensure that implemented risk control measures are effective

Steps taken to ensure that implemented risk control measures are

effective may involve supervisor, health and safety representative
&/or OHS Coordinator

4.2 RESPONSIBILITIES
4.2.1 All Staff and Students

All Staff and students are required to report any incidents, near
misses, actual or potential hazards to their supervisor or elected
Health and Safety Representative as soon as possible. It is expected
that staff and students report incidents promptly, ie: on the day the
incident occurred.

Incidents should be reported verbally and then in writing using an

Institute Incident Report Form.

Institute Staff should ensure that incidents that involve visitors to the
Institute, are also reported.

4.2.2 Contractors
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Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

All contractors engaged by the Institute are required to report any

incidents, near misses, actual or potential hazards to the Campus
Service Co-ordinator or relevant Institute representative.

Incidents must be immediately reported verbally, and then

subsequently using an Institute Incident Report Form.

If any notifiable incidents or dangerous occurrences occur involving

Contractors, these must be immediately reported to the relevant
Institute Representative, and appropriate notification made to the
Victorian Workcover Authority by the Contractor.

All incidents involving contractors are to be investigated by the

contractor in conjunction with the Institutes relevant Health and Safety
Representative &/or OHS Coordinator.

The contractor must implement identified corrective or preventative

risk control measures. If the involvement of the Institute is required in
relation to the implementation of risk control measures, the contractor
must advise the relevant Institute representative.

4.2.3 Supervisors/Managers

Ensure that all staff are aware of the incident reporting procedure and
the importance of prompt reporting of incidents.

Supervisors/Managers are responsible for taking any immediate steps

required following an incident to render the area safe, and protect the
health and safety of all persons

Supervisors must ensure that if first aid is required as a result of an

incident, this is arranged appropriately.

Supervisors/Managers are responsible for ensuring that the Institute

Incident reporting and investigation procedure is implemented within
areas under their control, or where their staff &/or students are based.
This includes following recommended timeframes for incident
reporting, and notification via telephone to the OHS Coordinator for
significant incidents.

Managers are responsible for ensuring that all incidents are reported
according to regulatory and Institute requirements. For notifiable
incidents &/or dangerous occurrences, if the OHS Coordinator and
the Organisational Development Manager are unavailable, senior
managers should report directly to the Victorian Workcover Authority
on Ph: 132 360, and notify the OHS Coordinator of their actions.

Supervisors must check that the Incident Report Form is fully

completed. Signing the Incident Report Form indicates that
supervisors are aware of the incident, are reasonably sure that the
information is correct and are committed to an agreed prevention
action.

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Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

Supervisors should involve the relevant Health and Safety

Representative to assist in the Incident Follow up/Investigation
process, where incidents have been assessed as having a risk score
of 1, 2 or 3.

Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that appropriate risk control

measures are developed within the Corrective Action plan, and for the
implementation of these risk control measures.

Supervisors should also ensure that risk control measures that have
been implemented are effective and that additional hazards have not
been created as a result. The Institute OHS Coordinator should be
contacted for assistance with this if required.

4.2.4 Health and Safety Representatives

Health and Safety Representatives may be involved immediately

following an incident to assist with steps required to make the area
safe, to protect the health and safety of all persons.

Health and Safety Representatives may be involved to assist with

incident investigation and development of appropriate risk control
measures.

In their capacity as OHS Committee members, Health and Safety

Representatives monitor incident trends and make recommendations
regarding preventative action.

4.2.5 Institute OHS Coordinator

The OHS Coordinator is to co-ordinate reporting of all notifiable

incidents or dangerous occurrences to the Victorian Workcover
Authority.

The OHS Coordinator is to assist with investigation of significant

incidents, in consultation with Supervisor/Manager and Health and
Safety Representative.

Review of Incident Report Form completion and monitoring of the

Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure is to be undertaken by
the OHS Coordinator, including assessment of developed corrective
action plans, identified risk control measures and implementation.

The Register of Incidents is to be maintained by the OHS Coordinator,

within Organisational Development.

An incident summary report is to be provided to the OHS Committee

by Organisational Development to monitor incident trends and
corrective actions.

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5.

Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

DOCUMENTATION

OHS Policy - CS15

Incident Report Form FOH-01

Incident Reporting Flowchart (Attached)

Worksafe Publication: Controlling OHS Hazards and risks - A handbook for

workplaces ODOH-02

Worksafe Publication - OHS Act Summary ODOH-04

First Aid Procedure CS15-P80

Occupational Health and Safety Act (2004)

Occupational Health and Safety (Incident Notification Regulations), 1997

Equipment Public Safety (Incident Notification) Regulations, 1997

Occupational Health and Safety (Issue Resolution) Regulations, 1999

Victorian Workcover Authority Incident Notification Form (to be obtained from

Institute Organisational Development Unit)

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Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

INCIDENT REPORTING FLOWCHART

INCIDENT
Personal, Property, Environment, Near Miss, Motor
Vehicle Accident.

Appropriate first aid/medical treatment if required, and

Report to Supervisor verbally

Supervisor takes steps required to protect health and

safety of all persons following incident

Incidents involving significant injury/illness reported

immediately to OHS Coordinator by telephone or fax. If
OHS Coordinator is not available, Supervisor is to report
incident to Organisational Development Manager

Incident Report Form (Part A, Incident Notification)

completed & signed by Involved person, with supervisor
(If it is not possible for the involved person to complete the
Incident Report Form, the Supervisor or another
responsible officer is to complete the form)

Part A of Incident Report Form (Incident Notification) faxed

to Organisational Development within 48 hours of incident

Incident follow up conducted within Department by

supervisor, with the involved person and the Health and
Safety Representative as appropriate

OHS Coordinator actions receipt of Incident Report Form,

using Institute Incident Reporting Action Sheet:

recording on database

notification to injured/ill staff

notification to 3rd parties Work Safe Victoria,

Facilities/Institute Insurer

notification to other Institute staff if appropriate

Management, Head of Campus, Facilities,
Health and Safety Rep

Liaison with Institute staff regarding Workcover if

indicated

Incident Report Form (Part B, Incident Follow-up)

completed. Part A & Part B of Incident Report Form sent to
Organisational Development within 3 days of Incident
Notification

Bi-monthly Incident Summary Report provided to OHS

Committee for review and discussion

Once risk control measures are in place, Supervisor and

Health and Safety Representative monitor to ensure
effectiveness

(Department to retain copy)

Steps taken by Department to implement Corrective Action

Plan

Any further hazards/concerns re: risk control measures,

unsafe practices notified to relevant Manager
OHS Coordinator monitors progress/resolution of OHS
issues & hazards. Once issue resolved, Incident
Recording database noted accordingly

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