Incidents that need to be reported to WHSQ

By law, certain incidents are notifiable to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ). An incident is notifiable if it arises out of the conduct of a business or undertaking and results in the death, serious injury or serious illness of a person, or involves a dangerous incident.

Serious injury or illness

The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Safety in Recreational Water Activities Act 2011 set out that a serious injury or illness of a person is:

• an injury or illness requiring the person to have
  • immediate treatment as an in-patient in a hospital
  • immediate treatment for
    • the amputation of any part of his or her body
    • a serious head injury
    • a serious eye injury
    • a serious burn
    • the separation of his or her skin from an underlying tissue (such as degloving or scalping)
    • a spinal injury
    • the loss of a bodily function
    • serious lacerations

• • medical treatment (treatment by a doctor) within 48 hours of exposure to a substance
• any infection to which the carrying out of work is a significant contributing factor, including any infection that is reliably attributable to carrying out work
• • with micro-organisms

  or

  • that involves providing treatment or care to a person

  or

  • that involves contact with human blood or body substances

  or

  • that involves handling or contact with animals, animal hides, skins, wool or hair, animal carcasses or animal waste products
• the following occupational zoonoses contracted in the course of work involving the handling or contact with animals, animal hides, skins, wool or hair, animal carcasses or animal waste products
• • Q fever
  • Anthrax
  • Leptospirosis
  • Brucellosis
  • Hendra virus
  • Avian influenza
  • Psittacosis.

Dangerous incident

A dangerous incident is 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:

• an uncontrolled escape, spillage or leakage of a substance
• an uncontrolled implosion, explosion or fire
• an uncontrolled escape of gas or steam
• an uncontrolled escape of a pressurised substance
• electric shock
• the fall or release from a height of any plant, substance or thing
• 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
• the collapse or partial collapse of a structure
• the collapse or failure of an excavation or of any shoring supporting an excavation
• the inrush of water, mud or gas in workings, in an underground excavation or tunnel
• the interruption of the main system of ventilation in an underground excavation or tunnel.

Also consider...

• Refer to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Safety in Recreational Water Activities Act 2011
• Find out more about incidents, notifications and contacting WHSQ.