Occupiers of workplaces/employers notify in the following manner:
- Incidents involving injury or illness to workers
Serious incidents involving a fatality or a serious injury or illness.
(Refer to clause 344 of the OHS Regulation 2001):
- phone WorkCover IMMEDIATELY on 13 10 50 as an urgent investigation may be needed, PLUS
- notify your workers compensation insurer within 48 hours.
Other incidents involving an injury or illness to workers, where workers compensation is payable or may be payable, eg. time lost, medical expenses. (Refer to sections 42 and 44 of the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 and clause 32 of Workers Compensation Regulation 2003):
- notify your workers compensation insurer within 48 hours.There is no need to notify WorkCover as the insurer advises WorkCover of these incidents.
Incidents involving injury or illness to non-workers at your workplace
(ie. those not covered by your workers compensation eg. a visitor, customer, volunteer, student, contractor)
Serious incidents involving a fatality or serious injury or illness. (Refer to clause 344 of the OHS Regulation 2001):
- phone WorkCover IMMEDIATELY on 13 10 50 as an urgent investigation may be needed, PLUS
- notify WorkCover within 7 days with full notification details using the online form or phone 13 10 50.
Other incidents involving a non-worker where the injury or illness results in the person being unable to perform their normal activities for 7 or more days. (Refer to clause 341 of the OHS Regulation 2001):
- notify WorkCover within 7 days using the online form or phone 13 10 50.
Incidents that present a risk to health and safety at your workplace
(ie. incidents where there is no injury or illness to workers or non-workers)
Serious incidents that are immediately life threatening but result in no injury or illness, eg. the collapse of an excavation with no injury. (Refer to clause 344 of the OHS Regulation 2001):
- phone WorkCover IMMEDIATELY on 13 10 50 as an urgent investigation may be needed, PLUS
- notify WorkCover within 7 days with full notification details using the online form or phone 13 10 50.
Other incidents are certain incidents that are not immediately life threatening but result in no injury or illness, eg. exposure to specific substances. (Refer to clause 341 of the OHS Regulation 2001):
- notify WorkCover within 7 days using the online form or phone 13 10 50.
Note: The Incident Report Form is no longer to be used to notify WorkCover.
For more information, see:
- What are serious incidents under clause 344 of the OHS Regulation 2001?
- What are incidents under clause 341 of the OHS Regulation 2001?
- Who is a non-worker for the purposes of making an incident notification?
- What are workplace injuries?
- If there is a work-related incident involving an injury or illness to a worker, who do I notify?