POL-004 | Incident & Accident Reporting and Investigation Policy | Version 1.0 | February 2026

Purpose

To ensure all incidents, accidents, near-misses, and dangerous occurrences are reported, investigated, and used to prevent recurrence. To meet the legal duty to notify WorkSafe Queensland of notifiable incidents.

Scope

Applies to all workers, contractors, visitors, and any person injured or involved in an incident at [YOUR BUSINESS NAME].

Definitions

Incident: Any unplanned event that results in, or could have resulted in, injury, illness, or property damage.

Near-miss: An event that did not result in injury or damage but had the potential to do so.

Notifiable incident: A death, serious injury or illness, or dangerous incident that must be reported to WorkSafe Queensland immediately.

Notifiable Incidents — Immediate Action Required

Under the WHS Act 2011 (Qld), the PCBU must notify WorkSafe Queensland immediately (by phone) if any of the following occur:

Death of a person

Serious injury or illness — including: amputation, serious head or eye injury, serious burns, spinal injury, loss of consciousness, hospitalisation for immediate treatment, or any injury requiring immediate surgery

Dangerous incident — including: uncontrolled escape of hazardous substances, electric shock, explosion, collapse of racking or structure, fall from height, or any incident with potential to cause serious injury

WorkSafe Queensland Incident Notification: 1300 362 128 (24 hours) You must also preserve the incident scene until an inspector arrives or gives permission to disturb it (except to assist an injured person, make the area safe, or comply with a direction from an emergency service).

Reporting Procedure

All Incidents and Near-Misses

Step 1: Ensure the safety of all persons. Call 000 if emergency medical assistance is required. Step 2: Notify your supervisor immediately. Step 3: If a notifiable incident — call WorkSafe Queensland on 1300 362 128 immediately. Step 4: Complete the Incident/Accident Report Form (FORM-002) or Near-Miss Report Form (FORM-003) as soon as practicable (within 24 hours). Step 5: Preserve the scene (do not move or disturb evidence unless necessary for safety). Step 6: Management will conduct an investigation within 48 hours.

Investigation Process

All incidents must be investigated to determine:

1. What happened (sequence of events)
2. Why it happened (root causes — not just immediate causes)
3. What controls were in place and why they failed
4. What corrective actions are needed to prevent recurrence

Use the Corrective Action Form (FORM-011) to document and track corrective actions.

No-Blame Culture

[YOUR BUSINESS NAME] operates a no-blame reporting culture. The purpose of incident reporting is to learn and improve — not to punish. Workers who report incidents in good faith will not face disciplinary action for the act of reporting.

Related Documents: FORM-002, FORM-003, FORM-011, REG-002 | Legislation: WHS Act 2011 (Qld) s.35–38; WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) Part 3.6