Symmetrical Group

Policies and Procedures

OHS&E\INCIDENT AND HAZARD REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION

SG-PR-32-01 Incident and Hazard Reporting and Investigation

INTRODUCTION

Symmetrical Group recognises the value of a comprehensive hazard reporting, incident notification and investigation process to ensure that, where possible, incidents are prevented through:

• Reporting of hazards before an incident happens so remedial action can be taken; and
• Investigating incidents to establish all causes and implement remedial actions to prevent recurrences.

To achieve this:

• All Symmetrical Group personnel and contractors shall report any incident or hazard no matter how minor;
• All reported hazards will be assessed to determine the appropriate remedial action;
• All incidents shall be assessed to determine the extent of the investigation;
• Serious incidents shall be investigated to establish the root causes;
• Incidents that meet the regulatory reporting requirements shall be reported within the legislated time frame; and
• The incident shall be documented and actions implemented to prevent recurrences of similar incidents.

• DEFINITIONS
• Incident

An incident is an unwanted event that results in harm to people, damage to property, damage to the environment or loss of process.

• Incident

A near miss or event that, under slightly different circumstances, could have resulted in serious harm to people, damage to property, damage to the environment or loss of process.

• Significant Incident

A significant incident is any incident that results in or has the potential to result in a serious or major injury or illness, serious environmental impact or major financial loss greater than $30,000 caused by property damage or loss of process.

• Serious or Major Injury or Illness

A serious or major injury is an injury or work related illness that needs (or is expected to) result in extended or perman ent disability or loss of life.

• Injury or Illness Incident

The following define the injuries or illness reported across Symmetrical Group:

• Minor Injury (MI)

The reporting of a work related injury or illness that receives no treatment.

• First Aid Injury (FAI)

A work related injury or illness that results in the person returning to their normal duties immediately following treatment.

• Medical Treatment Injury (MTI)

A work related injury or illness that results the  person not being able to return to their normal duties immediately following treatment for the injury or illness, but where they are able to return to their full normal duties on their next rostered shift.

• Alternative Duties (AI)

A work related injury or illness that results in the person returning to their workplace on their next shift following treatment but is unable to perform their normal duties.

• Lost Time Injury or Illness (LTI)

A work related injury or illness that results in the person loosing a minimum of one full rostered shift.

• Certified Injuries (CI)

Any injury necessitating a change in the normal duties of the injured worker or where the worker is assigned to “Alternative Duties “ after the day of the injury. The work assignment must be meaningful and pre established or a substantial part of a regular work task.

• Environmental Incident

The following define the environmental incidents that are to be reported across Symmetrical Group sites:

• Little or No Environmental Impact

An environmental incident is deemed little if it involves minor spillage, a small leak, or an emission with minor effect on site and exposure standards are not breached. This includes a record of impact from offsite or a complaint that is unconfirmed.

• Small or Localised Environmental Impact

An environmental incident is deemed localised if it involves minor spillage, a small acid leak, sump overflow or an above steady state emission with no effect offsite and exposure standards are not breached. This includes a notifiable incident that is not prosecutable and has no long-term effects

• Substantial Environmental Impact

An environmental incident is deemed substantial if it involves breaching an internal company standard, exceeding exposure standards or where discharges effect the immediate receiving environment. This includes a notifiable incident that is not prosecutable and has potential long-term effects. It includes an impact offsite causing public or industrial concern (often linked to a complaint from an industrial neighbour).

• Serious Environmental Impact

An environmental incident is deemed serious if it involves breaching an internal company standard, exceeding exposure standards, is potentially a breach of a license condition and where discharges effect the immediate and extended receiving environment.

• Major and/or Widespread Environmental Impact

An environmental incident is deemed to be major if there is a breach of a license condition and there are large or highly toxic discharges that significantly damage the environment or risk public safety.

• Damage or Loss of Process Incident

A damage or loss of process incident is one that results in an interruption to work, damage to property, or process loss.

• Low Financial Loss

Low financial loss incident is non-disruptive property damage or production loss, estimated to be in the order of less than $2,000.

• Medium Financial Loss

Medium financial loss is disruptive property damage or production loss, estimated to be in the order of $2,000 to $10,000.

• High Financial Loss

High financial loss is disruptive property damage or production loss, estimated to be in the order of $10,000 to $30,000.

• Major Financial Loss

Major financial loss is disruptive property damage or production loss, estimated to be in the order of $30,000 to $200,000.

• Huge Financial Loss

Huge financial loss is disruptive property damage or production loss, estimated to be greater than $200,000.

• Notifiable Injury, Illness or Incident

A notifiable injury, illness or incident is one that must be reported to either WorkSafe, or Energy Safety at the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (DoCEP), or the Department of Industry and Resources (DoIR), or the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

• REPORTING, INVESTIGATION & ANALYSIS OF INCIDENTS
• General

Any incident that results in harm to people, damage to property, damage to the environment or loss of process or near miss shall be reported by submitting the Hazaed/Incident Report to the Symmetrical Group supervisor.

• Incident Reporting Procedure

1.        Person (s) Involved:

As soon as possible after the incident:

• Informs the appropriate Team Leader, Responsible Officer or Duty Site Controller.
• Completes the Incident report form.

2.        Team Leader, Responsible Officer or Duty Site Controller

As soon as possible:

• Informs the appropriate manager.
• Completes the initial investigation of the incident.
• Initiates and assists the person involved to complete the Incident report, if not completed.
• Completes the Investigation Report, and where appropriate the Root Cause Analysis.
• Decides on the actions to be taken to prevent recurrence, if required.
• Completes the Recommended Preventative Action.
• Completes the Safety Notification report to inform all personnel that the incident has been investigated and preventative action assigned.

Note:        Step (g) should be completed within five (5) working days of the incident being reported or one (1) month if it is a Significant Incident. 

3.        Area Safety and Health Representative

• As appropriate, participates in all incident analysis associated with the area he/she represents.

4.        Manager

As soon as possible:

• Commences an investigation and analysis of the incident.
• Ensures that the appropriate incident reporting process has been completed.
• Reviews all elements of the incident report to ensure the appropriateness of the preventative action.
• When satisfied that incident has been properly investigated signs off the investigated incident.
• REPORTING SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS
• General

The following process for reporting, investigating and analysing significant incidents shall be followed. This ensures that appropriate management and authorities are aware of and review the incident and appropriate actions are taken to ensure that the incident does not reoccur.

• Significant Incident Reporting Procedure

1.        Person (s) Involved

As soon as possible:

• Informs the appropriate Team Leader, Responsible Officer, Duty Site Controller, Business Unit or relevant Department Manager of the incident.

2.        Team Leader, Responsible Officer, Duty Site Controller, Business Unit or relevant Department Manager:

As soon as possible:

• Carries out the actions in Section 3.2, and
• If there has been a fatality, or if statutory analysis is required, follows the procedures for statutory analysis.
• Arranges for a Committee to convene at the earliest opportunity.
• Prepares a presentation on the analysis findings, if necessary.

• Responsibilities
• Significant Incident Review Team

Each week a review of all incidents shall be conducted by the General Manager - Operations, the Superintendent, Safety Services and the appropriate Divisional or Departmental Manager.  Additionally, following any report of a significant incident the Incident Review Team will determine if the incident should proceed to the Standing Committee for review.

• Committee

The Committee is the designated group to whom the Departmental Manager or delegate makes a presentation on the finding of the investigation and analysis into a significant incident occurring within their area of responsibility.

The Standing Committee consists of the following;

• Manager.
• Supervisor
• Leading Hand

Invitees consist of the following:

• The person or persons involved in the incident.
• Client Representative/s

• REPORTING TO THE CLIENT

In addition to the Significant Incident Reporting requirements, all fatalities or life threatening injuries and damage or loss of process likely to exceed $30,000 are to be reported immediately to the Client Representative unless otherwise instructed by the Manager.

In addition, all incidents which may result in legal proceedings of a material or potentially material nature have to be reported within an appropriate time of response to the Corporate Solicitors Office unless otherwise instructed by the Managing Director.

• STATUTORY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS - os&h

Under the General Provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984, an employer is required to report to WorkSafe WA any injury or disease that results in:

• The death of any employee.
• A fracture of the skull, spine or pelvis.
• A fracture of any bones in the arm, other than the wrist or hand.
• A fracture of any bone in the leg, other than a bone in the ankle or foot.
• An amputation of an arm, hand, finger joint, foot, toe or toe joint.
• The loss of the sight of an eye.
• Any injury other than those detailed above that in the opinion of a medical practitioner is likely to prevent the employee from being able to work within 10 days of the day on which the injury occurred.

Note:        Reporting of ALL electrical incidents to Energy Safety at the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (DoCEP) is a statutory requirement.

• Statutory Investigations

The Western Australian Occupational Safety and Health Act provides for Government Investigations of serious and fatal incidents.  Fatal incidents also involve a Stipendiary Magistrate’s Investigation.  These investigations have legal precedence over company investigation and analysis.

• Statutory Procedures

If the incident involves a fatality the Manager shall carry out ALL the following actions immediately. However, if the incident involves an external investigation, other than a fatality, the Manager shall, depending upon the nature of the incident, carry out the following actions as applicable.

• Posts a person to ensure no person enters the area until the Government Inspector arrives.
• Notifies the Divisional Manager who advises the Managing Director.
• Notifies the Police.
• Notifies WorkSafe and other appropriate authorities.
• Notifies the client Safety and Health Adviser.

Note:        The Symmetrical Group person or persons designated to investigate the incident, and the area Safety and Health Adviser are to accompany the Government Inspector during the investigation and analysis of the incident.

• STATUTORY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS to Energy safety at the department of consumer and employee protection (docep)

• General

In accordance with the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991, ALL electric incidents, irrespective of their seriousness, must be reported to the relevant supply authority and the Director of Energy Safety (Energy Safety WA).

• Notification

Electric accidents and shocks shall be reported to Energy Safety WA, as soon as possible after the incident, by the Symmetrical Group License Holder Nominee or his/her designee on 1800 678 198.

• STATUTORY REPORTING to the department of industry and resources (doir)

• General

An incident shall be reported to the Department of Industry and Resources (DoIR) where any event involving Dangerous Goods (and/or explosives) has caused or had the potential to cause any injury, damage to property or the environment.

References:

• Accident Reporting Policy: Requirements for Reporting Accidents at Major Hazard Facilities
• Explosives and Dangerous Goods Act 1961.

• Notification

Incidents that must be notified to DoIR within 24 hours include but are not limited to:

• Any onsite incident involving a Dangerous Good that has caused, or has the potential to cause, - an injury to a person, damage to property or damage to the environment.
• Any incident occurring in a Major Hazard Facility that is reportable to WorkSafe WA.
• Loss of containment of a Dangerous Good.
• A significant process incident in a Major Hazard Facility (e.g. Failure of a final protective device, Explosion)

• Responsibilities for Notification

During normal DoIR business hours (0830 to 1630), the Responsible Manager or Duty Site Controller shall phone the DoIR on 9222 3333 and outline the incident.

If the incident occurred during a weekend or out-of-normal hours, DoIR shall be notified by Fax, using the Incident Report form, within 24 hours of the incident, after consultation with the Responsible Manager. The Responsible Manager shall follow up by phone to the DoIR on 92223333 during normal working hours, on the first working day after the incident.

Note:        If at any time, the incident warrants immediate notification phone DoIR on 1300 665 50

• Responsibilities for Formal Reporting

The Responsible Manager is to formally notify by letter within seven (7) working days, or if the incident analysis has not been completed, a time frame agreed with the Technical Services Branch (Safety Assessment Group) using DoIR’s accident reporting form.

Note 1        If further clarification is required on notification to DoIR, please contact Manager Environment and Manufacturing Support.

Note 2        Formal reporting to DoIR also requires completion of their accident reporting form available from the Environmental Department or DoIR website (www.doir.wa.gov.au)

• record keeping

• Incident

All details involving any incidents shall be entered into SiteSafe.

Business units shall maintain all records generated from the incident investigation. Paper-based records, such as:

• PowerPoint presentations;
• Cause & Effect diagrams;
• Incident investigation report;
• Faxes or reports to and from statutory authorities and
• Photographs; shall be kept and filed in the Business Unit where the incident occurred.

• Significant And Serious Incidents

Business Units shall ensure that electronic copies of all records generated from a significant or serious incident investigation, such as:

• PowerPoint presentations;
• Cause & Effect diagrams;
• Significant and serious incident investigation report
• Faxes or reports to and from statutory authorities and
• Photographs; are transmitted to the Safety Department’s Administration Officer for inclusion into Domino.Doc.

• Retention Period

All electronic and paper-based records shall be kept for a minimum of seven (7) years.

Appendix A – Level of Investigation

9.0        Forms Relevant to this Procedure

F-S-01-1 Hazard Report

F-S-01-2 Incident Notification

F-S-01-3 Investigation Report

F-S-01-4 Loss/Damage Report

F-S-01-5 Safety Report

Date published: 25/07/2013

* -25/07/2013 12:27:06 PM