• Section 1 - Key Information
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Key Decisions
• Section 5 - Policy Statement
• Section 6 - Procedures
• Part A - Responsibilities
• Managers and Leaders
• Health & Safety Team:
• All Staff, Students and Contractors
• Part B - Hazard Identification, Actioning and Reporting
• Part C - Incident Response and Reporting
• Part D - Escalation of Notification of incidents
• Part E - Notifiable Incident
• Section 7 - Definitions
• Section 8 - Authority and Associated Information

Section 1 - Key Information

Section 2 - Purpose

(1) This Procedure documents how to comply with the Health and Safety Policy and contribute to maintaining a safe and productive  University environment by reporting hazards and incidents.

Section 3 - Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to:

1. all staff and members of the University Community (including Council members, volunteers, students, contractors and associates).

Section 4 - Key Decisions

Section 5 - Policy Statement

(3) This procedure forms part of the Health and Safety Policy suite which governs it’s application.

Section 6 - Procedures

Part A - Responsibilities

Managers and Leaders

(4) Managers and leaders are responsible for:

1. Supporting any person, who in good faith stops work because they have identified a hazard, which involves an immediate threat to the health and safety of people; and
2. Encouraging staff, students and contractors to report all hazards and incidents.

Health & Safety Team:

(5) The Health and Safety Team are responsible for:

1. Providing oversight and monitor this procedure. 
2. Contacting Worksafe or the equivalent authority when a notifiable incident occurs.
3. Utilising hazard and incident data to identify issues. 
4. Providing advice and recommend improvements to strengthen risk controls. 
5. Communicating the established data trends and insights to the University community, via HSE channels.

All Staff, Students and Contractors

(6) Staff, students and Contractors are responsible for:

1. Identifying, rectifying if safely possible, and reporting hazards;
2. Stopping work or activity if there is an immediate danger to health and safety;
3. Reporting all incidents; and
4. Assisting injured persons to receive the appropriate medical attention.

Part B - Hazard Identification, Actioning and Reporting

(7) A hazard is a source of potential harm that can give rise to injury, illness or material damage to plant, property or the environment. Hazards can be identified through:

1. Task planning 
2. Direct observation
3. Previous incidents/learning 
4. Inspections and audits
5. External information such as:
   1. communities of shared practice 
   2. industry advisory bodies 
   3. statutory authorities

(8) Where a hazard is identified, there should be an attempt to immediately correct it, if able and safe to do so.

(9) If the hazard cannot be corrected, then the hazard/surrounding area should be made safe. This may involve:

1. Temporarily erecting a barricade, or
2. Affixing an out of service tag, or 
3. Notifying staff, students, contractors in the area of the hazard.

(10) Hazards will be reported in the University’s Incident and Hazard Reporting system located on the University intranet.

(11) Hazards will also be reported to any of the following people or groups for correction:

Part C - Incident Response and Reporting

(12) An incident is an event where an injury, illness, property damage or a near miss has occurred.

(13) Where an incident occurs, those first to the scene will undertake the following:

1. Make an assessment of the situation, ensuring the area is safe.
2. Render immediate assistance to injured person/s.
3. Contact security for assistance and support.
4. If able, make the incident area as safe and secure as possible. 
5. Contact the supervisor and the HSE Team.

(14) Incidents will be reported in the University’s Incident and Hazard Reporting system available via multiple points on the University intranet.

Part D - Escalation of Notification of incidents

(15) Incidents involving the potential or occurrence of an injury, illness or material damage, will follow the escalation of notification within the University structure and escalated to the next level if contact cannot be made.

1. Significant incidents: fatality, severe injury, multiple injuries and casualties, major asset damage
2. Serious incidents: serious injury, multiple casualties, asset damage
3. Moderate incidents: injuries requiring medical attention, minor asset damage

Part E - Notifiable Incident

(16) The Health and Safety team will identify incidents that are notifiable to Worksafe Victoria or an equivalent authority.

(17) Where an incident is notifiable, the incident scene will be preserved for investigation by the authority. The scene may be disturbed only to protect the health and safety of people or to take essential action to make the site safe and prevent a further incident.

Section 7 - Definitions

(18) For the purpose of this procedure:

1. Escalation: An increase in seriousness.
2. Hazard: A source of potential harm to people or a situation that can cause injury, illness and /or material loss to plant, property or the environment.
3. Hazard identification: Is the process of identifying situations or events that could give rise to injury, illness or material damage to plant or property or the environment.
4. Incident: An event where an injury, illness, property damage or near miss has occurred.
5. Near miss: Any event which under slightly different circumstances such as location or timing would have resulted in injury, illness or property damage.
6. Notifiable incident: A serious incident involving death or life threatening injuries that requires immediate notification to Worksafe Victoria or the equivalent authority. 
7. Risk: A function of the probability of an adverse event occurring and the potential consequence of that event. 

Section 8 - Authority and Associated Information

(19) This Policy is made under the La Trobe University Act 2009.