Accident and hazard reporting

A fundamental component of any accident prevention program is good, reliable accident reporting. If minor injuries, near misses or hazards are reported it gives the University through your supervisor an opportunity to intervene and prevent more serious injury. Your minor trip may be the next person's twisted ankle or worse. Similarly if you are finding it difficult to safely get the box down from top of the cupboard, it may be only a matter of time before you or a colleague are injured.

If you have an accident you should report it. If you identify a hazard and you cannot fix it quickly, you should report it. Reporting of accidents or hazards should occur promptly reducing the chances of the same thing happening to others.

With other types of injuries / incidents, for example with computers, early reporting of persistent or reoccurring pain or discomfort can prevent the problem from developing and becoming more serious. This same principle applies to some manual handling injuries and work related stress. Nearly half of the serious injuries over the last three years at Deakin may have been prevented if they were reported when they started occurring rather than many months later.

There is a statutory requirement in Victoria to report all serious injuries involving staff, students, visitors or contractors to WorkSafe Victoria.
Please contact the University's OHS Unit immediately on (03) 5227 2869 (Geelong / Warrnambool) (03) 924 68175 (Melbourne).

The University uses a simple one page accident/incident/hazard report form (48k)
The form should be used to report work injuries, serious incidents and hazards that cannot be quickly resolved.

Once completed, the report should be given to your supervisor (if practical) and then sent to the OHS group in Human Resources Services Division. It is your supervisor's responsibility to action the report if possible or send it to the appropriate University area for action.

OHS hazards associated with public areas, fixtures such as toilets and lights, and fittings such as carpets should be lodged directly with Facilities Management Services at http://www.deakin.edu.au/fmsd/archibus/wr.php

If OHS matters are not adequately addressed you can take them up with your local health and safety representative or through your campus OHS committee (contact the OHS group).