H&S Hub: Indicent REporting
What is an Incident?
When people hear the word 'incident', they often think of a serious injury or a major insurance claim. However, an incident is much broader than that and includes any unplanned event that results in, or has the potential to result in, harm, damage, or loss.
Incidents can include:
Injuries or illnesses affecting staff, volunteers, congregation members, or visitors.
Near misses, where no one was injured but there was potential for harm. For example, a volunteer trips on a loose carpet but regains their balance and does not fall.
Property-related incidents, such as accidental damage to church buildings, contents, vehicles, equipment, or neighbouring property.
Security incidents, theft, vandalism, or threatening behaviour.
Reporting near misses is particularly important because they provide an opportunity to identify hazards and prevent a future incident that could cause serious injury or significant property damage.
Similarly, property incidents should be reported even when the damage appears minor or when you don’t intend to make an insurance claim. Early reporting helps ensure accurate records are maintained, trends can be identified, and appropriate repairs or preventative measures can be arranged.
Creating a culture where incidents, near misses, and property damage are reported promptly helps us meet our health and safety responsibilities, protects people and property, and helps us learn from events before more serious consequences occur.
Remember: If in doubt, report it and help manage risks and maintain a safe environment for everyone.
Need a printable 1 page incident report form? Download it from our Health & Safety Hub Templates
What is a Notifable Incident?
A notifiable incident is a serious, work-related event that exposes someone to an immediate or imminent risk of serious harm. It is usually an unplanned or uncontrolled event such as a fire, explosion, gas leak, structural collapse, dangerous electric shock, or a falling object from height.
Not every incident is notifiable. Minor injuries, routine first-aid matters, events caused only by a person’s underlying medical condition, or property damage with no serious risk to people will usually not be notifiable. The key question is whether the church’s work or operations created a serious and immediate danger.
All incidents and near misses should be logged in Risk Manager as an Event. Not every event will be notifiable, but every potential notifiable incident should be escalated promptly so a decision can be made about notifying WorkSafe.
For more information, see the Notifiable Event Reporting Policy on the Health & Safety page of our website under the Policy and Plan heading.
How do I report an Incident?
Report the incident
We have a one-page incident form available that can be printed and kept with the first aid kit for parishioners to use. Once completed (with as much detail as possible), the form should be returned to the parish office, the H&S representative, or the Risk Management Coordinator so the incident can be recorded and followed up appropriately.
Record in Risk Manger
In Risk Manager an incident is called an Event.
Go to the Event menu and click on Add New Event.
Complete the details of the event provided on the incident report form. Add as much detail as you can.
Rate the potential and actual consequences of the incident (see explainer below).
Click Finish to save the incident.
What do the Consequence Ratings mean?
For each incident, you need to rate the potential consequence - what is the worst thing that could have happened, and the actual consequence - what did happen. For example:
An electrical circuit was tripping regularly and the electrician found a cable that was eaten by rats and the plastic insulation had started melting. The potential consequence is a the building catches fire and is destroyed (Severe), but it was caught in time and there was no actual damage (No Consequence).
An elderly person trips on some stairs and bruises their hand when it broke their fall (Not Significant - physical discomfort), but they could have broken a bone if they didn’t break their fall (Moderate - restricted time).
No Consequence - Nothing happened or would happen
1. Not Significant - First Aid Injuries, Physical or Psychological Discomfort, Minor Property Damage
2. Minor - Medical Treatment, Counselling, Moderate Property Damage
3. Moderate - Lost Time, Restricted Capacity at Work/Ministry/Home, Significant Property Damage
4. Major - Serious Harm, Permanent Disability, Long-term Psychological Impairment, Major Property Damage
5. Severe - One or more Fatalities, Destroyed Building
