Australian Capital Territory
Corrections Management (PDC: Accident, injury and incident reporting) Procedure 2011
Notifiable instrument NI2011-469
made under the  
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14(1) (Corrections policies and operating procedures) 

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Corrections Management (PDC: Accident, injury and incident reporting) Procedure 2011.
2	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after it is notified.
3	Policy
I make the
PDC: Accident, injury and incident reporting procedure
attached to this instrument, to facilitate the effective and efficient management of correctional services.

Bernadette Mitcherson
Executive Director 
ACT Corrective Services
8 August 2011

Periodic Detention Centre: 

Accident, Injury and Incident 
Reporting Procedure

Purpose
Authority
Legislation
Scope
Procedure
Forms and templates
Related policies and procedures

Purpose
To outline the procedure for reporting an accident, incident or circumstances that did, or could have, resulted in an accident or injury including:

•	injury/illness to a person; 
•	property damage;
•	equipment/plant failure;
•	harm to environment; and/or 
•	theft or security issue.

It also outlines the action that should be taken for a person who has been involved in an accident or incident at the Periodic Detention Centre (PDC).

Authority
Legislation
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14.
Work Safety Act 2008.

Scope
This procedure commences when an accident or ‘near miss’ occurs and concludes when the accident or incident is reported to the Justice and Community Safety Injury Prevention and Management Team.  

This procedure applies to all ACT Corrective Services staff, detainees and official visitors who have been involved in an accident or incident at the PDC.

Procedure
Step	Action	Responsibility	
1	Initiate incident response 	Discovering Officer	
2	Administer first aid (if required)	Discovering Officer	
3	Report on incident using Early Notification of Accident/Incident template and by completing Parts A to D of the ACT Government Accident Incident Report 	C03 & Corrections Officer	
4	Check Accident Incident Report	CO3	
5	Complete Part E of Accident Incident Report	CO3	
6	Submit Accident Incident Report to the Operations Support Unit	CO3	
7	Submit Accident Incident Report to WorkCover/WorkSafe ACT and JACS OH&S Advisor.	Operations Support Manager	

Step 1
Incidents will be managed in accordance with the PDC Incident Response Policy and PDC Incident Response Procedure.

Step 2
All corrections officers have a duty of care to provide first aid (if required) to persons who have been involved in an accident or incident at the PDC.

In the case of official visitors or other ACTCS staff being injured, corrections officers will offer first aid and facilitate medical treatment (on advice from Justice Health Services staff).

Step 3
All accidents and incidents must be reported. 
•	The supervising CO3 must report the incident using the Early Notification of Accident/Incident template by logging on to the business unit’s intranet, selecting and filling in the Early Notification of Accident/Incident Factsheet. This will send a brief summary of the event to Operations Support and the JACS Injury Prevention and Management Team. 
•	Staff are to complete the ACT Government Accident Incident Report (AIR) form on the day on which the incident occurred. An AIR form is available from the CO3. 
•	If the staff member involved in the incident cannot or does not complete a form on that day, the manager or witness should complete the form. The staff member should also complete the AIR as soon as practicable. 
•	The AIR should be completed and signed by the manager within 1 working day, with any corrective action identified.    

The corrections officer completing the form will ensure parts A, B, C & D are completed.  

This reporting requirement is in addition to the completion of an Officer Report in accordance with the PDC Incident Reporting Policy and PDC Incident Reporting Procedure.

Step 4
A CO3 must ensure that all documentation relating to the accident or incident is complete and correct. If the reporting corrections officer is a CO3 or Deputy Superintendent, it is the responsibility of their supervising officer to ensure the completeness of the AIR form.

Step 5
The CO3 is responsible for:
•	completing Part E of the AIR and actioning any necessary preventative action; 
•	ensuring that all sections of the form are completed, correct and signed by the appropriate people;
•	notifying the Operations Support Unit; 
•	notifying the Deputy Superintendant and Superintendent; and 
•	ensuring that AIR forms are available in the work area.  

Step 6
The CO3 must send the AIR Form to the Operations Support Unit within 48 hours (or two working days) of the accident or incident and a copy shall be forwarded to the Superintendent as soon as practicable. 

Step 7
The Operations Support Manager is responsible for notifying WorkCover/WorkSafe ACT and the Injury Prevention and Management Team by forwarding on the ACT Government AIR Form as soon as practicable. 

If it is not possible to send a copy of the AIR, contact WorkCover/WorkSafe ACT on 
6205 0200 or email worksafe@act.gov.au. The mailing address is GPO Box 158, Canberra City, ACT, 2601.

There is a statutory requirement to notify WorkCover/WorkSafe ACT in writing and within 48 hours of:
•	a death;
•	a serious event involving a serious injury to a person; or
•	a dangerous occurrence such as fire, explosion or serious machinery failure presenting an imminent risk to person(s) or actually or potentially presenting a risk of substantial damage to property, e.g. electric shock.

There is a statutory requirement to notify WorkCover/WorkSafe ACT in writing and within 8 days of:
•	an injury or disease which has resulted in the person being unable to perform their usual duties for 7 days or more.

The CO3 must ensure that the Operations Support Unit is advised of these types of incidents within the statutory timeframe. The AIR form and other reports must also be forwarded to Operations Support as soon as possible so that they can be forwarded on to WorkCover/WorkSafe ACT within the statutory timeframes. 

Forms and templates
Officer Report Form
ACT Government Accident and Injury Report Form 

Related policies and procedures
PDC Incident Response Policy 
PDC Incident Response Procedure
PDC Incident Reporting Policy 
PDC Incident Reporting Procedure