Incident Management

Purpose

When something goes wrong on an RPD job, this procedure governs the response — reporting, making safe, investigating and closing out WHS incidents, injuries, illnesses, near misses, emergencies, non-conformances and corrective actions.

Breadcrumb is used for live site reporting and immediate actions. PIMS is used for formal findings, non-conformances, root cause, corrective actions, effectiveness checks and management review evidence. Return-to-work records are managed through HR and the project file where suitable duties affect site work.

Procedure

Field	Requirement
Applies when	Any hazard, near miss, injury, illness, property damage, environmental event, emergency, notifiable incident, non-conformance or corrective action occurs on RPD work.
Owner	Site Supervisor controls the immediate response. Project Manager manages investigation and client communication. Director/WHS-appointed person manages notifiable incidents, regulator contact, PIMS escalation and management review.
Before work starts	Confirm emergency contacts, first aid arrangements, incident reporting method, site access, evacuation point, notifiable incident escalation and Breadcrumb access during induction.
Minimum controls	Make the area safe, provide first aid, stop affected work, preserve the scene where required, notify the Project Manager, record the event, investigate cause, assign corrective actions and verify close-out.
Hold point	Do not restart affected high-risk work until the area is safe, required controls are restored, the SWMS is reviewed and the Project Manager authorises restart.
Breadcrumb function	Hazard reports, incident reports, first response notes, site photos, witness details, immediate corrective actions and close-out evidence for site-level events.
Stop / escalate	Stop work for serious injury, notifiable incident, uncontrolled high-risk hazard, emergency, repeat breach, unsafe contractor behaviour or failed critical control. Escalate formal findings, non-conformances and effectiveness checks into PIMS.

Response Steps

Step	Action
1. Make safe	Stop the task, isolate the hazard, give first aid, call emergency services if required and prevent further exposure.
2. Preserve the scene	For a notifiable incident, do not disturb the scene unless needed to save life, prevent further injury, make the site safe or follow emergency services direction.
3. Notify	Worker tells the Site Supervisor immediately. Site Supervisor tells the Project Manager. Project Manager escalates to the Director/WHS-appointed person and client where required.
4. Record	Enter the hazard, incident or near miss in Breadcrumb with photos, witnesses, location, task, controls in place and immediate action taken.
5. Investigate	Identify what happened, why it happened, failed controls, contributing factors, SWMS gaps and whether subcontractor performance is involved.
6. Correct	Assign corrective actions with owner and due date. Site-level fixes stay in Breadcrumb. Formal or repeat issues move into PIMS.
7. Check effectiveness	Confirm the action worked before close-out. Reopen or escalate where the control has not held.
8. Review	Feed significant incidents, trends, overdue actions and lessons into toolbox talks, SWMS review, PIMS reports and management review.

Notifiable Incidents

A notifiable incident must be escalated immediately to the Director or WHS-appointed person. RPD must notify SafeWork NSW immediately after becoming aware of a notifiable incident — by phone on 13 10 50 — and provide written notification within 48 hours if requested by the regulator. RPD must preserve the incident scene and retain evidence of notification, investigation and corrective action.

Notifiable incident requirements apply to serious injury or illness, death and dangerous incidents as defined under WHS legislation. Examples include amputation, serious head or eye injury, scalping, spinal injury, serious burns or lacerations, loss of a bodily function, and dangerous incidents such as the collapse or partial collapse of a structure or scaffold, an uncontrolled fall from height, or the uncontrolled escape of a hazardous substance. If there is any doubt, the Project Manager must escalate before disturbing the scene or restarting work.

Emergency Response and First Aid

Each project must have emergency arrangements suitable for the site, including access for emergency services, the site address and nearest cross street for directing 000, evacuation point, first aid arrangements, emergency contacts and controls for residents, public interface and occupied buildings.

First aid kits are inspected under the inspection schedule. Emergency drills or emergency briefings are recorded at least annually, and otherwise where required by the project risk profile, client requirement or SSMP.

For work at height, the rescue plan must be completed before work starts so a suspended worker can be recovered quickly without waiting on emergency services.

Return to Work

Return-to-work arrangements are management decisions. Suitable duties, restrictions and communication with the injured worker are managed by the Director/HR in consultation with the worker, treating practitioner and insurer where required.

Where suitable duties affect site work, the Project Manager and Site Supervisor must know the restrictions before assigning tasks. Return-to-work records are retained in HR files and referenced in the project file where needed.

Records and Evidence

Record	System / location	Evidence required
Hazard, near miss and incident reports	Breadcrumb	Date, time, location, worker, task, event description, photos, immediate action and close-out.
First aid treatment	Breadcrumb / project file	Treatment provided, first aider, supplies used and follow-up required.
Notifiable incident record	Project file + PIMS	Notification decision, SafeWork NSW notification evidence, scene preservation, investigation and corrective actions.
Investigation record	PIMS for formal events; Breadcrumb for site-level events	Facts, witnesses, failed controls, root cause, corrective actions, owner and due date.
Corrective actions and non-conformances	PIMS	Finding, root cause, action, responsible person, due date, close-out and effectiveness check.
Emergency drill / briefing	Breadcrumb / project file	Date, attendees, scenario, issues found and actions raised.
Return-to-work plan	HR file / project file where site restrictions apply	Suitable duties, restrictions, review date and worker communication.
Toolbox / lesson learned	Breadcrumb	Briefing topic, attendees, lessons, SWMS changes and agreed actions.

Quick Guide

Step	What RPD checks
1. Stop and make safe	Stop the work, isolate the hazard and give first aid.
2. Preserve the scene	If the event may be notifiable, do not disturb the scene except to save life, prevent further injury or make the site safe.
3. Notify quickly	Worker to Site Supervisor, Site Supervisor to Project Manager, Project Manager to Director/WHS-appointed person.
4. Record in Breadcrumb	Capture the event, photos, witnesses, immediate action and close-out evidence.
5. Investigate the cause	Check the SWMS, controls, supervision, competency, plant, substances, work environment and contractor performance.
6. Escalate formal issues	Put serious, repeat, high-risk or systemic issues into PIMS as a finding or non-conformance.
7. Check the fix worked	Verify effectiveness before closing the action.
8. Share the lesson	Update SWMS, toolbox talks, site alerts and management review where required.