Dealing with Incidents and Accidents

In terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (1993), all workplaces are required to keep a record of any incident which may take place. These may be minor incidents, where the health and safety of any person was endangered (a near miss). They may be major incidents, where a person was injured, lost consciousness, or was fatally injured while working, or where an emergency plan (see EMP) had to be brought into operation.

What to do if a staff member is injured at work

Read the guidelines: RU Health & Safety Guide 5 Incidents & Accidents  

WHAT is an INJURY on DUTY? An IOD arises as a consequence of an incident at work in which the employee dies, becomes unconscious, suffers the loss of a limb / part of a limb, or is otherwise injured or becomes ill to such a degree that s/he is either likely to die or likely to suffer a permanent physical defect (OHS Act, Section 24).

REPORTING an IOD: The Supervisor, Manager or HOD should

• Immediately contact HR Administration on extension 8112 or 8009 or email hradmin(at)ru.ac.za, and

• Ensure that the CORRECT Injury on Duty form is filled in and sent to HR Administration within 24 hours.

• HR will report to the Provincial Director (on form WCL1 or WCL2) within seven (7) days.

Spinal injury - first aid training L3

MEDICAL ATTENTION:

• Call a qualified First Aider for immediate help while waiting for further medical attention.

• RU staff can be taken to the RU Health Care Centre where the doctor on duty or a trained nurse can provide medical help and assess if further treatment at the hospital is required.

• The medical practitioner who examines and treats the the injured staff member opens an IOD file which is kept open until the required follow-up medical examinations have been conducted. 

TRANSPORT to HOSPITAL:

• Call an Ambulance on 10177, or Netcare (private ambulance) on 046-622.7976 or 082-911.

• If an ambulance is not available, contact the RU Health Care Centre on extension 8523. If you call the CPU (extension 8146/7) they will contact the relevant service on your behalf.

• Note: The CPU and RU Transport Office are not equipped or qualified to transport injured/ill staff or students.

INVESTIGATING the CAUSE:

• By recording the details of an incident, and investigating the root cause, the University has the necessary information to avoid a similar situation arising again. Investigation may be carried out by the user of machinery, or by a person appointed by the employer to investigate the incident, or by a member of the health and safety committee, or by the health and safety rep in the work area.

• Sumbit a copy of the incident report (major or minor) to the Safety Health and Environmental Officer within 7 days.

More info:

• RU Safety, Health & Environmental Officer: 046-603.7205 or safety(at)ru.ac.za

• Questions and answers: visit the SA Labour Guide forum at http://phpbb.labourguide.co.za/index.php

An extract from the Occupational Health and Safety Act (1993) - retrieved October 20, 2010, from http://www.acts.co.za/ohs/index.htm - Section 24. Report to inspectors regarding certain incidents:

1. Each incident occurring at work or arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work, or in connection with the use of plant or machinery, in which, or in consequence of which -

a. any person dies, becomes unconscious, suffers the loss of a limb or part of a limb or is otherwise injured or becomes ill to such a degree that he is likely either to die or to suffer a permanent physical defect or likely to be unable for a period of at least 14 days either to work or to continue with the activity for which he was employed or is usually employed;

b. a major incident occurred; or

c. the health or safety of any person was endangered and where -

i. a dangerous substance was spilled;

ii. the uncontrolled release of any substance under pressure took place;

iii. machinery or any part thereof fractured or failed resulting in flying, falling or uncontrolled moving objects; or

iv. machinery ran out of control,

shall, within the prescribed period and in the prescribed manner, be reported to an inspector by the employer or the user of the plant or machinery concerned, as the case may be.

2. In the event of an incident in which a person died, or was injured to such an extent that he is likely to die, or suffered the loss of a limb or part of a limb, no person shall without the consent of an inspector disturb the site at which the incident occurred or remove any article or substance involved in the incident therefrom: Provided that such action may be taken as is necessary to prevent a further incident , to remove the injured or dead, or to rescue persons from danger.

3. The provisions of subsections (1) and (2) shall not apply in respect of --

a. a traffic accident on a public road;

b. an incident occurring in a private household, provided the householder forthwith reports the incident to the South African Police; or

c. any accident which is to be investigated under section 12 of the Aviation Act, 1962 (Act No. 74 of 1962).

4. A member of the South African Police to whom an incident was reported in terms of subsection (3)(b), shall forthwith notify an inspector thereof.

An extract from the Occupational Health and Safety Act (1993), General Administration Regulations (2003) - retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.acts.co.za/ohs/index.htm:

8. Reporting of incidents and occupational diseases:

1) An employer or user, as the case may be, shall-

a) within seven days of any incident referred to in section 24(1)(a) of the Act, give notice thereof to the provincial director in the form of WCL1 or WCL2; and

b) where a person, in consequence of such an incident, dies, becomes unconscious, suffers the loss of a limb or part of a limb, or is otherwise injured or becomes ill to such a degree that he or she is likely either to die or to suffer a permanent physical defect, such incident, including any other incident contemplated in section 24(1)(6) and (c) of the Act, shall forthwith also be reported to the provincial director by telephone, facsimile or similar means of communication.

2) If an injured person dies after notice of the incident in which he or she was injured was given in terms of subregulation (1), the employer or user, as the case may be, shall forthwith notify the provincial director of his or her death.

3) Whenever an incident arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work occur to persons other than employees, the user, employer or self-employed person, as the case may be, shall forthwith notify the provincial director by facsimile or similar means of communication as to the-

a) name of the injured person;

b) address of the injured person;

c) name of the user, employer or self-employed person;

d) address of the user, employer or self-employed person;

e) telephone number of the user, employer or self-employed person;

f) name of contact person;

g) details of incident:

• i) What happened;
• ii) where it happened (place);
• iii) when it happened (date and time);
• iv) how it happened;
• v) why it happened; and

h) names of witnesses.

4) Any registered medical practitioner shall, within 14 days of the examination or treatment of a person for a disease contemplated in section 25 of the Act, give notice thereof to the chief inspector and the employer in the form of WCL22.

5) Any other person not contemplated in this regulation may in writing give notice of any disease contemplated in section 25 of the Act, to the employer and chief inspector.

An extract from the Occupational Health and Safety Act (1993), General Administration Regulations (2003) - retrieved February 12, 2009, from http://www.acts.co.za/ohs/index.htm:

9. Recording and investigation of incidents:

1) An employer or user shall keep at a workplace or section of a workplace, as the case may be, a record in the form of Annexure 1 for a period of at least three years, which record shall be open for inspection by an inspector, of all incidents which he or she is required to report in terms of section 24 of the Act and also of any other incident which resulted in the person concerned having had to receive medical treatment other than first aid.

2) An employer or user shall cause every incident, which must be recorded in terms of subregulation (1), to be investigated by the employer, a person appointed by him or her, by a health and safety representative or a member of a health and safety committee within 7 days from the date of the incident and finalised as soon as is reasonably practicable, or within the contracted period in the case of contracted workers.

3) The employer or user shall cause the findings of the investigation contemplated in subregulation (2) to be entered in Annexure 1 immediately after completion of such investigation.

4) An employer shall cause every record contemplated in subregulation (1) to be examined by the health and safety committee for that workplace or section of the workplace at its next meeting and shall ensure that necessary actions, as may be reasonable practicable, are implemented and followed up to prevent the recurrence of such incident.

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