Mines and mine sites have an additional reporting requirement to notify reportable incidents.

A reportable incident in mining operations refers to any unplanned event or situation that results in, or has the potential to result in, injury, ill health, damage, or loss. Initially, an incident should be assessed to determine if it qualifies as a notifiable incident. If the incident does not meet the criteria for a notifiable incident, it should then be evaluated to see if it qualifies as a reportable incident.

Reportable incidents are detailed in the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022. All data relating to reportable incidents must be included in the quarterly work health and safety report provided to the regulator.

Use the Incident notification: Interpretive guideline for an overview on mandatory reporting requirements for incidents that must be notified to the regulator under the work health and safety legislation.

Definitions

The definition of reportable incidents includes the following:

• an incident that results in illness or injury that requires medical treatment
• a significant seismic event
• extensive subsidence (significant ground movement that results when the land above an underground mine sinks or collapses)
• an air blast (a powerful shock wave generated by an explosion) in an underground mine
• an unplanned event that results in only one exit being available for use in an underground mine
• damage to any plant, building or structure that hampers its safe operations
• damage to or failure of any part of a winding system, mine shaft conveyance, mine shaft or shaft plant
• control is lost over a vehicle or other plant, or it unintentionally activates, moves or fails to stop
• plant makes contact with an energised high voltage source
• an accidental ignition or detonation of explosives
• a delayed or fast ignition of explosives
• fly rock (rock fragments that are propelled at high speeds) from a blast:
  • lands near a person
  • is propelled beyond the designated safety zone during the blast
• an unplanned immersion of a person in liquid
• a thing in an underground mine spontaneously combusts
• a person is adversely affected by an exposure to a toxic substance such as a gas, fumes, vapour or poison
• a person loses consciousness as a result of a workplace incident
• a person attempts suicide at a mine, or a place associated with a mine including at the accommodation provided for a worker at the mine
• a workplace incident that could have caused serious harm to a person, plant or structure.