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Reporting Incidents to WorkSafeBC | Penalties
Reporting Incidents to WorkSafeBC
- Who notifies WorkSafeBC of workplace incidents?
- Which incidents does an employer need to report to WorkSafeBC?
- What happens if the employer does not report an incident that should be reported to WorkSafeBC?
- What must be done to protect the scene?
- Can I find out about incidents reported to WorkSafeBC?
Who notifies WorkSafeBC of workplace incidents?
It is primarily employers, who have a statutory duty to report workplace accidents, who notify WorkSafeBC of workplace incidents. Others, including workers, family members, and the public, may also inform WorkSafeBC of workplace incidents.
Which incidents does an employer need to report to WorkSafeBC?
You must immediately report the following types of incidents to WorkSafeBC's emergency and accident reporting phone line whether there is an injury or not:
- Any incident that kills, causes risk of death, or seriously injures a worker
- Any blasting accident that results in injury, or an unusual event involving explosives
- A diving incident that causes death, injury, or decompression sickness requiring treatment
- A major leak or release of a dangerous substance
- A major structural failure or collapse of a structure, equipment, construction support system, or excavation
- Any serious mishap
What happens if the employer does not report an incident that should be reported to WorkSafeBC?
Section 172 of the Workers Compensation Act sets out the types of incidents that must be reported to WorkSafeBC. Failure to report these incidents may result in an order (and possibly an administrative penalty) being issued against the employer, or a prosecution. See FAQs on penalties for more information about administrative penalties and prosecution.
What must be done to protect the scene?
Unless directed by a WorkSafeBC officer or a peace officer, a person must not disturb the scene of a reportable accident except to:
- Attend to persons injured or killed
- Prevent further injuries or death
- Protect property that is endangered as a result of the accident
Can I find out about incidents reported to WorkSafeBC?
WorkSafeBC posts summaries of these incidents on the web site. You can also receive the incident summaries by email if you subscribe to E-News.
These summaries are based on incidents reported immediately to WorkSafeBC. In fact, employers were not required to report some of the incidents immediately under section 172 of the Workers Compensation Act, usually because the injury was minor, but a notice of incident (NI) is generated for each reported incident. Note that NI reports represent only a fraction of the injuries reported through claims.
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