Use this guide to understand what to do, what to report, and when to report it if something unsafe happens at work.

A workplace safety situation can include:

• an unsafe condition
• an unsafe action
• a near miss
• an incident or injury

If something looks unsafe, feels unsafe, or causes concern, it must be reported.

Talking about a concern is not enough.

You must submit a formal report using your department’s process.

If you see something happen, hear about a situation, or are not sure it has been reported, report it.

Using this guide

This section explains what to do when a workplace safety situation occurs. It outlines the steps to follow, who is responsible, and when reporting is required.

Different situations have different requirements. The sections below are organized by the type and severity of the situation to help you find the right steps.

If you are unsure which situation applies, follow the guidance for the most serious option.

Roles and responsibilities

Workplace safety is a shared responsibility. Everyone has a role in identifying, reporting, and addressing safety issues.

Employees

• Report any safety issue you see, experience, or hear about
• Take action to make the situation safe if you are trained and able
• Complete and submit a report using your department’s process
• Submit a report even if you think someone else has already reported it

Supervisors

• Make sure safety issues are reported and documented
• Follow up if a report has not been submitted
• Review reports with employees
• Put corrective actions in place and communicate them
• Share redacted reports with the OHS Committee or representative
• Provide information needed for external reporting when required

OHS Committees and Representatives

• Review redacted reports only (no personal or medical details)
• Stop and report if unredacted information is received
• Track trends and identify recurring risks
• Recommend improvements
• Escalate serious or urgent issues
• Report to senior leadership quarterly, at a minumum

Senior Leaders

• Follow reporting requirements when aware of a safety issue
• Address immediate risks within their authority
• Ensure reporting and corrective actions are completed
• Review and respond to OHS Committee recommendations

Steps required in every situation

The same core steps apply to every workplace safety situation, no matter how minor or serious.

Always take action to protect people first, then make sure the situation is reported and documented.

What this means:

• Make sure everyone is safe
• Control or remove the hazard if you can do so safely
• Report the situation using your department’s process
• Complete and submit the required report within the required timelines

For serious incidents, additional steps apply:

• Notify the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission as soon as possible at 1-800-661-0792
• Notify GNWT Corporate Occupational Health and Safety
• Follow all internal and external reporting requirements

Reporting within your department and reporting to outside organizations are separate requirements. Submitting a report through your department’s process does not replace reporting to organizations like the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission when it is required.

Reporting timelines and legal requirements

Reporting on time helps protect workers, prevent further harm, and meet legal requirements. The timelines below apply to all workplace safety situations. Some situations also have additional requirements explained in later sections.

Reporting within your department

All workplace safety situations must be reported through your department’s process, whether or not outside reporting is required.

Employees must:

• Report the situation to their supervisor
• Submit an incident, injury, or near miss report as soon as possible, and no later than 72 hours after it happens

Talking about a concern—whether in person, by text, or by email—does not replace submitting a report.

Supervisors must:

• Make sure reports are completed and submitted
• Follow up if reporting has not happened
• Ensure reports are shared (with personal information removed) with the OHS Committee or representative

Additional notification for serious incidents

If a situation involves a serious injury, fatality, or a potentially life‑threatening event, notification is required as soon as possible.

Supervisors or designated contacts must notify GNWT Corporate Occupational Health and Safety immediately.

Reporting to the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission

Some workplace incidents must also be reported to the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission.

Reports must be complete and submitted within 3 days of when the incident becomes known. Missing deadlines or required information can result in penalties.

What “complete” means

Some required details—such as work schedule, pay information, or a Social Insurance Number—may not be available to supervisors. Supervisors need to work with their department’s OHS contact to gather this information and ensure the report is complete.

When reporting is required

Reporting is required when a workplace incident results in an injury or exposure and the employee:

• needs medical care beyond first aid
• cannot return to work the same day
• cannot return to their regular duties after the day of the injury
• loses consciousness
• is exposed to a harmful or hazardous substance
• is critically injured

Employee reporting

When reporting is required, employees must submit a Worker’s Report of Injury. This should be done as soon as possible after receiving medical care.

Employees have up to one year (minus one day) from the date of the injury to submit this report.

Submitting this report does not replace the requirement to report the incident within your department.

Employer reporting

When reporting is required, the employer must submit an Employer’s Report of Injury within 3 business days of becoming aware of the incident. Supervisors should work with their department’s OHS contact to complete and submit the report.

Missing deadlines will result in penalties.

Serious incidents

If an incident involves a serious injury, fatality, or a situation that could have caused one, immediate reporting is required.

The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission must be notified right away by phone at 1-800-661-0792. A complete report must still be submitted within 3 business days. A subsequent follow‑up investigation report must also be completed.

Reporting unsafe conditions or unsafe actions when there is no injury or damage

This section applies when something unsafe occurs but no one is injured and nothing is damaged. These situations still need to be reported so risks can be addressed before someone is harmed.

Examples include:

• unsafe conditions
• unsafe actions
• situations where action prevented harm

What employees need to do

• Take steps to stay safe and protect others
• Address the hazard if you are trained and able to do so
• Stop work if it is not safe to continue
• Report the situation to your supervisor as soon as possible
• Submit a report within 72 hours

What supervisors need to do

• Review the report with the employee
• Make sure the hazard has been addressed
• Document what happened and identify causes
• Put corrective actions in place and share them with affected employees
• Submit a report with personal information removed to the OHS Committee or representative

What OHS Committees or Representatives need to do

• Review the report
• Track trends and recurring risks
• Identify broader issues and recommend improvements
• Escalate concerns if the level of risk requires it
• Include the issue in regularly required reporting to senior leadership
• Make recommendations to senior leadership when the legal obligation to respond in writing is triggered

These situations are handled within your department unless they could have resulted in serious injury or death.

Reporting an Incident Requiring First Aid

This section applies when someone is injured and can be treated with first aid at the worksite. No further medical care is needed.

What employees need to do

• Get first aid
• Report the incident to your supervisor
• Submit a report within 72 hours

What supervisors need to do

• Review the report with the employee
• Make sure the hazard has been addressed
• Document what happened and identify causes
• Put corrective actions in place and share them with affected employees
• Submit a report with personal information removed to the OHS Committee or representative

What OHS Committees or Representatives need to do

• Review the report
• Track trends and recurring risks
• Identify broader issues and recommend improvements
• Escalate concerns if the level of risk requires it
• Include the issue in required regular reporting to senior leadership
• Make recommendations to senior leadership when the legal obligation to respond in writing is triggered

Report an Incident Requiring First Aid

This section applies when someone is injured and can be treated with first aid at the worksite. No further medical care is needed.

What employees need to do

• Get first aid
• Report the incident to your supervisor
• Submit a report within 72 hours

What supervisors need to do

• Review the report with the employee
• Make sure the hazard has been addressed
• Document what happened and identify causes
• Put corrective actions in place and share them with affected employees
• Submit a report with personal information removed to the OHS Committee or representative

What OHS Committees or Representatives need to do

• Review the report
• Track trends and recurring risks
• Identify broader issues and recommend improvements
• Escalate concerns if the level of risk requires it
• Include the issue in required regular required reporting to senior leadership
• Make recommendations to senior leadership when the legal obligation to respond in writing is triggered

Report a Serious Injury, Fatality, or Dangerous Occurrence

This section applies when an incident causes or could have caused serious injury or death. Immediate action and reporting are required.

What needs to happen right away

• Follow the emergency response plan
• Make sure people are safe
• Provide first aid within your level of training
• Arrange emergency medical care
• Call emergency services if needed
• Notify the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission immediately by phone
• Notify GNWT Corporate Occupational Health and Safety as soon as possible

Scene control

• Only trained and authorized individuals may secure or manage the scene
• Do not disturb the scene unless needed to prevent further harm or provide first aid

What employees need to do

• Submit a Worker’s Report of Injury as soon as possible, when able

What the employer needs to do

• Notify the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission immediately by phone
• Submit an Employer’s Report of Injury within 3 business days
• Assign a qualified team to investigate the incident
• Identify root causes and contributing factors
• Submit the investigation report within the required timeframe
• Take corrective action to prevent it from happening again

What OHS Committees or Representatives need to do

• Review investigation information (with personal details removed)
• Identify broader risks
• Escalate the issue immediately to senior leadership
• Include the issue in required regular required reporting to senior leadership