An incident an event or combination of work-related events that result in time lost from work, medical aid/healthcare, property damage, as well as event(s) including near misses that had potential to result in any of the above. The purpose of reporting and investigating is to determine the cause of the incident and apply corrective measures to prevent a recurrence.

Reasons to investigate a workplace incident include:

• to identify causes of incidents and gaps in the OHS Programing;
• to prevent similar incidents in the future;
• to fulfill any legal requirements;
• to determine the cost of an incident; and
• to determine compliance with the NWT Safety Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

Standard

Should a workplace injury arose out of the course of employment and the worker required:

• medical aid;
• could not return to the workplace the day that the injury occurred;
• is unable to return to their job after the day of the injury;
• lost consciousness; or
• were exposed to a dangerous substance

The Employer must submit the fully-completed Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commissions (WSCC) incident report within three business days using WSCC Connect.

Workers must complete the Workers’ Report of Injury form as soon as reasonably possible.

To report an accident causing serious bodily injury or death, an Employer shall, as soon as reasonable possible, give notice to the Chief Safety Officer.   Use the 24-hour incident reporting line at 1-800-661-0792, complete and submit the Employers Report of Incident using WSCC Connect within three business days.

To report a near miss/good catch where an incident occurred, but did not result in an injury, illness please complete the internal incident form found on MyHR and form section of this program and submit to your OHS Committee or respective OHS designate.  

Responsibilities

Employer Responsibilities

• See that injured employees receive first aid treatment.
• Control access to the scene so it remains undisturbed.
• Immediately investigate all incidents to the extent needed to determine cause and actions needed to prevent a recurrence. Such investigations are to include assessing the scene and interviewing potential witnesses.
• Liaise with the Departmental OHS Specialist to complete all sections of the Employers Report of Incident using WSCC Connect. 
• In the case of an accident causing serious bodily injury, or a dangerous occurrence, ensures that the 24-hour WSCC Incident Reporting line at 1-800-661-0792 is notified as soon as is reasonably possible
• Request assistance from the designated worker member of the Occupational Health and Safety Committee.
• Cooperate with all parties involved in Incident Investigation.
• Promptly initiate or implement correct actions to prevent similar injuries/accidents.
• Protect the privacy of workers with respect to injury/incident information, and
• Make records available to the appropriate governing authorities upon request.

Worker Responsibilities

• Seek first aid treatment for injuries.
• Do not disturb the incident scene.
• Report the incident to their immediate supervisor as soon as possible after the incident occurs.
• If an involved worker is medically unable to report the incident, any other worker involved or witnessing the incident reports the incident to the workplace supervisor.
• If injured, complete and submit the Worker’s Report of Injury form as soon as reasonable possible.
• Cooperate with all parties involved in Incident Investigation.

Occupational Health and Safety Committee

• When the committee determines it to be necessary, a designated worker member will investigate incidents resulting in a workplace injury and other serious incidents;
• Reviews the de-identified (name of employee removed) Incident and Investigation Report
• Monitors the progress of identified action items
• Makes corrective recommendations to the Employer based on trends noted through the incident reports
• Monitors the effectiveness of corrective actions and
• Protect the privacy of workers with respect to injury/incident information.

Incident Investigation Team (OHS Committee member, manager, and worker)

• Manages and assess the scene
• Manages witnesses
• Investigates the incident and collects data
• Analyzes the data and identifies the root cause(s) of the incident
• Reports the findings, and makes recommendations for corrective action to the departmental OHS Committee the Incident Report and Investigation Form to prevent a recurrence of the incident
• If the causes of an incident cannot be identified with complete certainty, any weaknesses uncovered during the investigation can be included in the recommendations in order to correct these deficiencies

Departmental Occupational Health and Safety Specialist/Coordinator

• Assist with and/or the incident investigation
• Files the Employers Report of Incident using WSCC on the supervisor’s behalf using WSCC Connect and
• Protect the privacy of workers with respect to injury/incident information.

Department of Finance

• May assist with Incident Investigation of a serious nature upon the request of a deputy head.
• May assist with communicating to the WSCC in regard to the incident investigation
• Provide advice to the Department or Agency

Reporting and Communication Procedure

Depending on the outcome of the incident, more than one report may be required in order to protect the privacy of those involved in the incident.  Use the following matrix to determine which reporting form(s) are required:

Form(s) required: Incident resulted in:	GNWT Liability Incident Report	Internal OHS Incident Report	WSCC Worker Report of Injury	WSCC Employer Report of Incident	WSCC New Operations	GNWT Property Loss or Damage Report	GNWT Vehicle Accident Report
Near miss/good catch: incident occurred, but due to physical circumstances caused no injury, illness, or damage to health.		X
Dangerous occurrence: An occurrence that does not result in, but could have resulted in an accident causing serious bodily injury*	X	X		X
Injury: Any disease and any impairment of the physical or mental condition of an individual.		X	X	X
Serious bodily injury: An accident that causes or could reasonably be expected to cause the death of an individual, or which requires an individual to be admitted to a hospital as an in-patient for a period of 24 hours or more.	X	X	X	X
Loss, theft, damage or destruction of GNWT assets except motor vehicles.					X	X
Loss, theft, damage or destruction of a motor vehicle.		X					X

Required Notices to the Chief Safety Officer, WSCC

New Operations 

Part 2, Section 7 of the OHS Regulations require that the employer provide notice to the Chief Safety Officer of the WSCC, as soon as is reasonably possible in the following instances:

1. begin a new operation at a construction site or a manufacturing or processing plant where 20 or more workers are to work for six months or more;
2. dig an excavation, a trench or an excavated shaft
   1. more than 5 m deep, and
   2. that a worker will be required or permitted to enter; or
3. dig a tunnel that a worker will be required or permitted to enter.

 

Procedure:

As soon as reasonably possible, notify the WSCC by phone at 1-800-661-0792 when work will begin at a construction site.

Accidents causing serious bodily injury or death

All accidents of a serious nature shall be reported to the WSCC and investigated.  See above chart in regard to reporting requirements and applicable notifications.

Dangerous Occurrences

In the case of an accident causing serious bodily injury, or a dangerous occurrence, the Employer  must call the 24-hour Incident Reporting line at 1-800-661-0792 as soon as is reasonably possible, and completes and submits within three business days the Employer’s Report of Incident

 

 

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AND NUNAVUT

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS

PART 1

PRELIMINARY MATTERS

Giving Notice to Chief Safety Officer

3. 1) Where these regulations require a notice to be given to the Chief Safety Officer, the notice must be in a form approved by the Chief Safety Officer

2. Notice is deemed to have been given under subsection (1) when the notice is actually received by the Chief Safety Officer.
3. In the case of a notice required by subsection 7(1) or (2), an employer shall give notice by telephoning a safety officer and, in addition, give notice in the manner set out in subsection (1).

PART 2

REPORTING

New Operations

7. 1) An employer shall, as soon as is reasonably possible, give notice to the Chief Safety Officer of an intention to

1. begin work at a construction site or a manufacturing or processing plant where 20 or more workers are to work for six months or more;
2. dig an excavation, a trench or an excavated shaft
   1. more than 5 m deep, and
   2. that a worker will be required or permitted to enter; or
3. dig a tunnel that a worker will be required or permitted to enter.

(2) Subject to subsection (3), an employer shall, not less than 30 days before a new operation begins at a high risk work site, give notice to the Chief Safety Officer of an intention to begin that operation.

(3)If an employer cannot give the notice in the time required under subsection (2), the employer shall, as soon as is reasonably possible,

• (a) give notice to the Chief Safety Officer of an intention to begin that work; and
• (b) provide an explanation to the Chief Safety Officer why the notice was not given in the time required under subsection (2).

(4) A notice required by subsection (1) or (2) or paragraph (3) (a) must include:

• (a) the name of the employer;
• (b) the mailing address of the employer;
• (c) the telephone number and facsimile number of the employer;
• (d) the location of the intended work site;
• (e) the nature of the activity to be undertaken at the intended work site;
• (f) the number of workers that are going to work at the intended work site; and
• (g) the estimated starting date and expected duration of the activity.