Notice Requirements for Reporting Workplace Incidents

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act), Alberta employers have an obligation to report serious injuries or incidents that occur in their workplace. If an injury or incident takes place that results in one of the following outcomes, the employer should contact OHS as soon as possible:

  • Results in death
  • Results in a worker being admitted to the hospital
  • Results in an unplanned or uncontrolled explosion, fire or flood; causing or potentially causing serious injury
  • Results in the collapse or upset of a crane, derrick or hoist
  • Results in the collapse or failure of any component of a building or structure
  • Results in an incident listed in section 40(3) of the OHS Act at a mine

In addition to notifying the OHS of serious workplace incidents, the OHS Act also outlines appropriate steps for handling such incidents in the workplace.

Employers must not disturb the scene of a reported incident, except if:

  • You are instructed to do so by a provincial government OHS officer
  • You are tending to an individual who is injured or been killed
  • You are taking actions to prevent further injury
  • You are protecting property that is endangered by the incident

In the event of an incident who should call the OHS?

Should an incident occur, the responsibility for calling the OHS lies with the employer or prime contractor. If there is no prime contractor, the individual responsible for the work site should report the incident.

Receive all the information to appropriately respond to incidents in the workplace. Call us today.

For more information on incidents in the workplace, call our helpline, so our health and safety experts can support you through your situation; in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Call us at 1-888-207-0657.