A resident slips on a pathway after heavy rain. The next day, a contractor trips in the same area while carrying out maintenance work. Questions begin to emerge.
Was the hazard identified earlier? Has this happened before? Should someone be notified? What information needs to be collected?
For committees, uncertainty about these next steps can make an already stressful situation more difficult.
The good news is that committees do not need to have all the answers immediately. What often matters most is responding in a calm, organised way and gathering information before important details are lost.
When an incident occurs, the first priority is people, not paperwork.
That may mean contacting emergency services, arranging medical assistance, or temporarily restricting access to an area while risks are assessed.
For example, if a resident slips on a damaged pathway, it may be necessary to block access to the area until the condition can be inspected and temporary controls are put in place.
Before reporting requirements, investigations, or follow-up actions are considered, the immediate focus should always be on preventing further harm.
Information can usually be gathered afterwards. If there is an immediate risk to health or safety, addressing that risk should remain the priority. Safe Work Australia offers guidance on preparing and maintaining general emergency plans.
Once any immediate danger has been addressed, it can be helpful to step back and develop a clear picture of the situation.
If the risk remains, residents, visitors, workers, or contractors could be exposed to the same danger.
Temporary controls may be appropriate while a longer-term solution is considered.
Witnesses or contractors may provide valuable information about what occurred.
Previous complaints, hazards, incidents, or near misses may help explain whether the issue is isolated or part of a broader pattern.
These questions are often just as important as managing the incident itself.
One of the most common questions after an incident is whether further reporting is required.
Many incidents can be managed internally. Others may require notification to the relevant Work, Health, and Safety (WHS) regulator.
Generally, an incident may require further reporting if it involves:
This may include incidents requiring urgent medical treatment or hospitalisation.
Some incidents may need to be reported even if nobody is injured. For example, a serious electrical fault, structural collapse, fire, or another event that exposed people to a significant risk of harm.
One practical warning sign is when emergency services attend the property. While this does not automatically mean an incident is notifiable, it may indicate that further assessment is needed.
Committees may not always be responsible for making a notification themselves. Depending on the circumstances, reporting obligations may rest with a contractor, employer, or another person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU).
Serious electrical faults, structural failures, and other dangerous events may require reporting even where no one is harmed. Safe Work Australia provides an incident notification duties handbook for further understanding and real-world examples.
It’s surprising how quickly details can be forgotten after an incident.
Damage may be repaired. Temporary barriers may be removed. Weather conditions can change. Witnesses may forget details they were certain about only days earlier. This is why early information can be valuable.
Photos of the area
Conditions at the scene can change quickly, particularly where repairs are required.
Witness details
People who saw the incident may remember important details immediately afterwards, but they become harder to recall later.
The date, time, and location
These details can help establish a timeline if questions arise in the future.
Details of any immediate actions taken
Recording temporary controls, repairs, or emergency responses can help explain how the situation was managed.
The goal is not to conduct a formal investigation. It is simply to capture information while it is still available.
Many people assume that reporting an incident automatically leads to a formal investigation or site inspection. In reality, the next steps can vary.
Some matters can be assessed remotely without attending the site.
Additional records or clarification may be needed.
In some situations, advice may be provided about managing the risk.
More serious incidents may result in an inspector visiting the property.
Not every report results in a site visit or further action. The purpose is generally to understand what happened, determine whether any risks remain, and identify any steps needed to prevent a similar incident occurring again.
The focus is typically on identifying causes, understanding risks, and helping prevent similar incidents in the future.
It’s easy to focus on the incident itself, but incidents often reveal underlying property risks that may not have been apparent beforehand.
A resident tripping or falling may indicate a maintenance issue that has gradually worsened.
A contractor injury may highlight access or safety concerns that had not previously been identified.
A near miss may uncover a hazard before somebody is seriously injured.
The purpose of reviewing an incident is not simply to understand what went wrong on the day. It is also an opportunity to identify:
Even relatively minor incidents can provide valuable lessons that help committees make more informed decisions in the future.
The best reporting and investigation processes are usually the simplest.
A committee does not need complex systems to manage incidents effectively. What often matters most is having:
When these foundations are already in place, responding to an incident can feel much more manageable.
An incident can create uncertainty, particularly in the first few days afterwards.
Understanding what information to collect, who may need to be informed, and what the next steps could look like can help committees respond with greater confidence.
While every situation is different, timely action, clear records, and a willingness to learn from incidents can help committees support safer common property and make more informed decisions in the future.
Each state may have specific legislation and regulations concerning health and safety duties in owner corporations and body corporates. To help navigate these regulations, Safe Work Australia offers a range of resources and tools to help committees manage hazards and risks. For the latest general WHS updates, guidance, and recommendations, please visit the official Safe Work Australia website at safeworkaustralia.gov.au.
Community Health & Safety customers can access practical resources, reporting tools, and guidance to help identify hazards, assess and manage risks, maintain clear records, and review incidents over time. Taking a structured approach to ongoing risk management can make it easier to respond consistently to incidents, support continuous improvement, and inform better decision-making in the future.
Whether you would like to report a current hazard or flag a near-miss incident, please use this report form to help manage health and safety risks on your common property.
Get an updated committee report of hazards, incidents, and work orders to help track and manage risks on common property.
Contact your strata, body corporate, or owners corporation manager for an up-to-date copy today.
Get an annual site inspection walkthrough of your common property to help spot new hazards and risks that arise over time. Contact your strata, body corporate, or owners corporation manager to organise an annual safety report for your property at a fee.
This guide is created by PICA Services Pty Ltd ABN 70 651 941 114 (PICA Group). Community Health & Safety is a part of the PICA Group. Usage of Community Health & Safety services may be subject to charges. We advise you to fully understand the terms of service or agency agreement and any potential fees associated before utilising this service. While PICA Group has taken every reasonable care in compiling the information in this flyer, we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided. Links to third-party websites are provided for convenience only. PICA Group does not endorse or accept any responsibility for these websites’ content, use, or availability. PICA Group accepts no liability for any loss or damage caused by the use of or reliance on the information contained in this flyer or any links or third-party websites.
This guide has been adapted and derived from Safe Work Australia materials in August 2026 under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0), as listed below. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. (SafeWork Australia). © Commonwealth of Australia.
