Preserve the incident site: what regulators say

The scene is evidence

Picture a crane tip-over at 2pm. By 2.30 the crew wants the access road back, the client is on the phone and somebody offers to drag the load clear. That’s the moment this guide is about.

Queensland’s page explains why a scene is left as it is. An inspector or a police officer may need to investigate it, and the aim is to protect evidence that may show the cause. Other regulators say much the same in their own words. The rows below quote six of them.

What the pages say

The wording differs from state to state. NSW, Queensland and WA each describe the scene staying as it is until an inspector arrives or gives other instructions. Victoria cites section 39 of its OHS Act, and the ACT has its own page. The NT page adds that there are some exceptions.

Western Australia’s page also describes a non-disturbance notice, which can preserve a site for up to 7 days. If an inspector is slow to arrive, ask the regulator what applies to your scene.

What you can still do

Leaving a scene alone doesn’t mean standing and watching. Queensland’s page lists the reasons for disturbing a site. They are helping a person with an injury, removing a deceased person, making the site safe, and assisting a police investigation. Reducing the risk of a further notifiable incident counts too. The page also gives a phone number for anyone who is unsure, and says an inspector can give permission to disturb a site.

Queensland says the rule covers the area where the incident happened, not the whole place of work. The ACT page puts it as the immediate area where the incident occurred, not the whole workplace. So work can often carry on elsewhere. Ask your regulator before you assume.

Waiting for the inspector

Waiting is the hard part. The incident is over, the adrenaline has gone and the day is half gone too. Somebody needs to hold the boundary, and it won’t be the person who has just been through it. Swap people out, give them water, and write down the names and times.

When an inspector arrives or gives directions, note the time and the name. That entry marks where the scene stopped being held, and it’s the line a manager looks for afterwards.

Practical steps for the site

A scene is easier to leave alone when the crew knows where its edges are. Barrier tape, cones and a named person at the gate do more than a policy does. Photograph the area from the edges before anything moves, with the time showing.

• Name one person to hold the boundary, and tell everyone who it is
• Photograph the scene from several angles before anything is touched
• Note anything you moved to help someone or make the area safe, and when
• Write down who you called and at what time
• Keep a copy of the photos where a manager can see them

In Haznote, the voice note and photos from the person at the scene land on the record straight away. The GPS point and time come with them. A manager can see what was moved and why. Haznote doesn’t direct the scene or notify the regulator. Your regulator’s page does one and a person does the other.