Incident Management Procedure

An incident refers to any event or situation that could or does cause unintended harm, affecting the safety and well-being of our clients and staff. Laneways Rehabilitation and Ergonomics is committed to managing these incidents effectively in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2024.

Purpose

The aim is to provide a consistent method for reporting and managing incidents, helping to identify and mitigate recurring issues, thereby enhancing client and staff safety.

Key Objectives

• Facilitate swift identification of additional support or training needs.
• Monitor incident patterns to modify work practices.
• Maintain incident records for future reference.

Roles and Responsibilities

All staff are required to implement these procedures.

The Director oversees incident response and monitoring.

Staff must ensure incident reports are completed and submitted to the Director.

Management reviews incidents to identify trends and potential policy or procedural revisions.

Incident Response Protocol

Upon an incident, employees should:

• Prioritise immediate safety and provide first aid if needed.
• Contact emergency services (000) if necessary.
• Inform families, carers, and guardians about severe or major incidents promptly.
• Report incidents to the Director as soon as is reasonably practical.
• Complete and submit an incident report within 12 hours.

External reporting may be required for certain incidents.

Incident Categories

Minor: Minor injuries or verbal abuse; slight property damage.

Moderate: Injuries requiring first aid; significant property damage.

Severe or Major: Serious injuries needing medical attention; incidents involving emergency services; client death; abuse or neglect; significant media interest events.

Incident Evaluation and Response

Post-incident assessments focus on prevention, management effectiveness, and necessary remedial actions. Responses may include additional support, practice improvements, notifying relevant bodies, further investigations, corrective actions, or concluding no further action is necessary. Outcomes are recorded in the Incident Register.

Investigation Procedures

Internal investigations by the Director or assigned staff.

Investigation scope and findings are documented.

External investigations for severe cases, following procedural guidelines.

Client Support

Ensure injured clients receive appropriate medical care.

Offer counselling in serious cases.

Involve clients in incident resolution processes.

NDIS Quality and Safeguard Commission Notifications

Serious incidents must be reported, including participant injury, abuse, neglect, and unauthorised restrictive practices. Timelines for reporting vary based on incident severity and type.

Record Keeping Standards

Detailed incident records including descriptions, involved parties, response actions, and investigation outcomes are mandatory. Records are retained for seven years.

Record Accessibility

Records are available for audits and contribute to procedural investigations.

Additional Information

For enquiries, please contact:

Laneways Rehabilitation and Ergonomics Management

Phone: 0430155036 Email: hello@lanewaysrehab.com.au