The occupier or the person in charge of a non-work related accident area is required by law to report to WorkSafe any accidents that are caused by electricity or gas that result in fatalities, serious injuries or significant damage to property.
Electrical accident definitions
A “notifiable electrical accident” has the same meaning as a “notifiable accident” in the Electricity Act 1992. A “notifiable electrical accident” is defined as an accident that:
- Is caused wholly or partly by, or involves or affects, electricity, or involves or affects the generation, conversion, transformation, conveyance, or use of electricity; and
- Results in –
- Serious harm to any person; or
- Damage to any place or part of a place that renders that place or that part of that place unusable for any purpose for which it was used or designed to be used before that accident.
Serious harm means:
- Death; or
- Injury that consists of or includes loss of consciousness; or
- a notifiable injury or illness as defined in section 23 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
Gas accident definitions
A “notifiable gas accident” has the same meaning as a “notifiable accident” in the Gas Act 1992. A “notifiable gas accident” is defined as an accident that:
- Involves the production, conversion, supply, distribution, or use of gas; and
- Results in –
- Serious harm to any person; or
- Significant property damage.
Serious harm means:
- Death; or
- Harm that incapacitates, or is likely to incapacitate, the person suffering harm for 48 hours or more; or
- Harm that incapacitates, or is likely to incapacitate, the person suffering harm due to the inhalation of carbon monoxide; or
- a notifiable injury or illness as defined in section 23 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
A “non-notifiable gas accident” is defined as an accident that:
- Causes property loss; and/or
- Causes injury below the threshold defined in the Gas Act 1992, and is involved with what is supposed to be a safe supply or use of fuel gas.
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