On this page: Immediate reporting of major incidents | Immediate reporting of railway accidents and incidents | Reporting of 'notifiable occurrences' | Who should provide the reports?
The information on this page describes the requirements for reporting railway incidents by accredited rail operators.
Immediate reporting of major incidents
The Rail Safety Act 2006 (Vic) defines a 'major incident' as "an incident or natural event that poses a serious and immediate risk to safety and includes a derailment of rolling stock, a collision, a fire or explosion".
You must report major incidents to:
- the emergency services with whom the accredited rail operator has a prepared an emergency plan
- the Safety Director (Public Transport Safety Victoria), and
- the Chief Investigator, Transport and Marine Safety Investigations.
Immediate reporting of railway accidents and incidents
You must notify the Safety Director immediately after becoming aware that a railway accident or incident has occurred. You must then follow up with a written report of the incident within 72 hours of becoming aware of the incident, using the approved notifiable occurrence form (to obtain the form, contact PTSV).
The Rail Safety Act 2006 (Vic) sets out the meaning of the term 'railway accident':
(a) an accident or incident on railway premises that results in:
(i) the death of a person
(ii) a person requiring immediate treatment as an in-patient in a hospital
(b) a running line derailment of any unit of rolling stock
(c) a collision between any rolling stock and any person
(d) a collision between any rolling stock and any other vehicle, infrastructure, obstruction or object which resulted in significant property damage
(e) an implosion, explosion, fire or other occurrence which resulted in significant property damage
(f) a notifiable accident or incident (which means a railway accident or incident which the Safety Director has specified by instrument under regulation 42 (1) of the Rail Safety Regulations 2006).
Your organisation may face penalties for not reporting railway accidents or incidents.Reporting of 'notifiable circumstances'
You must notify the Safety Director (using the approved notifiable occurrence form) of a 'notifiable circumstance' that has occurred in relation to the rail operations for which the rail operator is accredited within 72 hours after becoming aware of the notifiable circumstance.
The Rail Safety Act 2006 (Vic) defines 'notifiable circumstance' as meaning a circumstance, act or omission that resulted in, or had the potential to result in, the death or serious injury to a person, or significant damage to property and includes:
(a) any defect in, or failure of, any part of the rail infrastructure
(b) any defect in, or failure of, any rolling stock or part of any rolling stock
(c) any failure or breach of any rail operations practice, procedure or rule
(d) any other circumstance, act or omission that the Safety Director has specified under regulation 42(2) to be a notifiable circumstance.
Who should provide the reports?
All accredited rail operators have a duty to report to PTSV, however, accredited rail operator organisations may formulate their own internal policies and procedures to ensure they comply with this requirement (for example, some organisations may specify a particular job role as being responsible for reporting, others may encourage staff in the course of their work who are ‘involved’ in an incident to notify PTSV).