Reporting dangerous occurances
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Dangerous occurrence
A dangerous occurrence is something that did not result in a reportable injury but had the potential to do so. These near-miss events must be reported immediately.
In England, Wales and Scotland, there are 27 categories of dangerous occurrences (and in Northern Ireland 20) that are relevant to most workplaces.
The list below provides some, but for a full list see either Schedule 2 of the 2013 Regulations or, for Northern Ireland, Schedule 2 of the 1997 Regulations.
Reportable dangerous occurrences include:
1. Collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment
2. Explosion, collapse or bursting of any closed vessel or associated pipework
3. Failure of any freight container in any of its load-bearing parts
4. Plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines
5. Electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion
6. Any unintentional explosion such as a misfire, failure of an intended demolition, projection of material beyond a site boundary and any injuries caused by the explosion
7. Accidental release of a biological agent likely to cause severe human illness
8. Failure of industrial radiography or irradiation equipment to de-energise or return to its safe position after the intended exposure period
9. Malfunction of breathing apparatus while in use or during testing immediately before use
10. Failure or endangering of diving equipment, the trapping of a diver, an explosion near a diver, or an uncontrolled ascent
11. Collapse or partial collapse of a scaffold over 5 metres high, or erected near water where there could be a risk of drowning after a fall
12. Unintended collision of a train with any vehicle
13. Dangerous occurrence at a well (other than a water well)
14. Dangerous occurrence at a pipeline
15. Failure of any load-bearing fairground equipment, or derailment or unintended collision of cars or trains
16. A road tanker carrying a dangerous substance overturns, suffers serious damage, catches fire or the substance is released
17. A dangerous substance being conveyed by road is involved in a fire or released
Note: additional categories of dangerous occurrences apply to mines, quarries, relevant transport systems (railways etc.) and offshore workplaces.
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