New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION 2001 - REG 344

344 Non-disturbance of places and plant involved in serious incidents-additional serious incidents

Note: Section 87 of the Act requires the occupier of a place of work involved in a serious incident (an incident that has resulted in a person being killed) not to disturb the place (or plant at the place) for a period of 36 hours. The section provides that additional incidents can be prescribed as serious incidents by regulation. (The section does not prevent such actions as helping or removing trapped or injured persons or actions directed or permitted by an inspector in the 36 hour period-see section 87 (4).)

(a) an injury to a person that results in the amputation of a limb,

(b) the placing of a person on a life support system,

(c) any incident listed below that presents an immediate threat to life:

(i) the loss of consciousness of a person caused by impact of physical force, exposure to hazardous substances, electric shock or lack of oxygen,

(ii) major damage to any plant, equipment, building or structure,

(iii) an uncontrolled explosion or fire,

(iv) an uncontrolled escape of gas, dangerous goods or steam,

(v) imminent risk of explosion or fire,

(vi) imminent risk of an escape of gas, dangerous goods or steam,

(vii) a spill or incident resulting in exposure or potential exposure of a person to a notifiable or prohibited carcinogenic substance (as defined in Part 6.3),

(viii) entrapment of a person in a confined space,

(ix) collapse of an excavation,

(x) entrapment of a person in machinery,

(xi) serious burns to a person.