Despite effective workplace health and safety systems, incidents, injuries and near misses may still occur. Prompt reporting and appropriate management of these events are essential for protecting the health and safety of clients, Occupational Therapists, assistance animals and other members of the community.

Incident reporting is not intended to assign blame or identify fault. Rather, it provides an opportunity to understand what occurred, implement appropriate corrective actions and reduce the likelihood of similar events occurring in the future. A strong reporting culture encourages transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.

Occupational Therapists should be familiar with their legal, professional and organisational responsibilities for reporting workplace health and safety incidents, while also recognising circumstances that require notification to external authorities.

Understanding Workplace Incidents

A workplace incident is any unplanned event that results in, or has the potential to result in, injury, illness, damage or other adverse outcomes.

Incidents may involve:

• clients
• Occupational Therapists
• assistance animals
• members of the public
• visitors
• support workers
• property
• equipment.

Not all incidents result in physical injury. Psychological harm, animal welfare concerns and property damage may also constitute reportable incidents.

Types of Incidents

Occupational Therapists working with assistance animals may encounter a range of workplace incidents.

Examples include:

• slips, trips and falls
• manual handling injuries
• bites or scratches
• aggressive animal behaviour
• equipment failures
• vehicle incidents during transport
• exposure to infectious diseases
• medication errors affecting animal welfare
• environmental hazards causing injury
• client medical emergencies
• assistance animal welfare emergencies
• public access disputes resulting in unsafe situations.

Each incident should be managed according to its level of risk and organisational procedures.

What is a Near Miss?

A near miss is an unplanned event that could have resulted in injury, illness or damage but, through chance or timely intervention, did not.

Near misses provide valuable opportunities for learning because they often reveal weaknesses in workplace systems before serious harm occurs.

Examples include:

• an assistance dog narrowly avoiding injury after slipping on a wet floor
• a mobility harness failing during assessment without causing injury
• a member of the public attempting to distract a working assistance dog before being redirected
• a hazard identified immediately before client use.

Near misses should be reported with the same seriousness as incidents that result in injury.

Immediate Response to an Incident

The first priority following any incident is to ensure the immediate safety of all people and animals involved.

Depending on the situation, this may include:

• stopping the activity
• removing people from danger
• securing the assistance animal
• providing first aid
• contacting emergency services
• arranging veterinary assessment
• preventing further access to the hazard
• notifying relevant personnel.

Occupational Therapists should always work within their professional competence and seek assistance where required.

Incident Reporting Procedures

Following immediate management, incidents should be reported in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.

Reports should generally include:

• date and time
• location
• individuals involved
• assistance animal involved
• factual description of events
• hazards identified
• injuries sustained
• immediate actions taken
• witnesses
• recommended follow-up actions.

Reports should be completed as soon as reasonably practicable while details remain accurate.

Objective Incident Documentation

Incident reports should be factual, objective and free from personal opinions or assumptions.

Good documentation describes:

• what was observed
• what occurred
• actions taken
• outcomes.

Documentation should avoid speculation regarding blame or intent unless supported by verified evidence.

Where further investigation is required, this should be clearly documented.

Reporting Animal Welfare Incidents

Incidents involving assistance animals require consideration of both workplace health and safety and animal welfare obligations.

Examples requiring reporting may include:

• injury to the assistance animal
• illness affecting work performance
• signs of excessive fatigue
• inappropriate handling
• equipment-related injuries
• behavioural changes suggesting compromised welfare.

Where appropriate, Occupational Therapists should recommend veterinary assessment and consult with the assistance animal trainer or organisation responsible for the partnership.

Notifiable Incidents

Some workplace incidents must be reported to the relevant workplace health and safety regulator under state or territory legislation.

Examples may include:

• death of a worker or other person
• serious injury or illness
• dangerous incidents posing significant risk.

Occupational Therapists should understand that while organisational management often undertakes formal notification, practitioners have a responsibility to promptly report incidents internally so appropriate notifications can occur where required.

Learning from Incident Reporting

Incident reporting should contribute to organisational learning rather than simply fulfilling administrative requirements.

Following an incident, organisations should consider:

• what happened
• why it happened
• whether existing controls were effective
• whether additional controls are required
• whether policies require revision
• whether further education or supervision is needed.

Reviewing incident data over time can identify patterns that support broader workplace health and safety improvements.

Supporting Clients Following an Incident

Experiencing a workplace incident can be distressing for clients and may affect confidence in their assistance animal partnership.

Occupational Therapists should consider:

• the client’s physical wellbeing
• psychological impacts
• confidence returning to activities
• changes in occupational participation
• whether additional education or support is required.

Interventions should be individualised and may involve collaboration with other health professionals where appropriate.

Supporting Assistance Animals Following an Incident

Assistance animals may also be affected by workplace incidents.

Following an incident, consideration should be given to:

• physical injury
• behavioural changes
• stress responses
• confidence in performing trained tasks
• need for rest or temporary withdrawal from work
• veterinary assessment
• behavioural review by an appropriately qualified trainer.

Protecting animal welfare is an essential component of post-incident management.

Encouraging a Just Culture

A positive workplace health and safety culture encourages reporting without fear of blame.

A just culture recognises that while individuals remain accountable for their actions, most incidents arise from multiple interacting factors rather than the actions of a single person.

Occupational Therapists should support environments where hazards, incidents and near misses are viewed as opportunities for learning and improving systems rather than assigning fault.

Key Practice Principle

Incident, injury and near miss reporting are essential components of effective workplace health and safety systems. Occupational Therapists should respond promptly to incidents, document events objectively, support the wellbeing of both clients and assistance animals, and contribute to organisational learning through accurate reporting and continuous improvement. A proactive and transparent reporting culture strengthens safety, supports professional accountability and promotes sustainable assistance animal partnerships.