Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Sections 56–57

Notifiable events: what you must report to WorkSafe NZ

If a notifiable event occurs at your workplace, you must call WorkSafe immediately. Here is exactly what counts as a notifiable event and what you must do.

📋 HSWA 2015, Sections 56–57 — In force as at 5 April 2025
If a notifiable event has occurred
Call WorkSafe now
0800 030 040
Available 24 hours, 7 days a week

The three types of notifiable event (Section 56)

1. Notifiable death

The death of any person caused by or arising out of work carried out by a PCBU. This includes workers, visitors, contractors, and members of the public.

Examples: a worker dies in a fall from height; a contractor dies from exposure to a hazardous substance; a visitor dies in a vehicle accident in the workplace.

2. Notifiable serious injury or illness

A serious injury or illness requires immediate notification if it involves:

  • Immediate in-patient hospitalisation
  • Amputation of a body part
  • Serious head injury
  • Serious eye injury
  • Serious burn
  • Degloving (skin separation)
  • Spinal injury
  • Loss of a bodily function
  • Serious lacerations requiring surgery

3. Notifiable incident (near miss)

An unplanned or uncontrolled incident that exposes a worker or any other person to a serious risk to their health or safety, even if no one was injured. These are sometimes called near misses.

Examples: scaffolding collapses with no workers on it; a crane load falls in a work area but misses workers; an explosion occurs in a plant but everyone evacuated in time; a worker is exposed to a hazardous substance but is not yet injured.

Preserving the scene (Section 57)

Do not disturb the scene

After a notifiable event, you must ensure the site is not disturbed until a WorkSafe inspector arrives or gives permission to proceed. The only exceptions are:

  • To assist an injured person
  • To make the area safe and prevent further harm
  • Where a WorkSafe inspector gives permission

Disturbing the scene without authorisation is a serious breach of the Act and can result in significant fines.

Written notification — within 48 hours

As well as the immediate phone call, you must provide written notification to WorkSafe within 48 hours of becoming aware of the notifiable event. This can be done online at worksafe.govt.nz/notify.

Source: Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, Sections 56–57. WorkSafe guidance at worksafe.govt.nz. This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What if I'm not sure whether something is notifiable?
Call WorkSafe on 0800 030 040 and describe what happened. They will advise you whether it is notifiable. It is always better to call and check than to fail to notify when required — failure to notify is a criminal offence.
Does a notifiable event have to happen at my premises?
No. If a notifiable event arises out of work your PCBU controls or influences, you may have a reporting obligation even if it occurs off-site — for example, a delivery driver in a work vehicle.
Who in my organisation should make the notification?
The PCBU is responsible for notifying WorkSafe. In practice this is usually the most senior person available at the time — a site manager, health and safety manager, or director. The notification must be made immediately, so don't wait for someone senior if they aren't available.
Can I be prosecuted even if no one was injured?
Yes. Failure to notify a notifiable incident (near miss) is an offence even if no one was hurt. The obligation is triggered by the nature of the event — the exposure to serious risk — not by whether an injury actually occurred.

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