HOME/FREE TOOLS/INCIDENT SEVERITY
Safety & compliance

Incident severity calculator

Classify a workplace incident by its actual outcome and its potential, and get a prompt on whether it may be a notifiable incident you must report to the regulator.

The incident
What happened, what could have happened, and the chance of recurrence.
Recurrence risk
High
Actual outcome “first aid only”, with a high risk of a similar incident recurring (score 9).
Actual outcomeFirst aid only
Potential severity3 — Major
Recurrence riskHigh (score 9)
Potentially notifiable?No

traqR keeps incident records, actions and safety documents against the job and site so nothing gets lost after an event.

Start free trial

How it works

1

Record what happened

Capture the actual outcome — from a near miss through to a serious injury — as the basis for classifying the incident.

2

Judge the potential

Consider how serious it could have been and how likely a repeat is. A minor injury from a high-potential event still deserves a serious response.

3

Check notifiability

Certain outcomes and dangerous incidents must be reported to the WHS regulator. The tool flags when to check your obligations.

Frequently asked questions

What is a notifiable incident?

Under WHS law, notifiable incidents are the death of a person, a serious injury or illness, or a dangerous incident that exposes someone to a serious risk — even if no one is actually hurt. They must be reported to the WHS regulator immediately, and the site generally preserved until an inspector directs otherwise.

What counts as a serious injury or illness?

It includes things like injuries requiring immediate treatment as an in-patient in hospital, amputations, serious head or eye injuries, serious burns, spinal injury, and certain infections and exposures. The exact list is defined in the WHS Act — check the definition for your jurisdiction.

Why look at potential, not just actual harm?

Because luck often decides the outcome. A near miss and a fatality can come from the identical failure — the difference may be a step to the left. Rating potential severity and recurrence makes sure high-potential events get investigated properly, not dismissed because no one happened to be hurt.

What do I do after a serious incident?

Make the area safe and care for anyone injured first. If it may be notifiable, notify the regulator immediately and preserve the incident site (don’t disturb it beyond what’s needed for safety or to help the injured) until told otherwise. Then investigate and record it. Follow your WHS procedures and legal duties.

This calculator is a general triage aid, not legal advice. Notifiable-incident definitions and duties are set by WHS legislation and vary by jurisdiction. If there is any chance an incident is notifiable, contact your WHS regulator immediately and follow your legal obligations.

Nothing lost after an incident

traqR keeps incident records, actions and safety documents against the job and site. Try it free for 14 days.

Start free trial View pricing