You must notify the Office of the Rail Safety Regulator about all rail accidents and incidents.
Category A incidents
Category A incidents are serious matters that include:
- serious injury
- death
- derailments
- collisions, including at level crossings
- fires
- explosions
- terrorism or sabotage.
What to do in the event of a Category A incident
If a Category A accident or incident occurs, report it immediately to the Office of the Rail Safety Regulator by phone on 8343 2146, available 24 hours a day.
You must then provide the regulator with a written report within 72 hours of the incident. See how to notify the regulator below.
If there is death, serious injury to a person, or significant property damage an investigation will need to be conducted by the operator. The results of the investigation must be provided to the Office of the Rail Regulator within eight weeks of the accident or incident.
Category B incidents
Category B incidents are less serious and include:
- derailments on non-running lines, such as in the yard
- near misses at level crossings
- signals passed at danger
- rolling stock runaway
- communications system not working
- slips, trips and falls
- not following safe working rules or procedures
- alleged assault on railway property causing injury
- suspected suicide attempt
- rail safety workers testing positive to drugs or alcohol
- vandalism
- trespass.
What to do in the event of a Category B incident
If a Category B accident or incident has happened, notify the Office of the Rail Safety Regulator in writing within 72 hours of the event.
How to notify the regulator about a rail incident in writing
You can notify the regulator about a rail accident or incident by:
You may be prosecuted for not reporting an accident or incident.
Request for investigations
The Rail Safety Regulator may also write to a rail operator to request that an investigation takes place in relation to a matter. This applies to both category A category B incidents. You have to undertake this investigation and provide the report to the regulator by the due date stated in the letter.
More information
Other websites
Occurrence classification - guideline one (OC-G1) and occurrence notification - standard one (ON-S1) - Rail Safety Regulator Panel
Contact
Office of the Rail Safety Regulator
GPO Box 1533
Adelaide SA 5001
Phone: 8343 2873
Fax: 8343 2718
dtei.railsafety@sa.gov.au