WorkSafeBC Incident Reporting in BC: What Must Be Reported and When
If you’ve ever had an incident at work and thought, “Do we call WorkSafeBC… or do we fill out a form… or both?”, you’re not alone.
Here’s the simple truth:
Some incidents must be reported immediately by phone to WorkSafeBC’s Prevention Information Line (their emergency reporting line: 1-888-621-7233 (1-888-621-SAFE)).
Injuries and illnesses that may become a claim must be reported within 72 hours of you becoming aware of them.
And if it’s reportable, you also have investigation and documentation requirements, including timelines.
This post breaks it down in plain English.
Step 1: What to do first (before you call anyone)
WorkSafeBC’s guidance is clear: before you make the “immediate notification” call, deal with the urgent stuff first.
Provide first aid and medical help
Make the area safe so nobody else gets hurt
Then make the call if it’s an incident requiring immediate notification
The two reporting streams employers mix up
1) Immediate notification (Prevention / emergency reporting line)
This is the “call right now” situation. These are serious incidents, even if a claim hasn’t been filed yet.
2) Report the injury/illness for claims (within 72 hours)
This is the standard employer reporting requirement when a worker is injured or becomes ill and it could become a WorkSafeBC claim. Employers are required to report within 72 hours of becoming aware of it.
Important: calling the emergency line does not replace the employer claim reporting requirement.
What must be reported immediately to WorkSafeBC?
WorkSafeBC lists specific “incidents requiring immediate notification.”
You must notify WorkSafeBC immediately if any of the following happens:
A worker is seriously injured or killed on the job
A major structural failure or collapse (building, bridge, tower, crane, hoist, temporary construction support system, excavation)
A major release of a hazardous substance
A dangerous fire or explosion with the potential for serious injury
A blasting incident that results in injury
WorkSafeBC also notes a dangerous incident involving explosives must be reported (even if no one is hurt).
What counts as a “serious injury”?
WorkSafeBC describes serious injuries as life-threatening or potentially permanent injuries, and gives examples like major fractures, amputations, serious burns, and certain serious exposures (chemicals, heat/cold stress).
Protecting the incident scene (this part matters)
Unless a WorkSafeBC officer or a peace officer tells you otherwise, you must not disturb the scene, except to:
Attend to injured or killed persons
Prevent further injury or death
Protect endangered property
This is one of those rules that gets people in trouble because they “clean up so it looks better.” Don’t. Make it safe, then preserve the scene.
Investigation timelines: 48 hours and 30 days (and what you must share)
If an incident is reportable, employers are required to investigate.
WorkSafeBC lays out these key timelines:
Preliminary investigation report: completed within 48 hours (unless an extension is granted)
Full investigation report: completed and submitted within 30 days
WorkSafeBC also describes additional reporting expectations during and after the investigation (interim corrective actions, and a full corrective actions report that identifies what was fixed, who is responsible, and completion dates).
You also have a “share/post” requirement
After the preliminary and full investigation reports are completed, employers must provide copies to the joint committee or worker rep, or post it at the workplace if there isn’t one (while respecting privacy).
A simple reporting checklist you can use every time
When something happens, run this quick filter:
A) Do we need to call WorkSafeBC immediately?
If it’s a serious injury/fatality, major collapse, major hazardous release, dangerous fire/explosion potential, blasting injury, or serious explosives incident, yes.
B) Do we need to report an injury/illness within 72 hours?
If a worker sustained an injury (even if no time is missed), has a work-related disease diagnosis, a work-related mental health injury, hearing loss, or certain broken medical aids, yes.
C) Do we need an investigation report?
If it’s reportable or could have caused serious injury (near miss), plan to investigate and document.
FAQ
Do I still report within 72 hours if I already called the emergency line?
Yes. Calling to immediately notify WorkSafeBC about a serious incident is different from reporting an injury/illness for claims purposes.
What incidents must be reported immediately in BC?
WorkSafeBC lists serious injury/death, major structural collapse, major hazardous release, dangerous fire/explosion potential, and blasting incidents causing injury (and certain explosives incidents).
How fast do we need to complete an investigation report?
WorkSafeBC’s investigation guidance includes a preliminary investigation report within 48 hours, and a full investigation report submitted within 30 days.
Are we allowed to clean up the scene?
Not unless it’s to help injured people, prevent further injuries/death, or protect endangered property (unless an officer directs otherwise).
What should we have ready when we call WorkSafeBC?
WorkSafeBC asks for basics like contact name/number, location, date/time, number of workers involved and names, and a brief description.
Call to action
If you want this to be painless, build it into your safety program like a system:
a one-page “when to report” flowchart,
an investigation template that matches WorkSafeBC expectations,
and a corrective-action tracker that actually gets closed out.
If you want help setting that up for your business (or cleaning up what you already have), reach out through GreenSpine Safety.
