Rail owners, operators, track access providers, and other
'responsible persons' are obliged, under the Transport Safety
Investigation Act and Regulations 2003, to report any accident
(or 'immediately reportable matter') as soon as practicable to the
ATSB, by the quickest means possible. Recognising the practical
difficulties of reporting to a number of separate authorities, the
Regulations consider a report to the State or Territory rail safety
regulator, to be a report to the ATSB, although the ATSB is a
separate organisation. On receipt of a report of a rail safety
occurrence, ATSB staff, who are on 24 hour call, decide(s) what
action will be taken.
Depending on the type and severity of the incident, this may
be:
- an investigation carried out by an ATSB investigator; or
- more information sought from the railway regulator, track
manager, operator, or other body; or
- no further action taken.
Rail safety occurrences should be notified to the State
or Territory rail safety regulator, in accordance with
procedures established in the particular jurisdiction. Where a rail
safety regulator, as a 'nominated official' under the TSI
Regulations, receives a report, the regulator will report in turn
to the ATSB when necessary.