Critical Incidents

A critical incident is an incident or event which critically affects the

good order and security of the facility or where there is serious
injury or a threat to life. These must be reported orally immediately
(no later than 1 hour after the incident) and a written report
within 4 hours to Detention Operations and National Office OHS
Coordinator. Including but not limited to:
Detainee on detainee
Assault occasioning grievous
bodily harm
Detainee on staff
Staff on detainee
Other [eg. Visitor]
Detainee on detainee
Assault sexual assault
Detainee on Staff
Biological/chemical threat

Bomb threat
Complaints
Damage to facility: serious,
including fire
Death

Accident
Demonstration

Any known complaint about

critical incident

Comcare
comments

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Not unless threat
is actually carried
out with a
hazardous
biological or
chemical
substance
As above
No
Yes

Detainee
Staff
Other [eg. Visitor]
To detainee serious
To staff serious
Outside facility

Disturbance
Escape

Riot/hostage situation
Successful (includes mass
escapes)

Force Majeure
Industrial action
Public Health risk

Actual
Withdrawal of labour
Serious (includes epidemics)

Self Harm
Use of Observation Room/mgmt
support Unit over 7 days
Visits

Actual

Voluntary Starvation

Reportable
to Comcare?

High profile visitor refused

access
By a minor

Yes within 2
hours to Comcare
As above
As above
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No unless SPI
or could cause
SPI/psychological
injury
As above
No
No unless it
arose through
DIACs conduct
Yes
No
No
No unless SPI
or could cause
SPI/psychological
injury

We assume
peaceful
Difficult to
assess risk as
we do not know
DIAC responds.

Major Incidents
A Major incident is an incident or event which seriously affects the
good order, safety and security of the facility, the welfare of
detainees or which threatens the success of escorts/transfer/removal
activities. These should be reported as soon as possible orally (no
later than 2 hours after the incident) and a written report within 6
hours or before the end of the shift to Detention Operations and
National Office OHS Coordinator. Major incidents include but are
not limited to:
Detainee on detainee
Assault allegation /
suspicion
Detainee on staff
Staff on detainee
other [eg. visitor]
Detainee on detainee
Assault occasioning
actual bodily harm
Detainee on staff
Staff on detainee
other [eg. visitor]
Complaints - any known
complaints about Major
incidents

Food poisoning

Force majeure

Media

No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No

No unless SPI
or could cause
SPI/psychological
injury

Contamination of
facility

Demonstration
Disturbance
Emergency medical
Attention
Escape (includes mass
breakouts)

Reportable
to Comcare?

Inside Facililty
Major
Off site
On site
Attempted

Comcare
comments

This is vague
and potentially
broad what is
meant by major
incidents?
What sort of
contamination?
Could this be a
dangerous
occurrence?

As above
Yes
Yes
Yes
No unless SPI
or could cause
SPI/psychological
injury
No unless DIAC Yes either a
provided meals
dangerous
occurrence or
potentially an
SPI even where
contractor
supplies food
because it is
part of DIACs
undertaking and
responsibility
for managing
safety of good
an expected force majeure
No unless SPI
or could cause
SPI/psychological
injury
Approaches by media to staff /detainees No
Presence at facility
No
Incident likely to attract media attention No

Prohibited article

Removal
Self harm

Prohibited substance, suspected

Weapons /means of escape

Aborted
Attempted

Strip search
Substance use/abuse
Systems failure
Unlawful detention
Use of force

by detainee

by staff

Use of observation
room, management
support unit
Voluntary starvation

Medical Over 24 hours

Non-medical over 3 days
Over 24 hours

No
No unless SPI
or could cause
SPI/psychological
injury
No
No - SPI or could
cause
SPI/psychological
injury
No
No
Could it cause
SPI? If so, yes.
No
No - unless SPI or
could cause
SPI/psychological
injury
No - unless SPI or
could cause
SPI/psychological
injury
No
No
No - unless SPI or
could cause
SPI/psychological
injury

Could be a
dangerous
occurrence

Minor Incidents
A Minor incident is an incident or event which affects, but to a lesser
degree than a major incident, the good order, safety and security of the
facility, the welfare of detainees or which threatens the success of
escorts/transfer/removal activities. A written report should be provided
within 24 hours to Detention Operations and National Office OHS
Coordinator. Minor incidents include, but are not limited to:
by detainee
Abusive /aggressive
behaviour

Accident

Assault not occasioning

bodily harm

Reportable
to
Comcare?
No

by staff

No

to detainee, minor

to staff, minor

No unless
SPI or could
cause
SPI/psycholog
ical injury
As above

Detainee on detainee

As above

Detainee on staff

As above

staff on detainee

As above

other [eg. Visitor]

As above

Assuming there
is no injury or
risk of injury. If
so, could be a
dangerous
occurrence
Assuming
there is no
injury or risk of
injury. If so,
could be a
dangerous
occurrence
Could be a
dangerous
occurrence

Could be a
dangerous
occurrence
Could be a
dangerous
occurrence
Could be a
dangerous
occurrence
Could be a
dangerous
occurrence
Could be a
dangerous
occurrence

No

Birth of a child

No

Damage to facility

Any know complaint about Minor

incidents
Less serious

Disturbance
Industrial action

Minor
Minor

No
No

Complaints

Comcare
comments

Not generally

Notification by
State/Territory authorities
[eg. welfare, police]

No

Not sure what

this is referring
too.

Notification to State/
Territory authorities

No

Not sure what

this is referring

too.

[eg. welfare, police]

Prohibited article

other - brought in by visitor

Public health risk

other - found
other - brought in by staff
Public health risk

Property
Self harm
Theft (of non-detainee
property)
(eg Commonwealth, GSL,
visitor or contractor
property)
Transfer of detainee

Missing
Theft
Threatened

No
No
No
No

to alternate place of detention

[excluding hospital]

No

Use of instruments of
restraint

Visits
Voluntary starvation

No unless
SPI or could
cause
SPI/psycholog
ical injury
As above
As above
Not unless it
arose through
DIACs
conduct

Other visitor refused access

under 24 hours
end of

No unless
SPI or could
cause
SPI/psycholog
ical injury
No
No
No unless
SPI or could
cause
SPI/psycholog
ical injury

Also includes
public health
risk generated
by DIACs
contractors