What must a rail operator report to ONRSR, and by when?
A notifiable occurrence is an accident or incident associated with railway operations that must be reported. The law sets the duty in s 121 of the Rail Safety National Law, and reg 57 of the National Regulations sets three categories. The clock starts when the operator becomes aware.
The rows the law sets
Each row is one duty the Rail Safety National Law places on the operator, with the section that states it. "None set" means the law sets no number: the duty is standing, or the clock is set by a direction or by the National Regulations, and the note under the table says which.
| Duty | Clause | Window | If missed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report a Category A notifiable occurrence immediately by telephone to the regulator | s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category A | none set | an offence |
| Submit the written report of a Category A notifiable occurrence within 7 days | s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category A | 7 days | an offence |
| Submit the initial written report of a Category B notifiable occurrence within 72 hours | s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category B | 72 hours | an offence |
| Submit the complete data for a Category B notifiable occurrence within 14 days | s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category B | 14 days | an offence |
| Report Category C notifiable occurrence counts annually within 6 months of the operator's reporting period | s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category C | 6 months | an offence |
| Investigate a notifiable occurrence when the regulator requires, in the manner and within the period the regulator specifies | s 122(1)-(4) | none set | an offence |
What each row does not say
s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category ACategory A covers rail safety incidents. The report is made by telephone to ONRSR on 1800 430 888 and is followed by a written report within 7 days. "Immediately" has no number, so no window is recorded. The safety_incident register holds the incident and its worst outcome, but not whether or when the regulator was told.
s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category AThe written report is submitted through the ONRSR Portal. Category A is the most serious class, reported first by telephone and then in writing. The safety_incident register does not hold the report.
s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category BCategory B is the middle class: an initial written report within 72 hours and complete data within 14 days, both through the ONRSR Portal. The safety_incident register does not hold the report.
s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category BThe complete data submission follows the initial 72-hour report. The safety_incident register does not hold the submission.
s 121(1); National Regulations reg 57; Category CCategory C is the annual count of less serious occurrences, reported through the ONRSR Portal within 6 months of the operator's reporting period. The safety_incident register does not hold the return.
s 122(1)-(4)The regulator may require the investigation by written notice. The level of investigation is set by the severity and potential consequences and the focus is cause and contributing factors (s 122(2)). The investigation must be conducted in the manner the regulator approves and within the period it specifies, and the report follows within the period it specifies (s 122(3)-(4)).
Where the rows come from
The full instrument, every row and its caveat, is on the Rail Safety National Law page. The library holds the national law. The National Regulations and each state's adoption Act are cited in the rows where they set the detail, not held as separate instruments.
What this page is, and is not
It is the section text this library holds from the Rail Safety National Law, with the window and the consequence. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for reading the Act, the National Regulations and the contract you signed.
No library of law is complete, and Demiton never says this one is. An obligation the library does not hold, and you did not add, is not protected. You can add your own to any job.
The Rail Safety National Law is drafted for the next library release and was read on 19 October 2026. The rest of the library is public release v19; until the next release, the rows on this page are the draft, not the published set.
Clauses read from the obligation library, release v19, last checked against the source on .