New Product Safety mandatory reporting guidance from the ACCC
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published its updated Mandatory Reporting Guideline to help you comply with your mandatory reporting obligations.
Businesses must submit a mandatory report within 2 days when they become aware of a death or serious injury or illness from a consumer good or product related service they supplied.
The updated guideline also recommends voluntary reporting of incidents that do not meet the mandatory reporting requirements, such as near misses, to help provide the ACCC with an early indication of product safety issues.
You can find updated mandatory reporting information and tools on the Product Safety Australia website, including a:
- quick guide that summarises obligations, making it easier for businesses to understand what they must do
- template notice that suppliers may use to help inform staff about processes for mandatory reporting
- sample questions to help businesses collect relevant information about an incident
- flowchart to determine if an incident must be reported
Why mandatory reporting is important for your business
You must submit a mandatory report within 2 days if you or anyone in your business becomes aware that the use, or foreseeable misuse, of a consumer product you have supplied caused, or may have caused, a death or serious injury or illness. You can do this by using the ACCC online mandatory reporting form.
Mandatory reports are confidential and are not an admission of liability. However, if you do not submit a mandatory report where a report is required, you may be found guilty of a criminal offence and need to pay either $3,330 if an individual or $16,650 if a body corporate.
More information
The Product Safety Australia website has more information about mandatory reporting. You can also contact the ACCC with any questions.