Make a voluntary report

Even if you don’t think you’re legally required to make a mandatory report, we strongly encourage you to submit a voluntary report.

It provides us with early insight into the potential risks from a consumer good or product related service.

Voluntary reporting also reduces the risk of committing a criminal offence or having a pecuniary penalty imposed by the courts.

Submit a voluntary report

When to submit a voluntary report

We encourage suppliers to submit a voluntary report when they've assessed that a mandatory report is not legally required, but it's possible that a similar incident with a slight change of circumstances could cause a death, serious injury or serious illness in the future.

When you're not legally required to make a mandatory report, we strongly encourage you to submit a voluntary report. This is best practice. 

Example of an incident that should be voluntarily reported

A hoverboard charger caused a house fire and fortunately, no one was injured.

As there was no death or serious injury or serious illness, the supplier of the hoverboard charger is not required to submit a mandatory report

However, this was still a potentially dangerous incident and the ACCC encourages suppliers to make voluntary reports in these circumstances to assist with monitoring emerging risks.

Types of incidents to voluntarily report

Situations that do not require a mandatory report but the ACCC strongly encourages you to voluntarily report include:

  • a near miss
  • a serious injury or illness that developed slowly over time (not acute)
  • a pre-existing condition that contributed to the death, or serious injury or serious illness
  • the serious injury or illness was treated by someone who is not a medical doctor or a nurse (for example, a dentist or physiotherapist)
  • the incident was caused by the consumer good being misused in an unforeseeable way.

How we treat voluntary reports

Voluntary reports made to the ACCC are confidential and treated in accordance with the ACCC and AER Information Policy.