Alberta Motor Transport Association
In 2025, the Government of Alberta (GOA) released a webinar on potentially serious incidents (PSIs), how to report them, and why the GOA is requiring this type of information from Alberta-regulated employers. The webinar can be accessed on their website at this link. The webinar can help employers implement best practices by providing a step-by-step demonstration of how to submit a PSI report and access PSI-related data.
A PSI is an incident that “had a likelihood of causing a serious injury or illness, and there is a reasonable cause to believe that corrective action may be needed to prevent recurrence” (33(5) of Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act). In other words, a PSI is a type of near-miss incident, and Alberta-regulated employers must report all PSIs to the GOA. PSI reports are to be submitted after an investigation is complete, as required by section 33(6) of Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. PSI submissions are the responsibility of the employer or prime contractor, if there is a prime contractor. It’s important to distinguish PSIs from serious incidents that result in actual injury. PSIs are near-misses while serious incidents involve harm, and the reporting requirements differ for each.
Why are we highlighting the GOA’s PSI webinar? To educate employers, and not only on their compliance requirements. Alberta’s PSI system is a proactive initiative by the GOA where the government collects information on occupational health and safety (OHS) incidents for the purpose of better understanding and addressing workplace hazards. Employers can also use their own PSI data to identify trends, address potential hazards early, and strengthen workplace safety programs.
There are PSI compliance requirements; employers in Alberta that fall under provincial OHS jurisdiction are required to report them. This is in addition to other incident reporting requirements, and these requirements can be found in section 33 of Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. Plain-language details on PSI reporting requirements can be found on the GOA’s website at this link.
PSI reports must be retained by employers for at least 2 years after submission. The PSI report must include the investigation details and any corrective actions taken. Reports are submitted through the GOA’s online incident reporting system which assists employers by providing prompts that guide them for incident details, location, and corrective actions, intended to help simplify the reporting process. Employers can also access statistical reports to track trends over time. See the GOA webinar referenced above in the first paragraph of this article for a step-by-step demonstration.
PSI reporting, in summary, is both an employer obligation in Alberta and a method the GOA uses to improve OHS within the province. Except for cases of perjury and contradictory evidence, “PSI reports are not admissible as evidence for any purpose in a trial arising out of the injury or incident” (GOA), a measure intended to further encourage PSI reporting. PSIs provides more benefits beyond being a compliance obligation, it’s a proactive way for employers to help prevent workplace injuries, protect staff, and contribute to industry-wide safety improvements.
Employers are encouraged to review industry and their own PSI trends regularly, take corrective action, and integrate lessons learned into their safety management systems. Reporting PSIs makes positive contributions to OHS in their industry and beyond. A PSI report when looked at through all lenses is more than compliance – it is a collaboration between industries and government for the purpose of bringing about improved working conditions for everyone.