What is REPCON?
REPCON Marine is a voluntary confidential reporting scheme. REPCON allows any person who has a marine safety concern to confidentially report it to the ATSB. Protection of the reporter's identity and any individual referred to in the report is a primary element of the scheme.
Who may make a REPCON report?
Any person may report a reportable safety concern. This would include:
a) Any person involved in the Marine Industry. An example would be an employee or contractor may have reported a matter internally but does not believe it will be properly dealt with. It may also be where that person has not reported under the internally because they believe they will suffer retribution; or
b) a member of the travelling public.
What may be reported with REPCON?
Each of the following concerns (reportable safety concerns) in relation to the safety of marine operations to which the Regulations apply are examples of what may be reported under REPCON. The list is not exhaustive:
a) a procedure, practice or condition that a reasonable person would consider endangers, or, if not corrected, would endanger, the safety of marine operations, for example:
(i) the ship having unsafe handling characteristics; or
(ii) unsafe navigation; or
(iii) deviation from established collision‑avoidance procedures; or
(iv) inadequate passage planning; or
(v) unsafe bridge procedures; or
(vi) crew schedules that result in fatigue; or
(vii) bypassing of safety procedures because of operational or commercial pressures; or
(viii) unsafe cargo stowage; or
(ix) substandard condition of the hull or other plating; or
(x) substandard condition of hatches, water‑tight doors or openings; or
(xi) substandard condition of machinery or steering systems; or
(xii) substandard condition of cargo handling equipment; or
(xiii) inadequate navigational equipment, charts or publications; or
(xiv) the crew’s inadequate language skills; or
(xv) the crew’s poor knowledge of navigation, safety, or seamanship; or
(xvi) inadequately marked obstructions to safe navigation; or
(xvii) lack of traffic or weather information; or
(xviii) a modification of the ship’s equipment or fittings that has not been approved by the appropriate authority; or
(xix) unsafe engine control room procedures; or
(xx) unsafe engineering operational procedures or practices; or
(xxi) unsafe engineering maintenance procedures or practices;
b) failure to comply with any legal requirements in relation to the following:
(i) radio installations, radio equipment or watch keeping arrangements;
(ii) training and certification of crew;
(iii) fire prevention, detection or extinguishing devices;
c) any other matter that endangers, or could endanger, the safety of marine operations not reportable under a mandatory reporting scheme.
If you are in any doubt whether the matter you wish to report is covered by the REPCON scheme or a mandatory reporting scheme please call us.
What is not a reportable safety concern?
To avoid doubt, the following matters are not reportable safety concerns and are not guaranteed confidentiality
- matters relating to a serious and imminent threat to a person’s health or life
- industrial relations matters
- conduct that constitutes a criminal offence
- terrorist acts. If you wish to provide information about terrorist activity you should call the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.
Matters which must be reported under a mandatory reporting scheme should not be reported under REPCON. This will not discharge your reporting obligations under a mandatory reporting scheme.
If you believe it would be necessary to act on information about an individual referred to in your report then you should report this directly to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority on 1800 641 792 or the ship operator.
What is confidential?
Personal information about the reporter and any person referred to in the report. If you believe it would be necessary to act on information about an individual referred to in your report then you should consider reporting this directly to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) on 1800 641 792.
Is an anonymous report via REPCON acceptable?
REPCON does not accept anonymous reports. REPCON staff cannot contact an anonymous reporter to verify the report or to seek additional information. Additionally, REPCON staff must be satisfied that the reporter's motivation for reporting is marine safety promotion, and that the reporter is not attempting to damage a rival or pursue an industrial agenda.
How are REPCON reports processed?
REPCON staff will assess reports for clarity, completeness and significance for marine safety and to ensure it meets the requirements of a Reportable Safety Concern (RSC) for marine.
The report will be de-identified to remove all personal details of the reporter and any individual named in the report. This will be passed to the reporter who must authorise the content before the REPCON can proceed further.
The de-identified text is then forwarded to the relevant organisation that is best placed to address the RSC. The organisation’s response will then be forwarded to the Regulator for further action as deemed necessary.
REPCON may use the de-identified version of the report to issue an information-brief or alert bulletin to a person or organisation, including AMSA, which is in a position to take safety action in response to the safety concern.
What are the possible outcomes from a REPCON report?
The desired outcomes are any actions taken to improve marine safety in response to the identified concern. This can include variations to standards, orders, practices, procedures or an education campaign.
Why is REPCON important?
REPCON reports can serve as a powerful reminder that, despite the best of intentions, well-trained and well-meaning people are still capable of making mistakes. The de-identified stories arising from these reports may serve to reinforce the message that we must remain vigilant to ensure the ongoing safety of ourselves and others.
How can I make a REPCON report?
Submit a confidential REPCON report online
Or download, print and complete a form for offline submission [
PDF: 176KB]
Mail:
ATSB REPCON
GPO Box 321
Canberra, ACT 2601
Telephone: 1800 020 505
Overseas: +61 2 6230 5135
Email: repcon@atsb.gov.au
If you require assistance, advice or further information, please call REPCON on 1800 020 505 (International: +61 2 6230 5135).
Submission of information known by the reporter to be false or misleading is a serious offence under section 137.1 of the Criminal Code. Aiding, abetting, counselling, procuring or urging the submission of false or misleading information is also a serious offence.