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Queensland Police Service

The police are routinely called to a workplace death and they are responsible for informing family members of the death. They will inform the Coroner¿s office and prepare a report for the Coroner.

The Coroner¿s office requires that a deceased person must be formally identified in the presence of a police officer before the deceased can be released. This task is usually performed by immediate family members.

If you are unable to conduct the identification, police will need to seek alternative methods of identifying the deceased person, which may include personal identification by other family members, friends or work colleagues. If this is not possible, then police will use other options such as fingerprint, dental or DNA identification.

Due to the complexity of the investigations into workplace deaths, finalising the police and WHSQ reports for the Coroner may take some time. As part of the police investigation, they will consider the findings of the WHSQ investigation and, where appropriate, make recommendations to the Coroner. The police investigation will also consider whether there is evidence to commence criminal proceedings against any person.

Personal property found on the person who has died, will be returned to the next of kin or immediate family members as soon as possible after the police have spoken with you. In some instances, it may be necessary to retain certain items until the investigation is complete. Clothing is usually disposed of when the person who has died is admitted to the mortuary.

To assist the Coroner (who is also a Magistrate), a police officer will take statements and prepare a report. Police officers will ask questions about the person who has died and the circumstances of the death. Most of the information they will require will usually be obtained when they first speak with you. However there may be additional questions and statements to be signed so that the file can be sent to the Coroner.

The police and Workplace Heath and Safety Queensland inspectors may carry out independent investigations. WHSQ will conduct its own investigation to determine whether any workplace health and safety laws have been broken and the police will consider criminal law matters.

Police enquiries