Accident Investigation

Accident Investigation

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Session ObjectivesYou will be able to:• Understand your role in the investigation

process• Gather facts• Talk to witnesses• Determine causal factors• Identify corrective actions


Why Investigate Accidents?• Determine the root cause• Identify corrective actions• Prevent the accident from happening again• Document the accident• Complete OSHA-required reporting


OSHA Wants to Know• Employee fatality—notify OSHA in 8 hours• Three employees hospitalized—notify

OSHA• Document each injury• Record injuries on OSHA 300 Log• Post OSHA 300 Log


You Have Key Roles• Report any accident or near-miss

immediately• As a witness, describe what you observed• Provide your knowledge of normal operating

practices in the situation• Suggest corrective actions


Accident Investigation Team• Employees trained to

investigate accidents• Safety committee

member• Supervisor• Safety manager• Production manager• Plant manager


Investigator’s Qualifications• Understand important role of accident

investigation• Have authority and accountability• Have skills to evaluate the incident• Communicate details


Why Investigate and Your Role—Any Questions• Any questions about

why we need to investigate accidents or your role in the investigation process?


Investigate All Accidents• Workplace fatality• Lost time from the job

or days away from work• Restricted ability to

work• Medical treatment• First aid • Near-miss incidents


When to Investigate?• Immediately after

incident• Interview witnesses

before memories fade• Assess the scene

before clues are moved• Finish investigation

quickly


Accident Investigation Is Like a Police Investigation• Check the scene

before anything has been moved• Assemble evidence• Interview the witnesses• Not looking for a

criminal; not trying to place blame on anyone• Find what, why, and

how


The Accident Occurs• Employee immediately reports the accident

to a supervisor• Supervisor treats the injury or assesses

need for outside medical treatment• Accident scene is left intact• Supervisor contacts the accident

investigation team• If able, injured employee completes incident

form


Beginning the Investigation• Get the investigation kit• Team reports to the

scene• Look at the big

picture• Record initial

observations• Take pictures


Investigation Kit• Camera • Report forms,

clipboard, pens• Barricade tape• Flashlight• Tape measure• Tape recorder• Work gloves


Any Questions?• Any questions about

what and when to investigate or the investigation kit?


Questions that Need Answers• What happened?• When did it happen?• Where did it happen?• Who was involved?• How did it happen?• Why did it happen?• How can we keep it

from happening again?


Fact Gathering• Name of injured and

involved employees• Name of witnesses• Date and time of the

incident• Work shift information


Fact Gathering (cont.)

• General location of the incident• Specific location of involved employees• Normal job duties and training• Type of injury and body part injured


Fact Gathering (cont.)

• Machines, tools, or equipment• Chemicals involved• Environmental

conditions• Production schedule


Interviewing Witnesses• Interview witnesses one at a time• Convey your desire to prevent accidents• Encourage witness to describe the accident

in his or her own words• Discuss what happened leading up to and

after the accident• Use open-ended questions


Sequence of Events• Events leading up to

the incident• Describe events of the

incident• Events that happened

immediately after the incident• Draw a chart of the

events


Incident Description• Details so reader can

clearly picture the incident• Specific body parts

affected• Specific motions of

injured employee just before, during, and after incident


Any Questions?• Any questions about

gathering facts, interviewing witnesses, or describing the incident?


Causal Factors• Try not to accept single cause theory• Identify underlying causes • Primary cause• Secondary causes


Corrective Actions• Immediate corrective actions• Recommended corrective actions

• Employee training• Preventive maintenance activities• Better job procedures• Hazard recognition• Engineering or administrative changes


Completed Report• Signed by investigation

team members• Signed by injured

employee• Forwarded to

management


Causes and Corrective Actions—Any Questions?• Any questions about

finding causal factors or implementing corrective actions?


Key Points to Remember• Accident investigations prevent other

accidents• Investigate accidents immediately• Gather all the facts• Interview witnesses one at a time• Record detailed description• Determine causal factors• Conduct corrective actions

Documents

Accident Investigation