Response to Catastrophic Personal Injury Loss

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Response to Catastrophic Personal Injury Loss

• Workers Compensation Conference
• Detroit, MI May, 2000
• Presented by Kristin Hoffman,
• McCord Winn Textron

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All of the sudden...

• The dreaded phone call comes (to you, we hope!).
• You have just been elected the organizational
  coach.
• Your initial reactioncollect data!
• Stop think.
• You will need every skill you have - and some you
  dont have.
• Your next word/action determines your future!

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Initial Responsibilitiesof the Coach

• Scene Safety is 1 priority.
• Gain composure take control
• Self
• Management team
• Witnesses.
• Direct scene safety area isolation.
• Calm things down.

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Todays Discussion...

• We will not talk today about the principles of
  accident investigation.
• We will talk about response - an organized
  system for crisis management.
• We are talking about sound management principles
  (planning, organizing, leading, controlling)
  for an unorganized occurrence in our facility.

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The potential for catastrophic PI Loss exists at
all plantseven in the best of Safety Health
processes!

• Falls
• Fires/Explosions
• Confined Spaces
• Caught in machines
• Contractors
• Motor vehicle crashes

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Crisis Management

• Use your own crystal ball.
• What resources will you need to manage the
  crisis?
• People,
• Equipment,
• Services,
• Support,
• A phone, fax, notebook and pen.

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Every catastrophic personal injury loss is
different,

• But the management
• principles are similar.

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Principles ofCritical Incident Response

• Do no more harmAt all times, the priority is
  to assure scene safety.
• Prompt, appropriate care for the injured.
• Preserve respect dignity for the injured, all
  of the involved, the family, all others.
• Fix the problem, not the blame.
• Restore normal operations.
• Prevent recurrence.

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Incident Command System

• Organized system for managing emergencies.
• Used by the Fire Service since the 1950s,
  originally for managing forest fires - staff,
  equipment, changing status, etc.
• Helps you to plan, lead, organize, control
  response resources.

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Incident Command System

• Establishes hierarchy for emergencynot for
  everyday site management.
• Requires intimate knowledge of the facility, the
  people, emergency management, multitude of site
  plans.
• Some of your best everyday managers will become
  totally useless under ICS.
• Develop ICS Structure Roles in your site
  Emergency Preparedness Plan.

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Getting to the SceneInitial Seize Up

• Take your own pulse.
• Ensure the area is safe that no other persons
  will become similarly injured.
• Protect would-be responders/rescuers.
• Ensure structural integrity.
• Stop equipment/process operation.
• Stop activity in immediate area.
• Plan rescue, determine resources...

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Medical Care for the Injured

• Who is injured?
• What type extent of injuries?
• Observe the location position of the injured.
• Who is there? What are they doing?
• What treatment is being rendered?
• What hospital are they going to?

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Begin Seeing Area Observing the Physical World

• Look for pieces of evidenceexpect that pieces
  will not yet fit together.
• What is the equipment doing? Note settings of
  controls.
• Any physical evidence from victim?
• Begin to note ( sketch) what you seeprovide all
  notes to the investigator!

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Meanwhile, Back at the OfficeGathering Records

• OBTAIN EMPLOYEE INFORMATION
• Employee name address, DOB, emergency contact
• EMPLOYMENT SPECIFICS
• Job title,
• length of employment,
• Time on the job
• TRAINING RECORDS
• safety training,
• orientation,
• department specific.

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Before the Investigation...

• Get the incident stabilized.
• Get the area under control.
• Stop activity.
• Minimize discussion about the details of the
  incident. Everyone is a witness.
• Minimize written communication about the
  incident.
• Disallow conclusion jumping.

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Thoughts about Critical Incident Investigation

• In-plant staff will need help handling the
  investigationthis is a special task.
• With these types of incidents, superior
  investigation skills experience are required.
• Consider background, education, experience,
  certification, degree, past work.
• Expert documentation skills required.
• Help to prepare the investigation outline.

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Interested Parties...

• People who will be interested in knowing about
  what happened
• Family members
• Site, Division, Segment, Corp.
• EHS Risk Management
• TXT Legal - Jaime Schiff
• Insurance Representative
• Professional Accident Reconstructionist/Expert
• Nurse Case Manager.
• Regulatory Agencies
• The Media
• Third Parties (equip. manufacturers?)
• Other Employees.

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Handling Multiple Interests

• Consider written plans, developed in advance of
  the loss
• Regulatory Inspection Plan (written)
• Media Coordination Plan?
• Utilize the hierarchy of the Incident Command
  System or your site Disaster Recovery Plan to
  direct activities information.

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A Pre-loss Notification Plan...

• Minimizes confusion at the time of the incident.
• Helps to organize information.
• Maintains central location for contact
  information.
• Decides who is responsible for notifications.

• Indicates in what time frame the notifications
  should be conducted.
• Guides what information may/must be provided.
• Minimizes improper notifications (i.e. regulatory
  agencies, family, etc.).

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In all Notifications, Stick to the Facts

• Facts are more accurate generate less debate.
• Minimize speculation by others who want to
  conclusion jump.
• Provide basic information onlyEven if you know
  what happened, advise
• The incident is still under investigation.
• Minimize written communication regarding the
  supposed details, evidence, etc.
• Call TXT people before govt people!

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Who Is Likely to Come Visit?

• Expert Witnesses
• Forensics Experts
• Attorneys
• Engineers.

• Local State Police
• Local Fire Dept. State Fire Marshall
• OSHA
• EPA
• DOT
• Division, Segment, Corporate people
• Insurance company representatives

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Regulatory Inspection Plan

• Names the team members who will participate in a
  regulatory inspection.
• Specifies roles of participants
• Includes collective bargaining unit
• Assesses possible areas to be inspected contact
  persons/titles for each area.
• Guidelines for regulatory notification (in
  critical incidents), credential check,
  communication, note-taking, sampling, post-visit
  assistance, etc.
• Must be kept up-to-date should be reviewed with
  team members periodically.

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Written Plans to Reference in the Event of
Catastrophic Loss

• Emergency Preparedness (including Incident
  Command System)
• Crisis Management
• Notification
• Regulatory Inspection
• Media Coordination

One Plan?
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Viable Corrective Action

• The site is under the microscope for a reason.
• Fix the problem, not the blame.
• Injuries are never just the result of worker
  error or carelessness.
• Management systems review and correction needed -
  short long-term.
• Engineering controls first, then administrative
  controls, PPE training.

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Ending Business Interruption

• Establish approximate time-frame for release of
  equipment to run again.
• Look for clues during start-up.
• Ensure that the investigator is present for
  resumption of business.
• Staff needed to start equipment or process.
• Make sure that corrective actions remain viable.

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Closing Thoughts

• Use of the Employee Assistance Program for
  individuals, family members, co-workers.
• Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) Team
  for the site and Incident Command Team.
• Ensure that corrective actions are correct
  upheld.
• Carry the lessons learned with you.