Accident Investigation Basic

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Accident Investigation Basic

• How to do Investigate workplace accidents for
  managers and supervisors

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What you will learn

• What is an accident or incident?
• Why should you investigate both?
• How do you find the true cause?
• How should you investigate?
• What should be the results of the investigation?

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What Is An Accident?

• An unplanned, unwanted, but controllable event
  which disrupts the work process and causes injury
  to people.

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What is an Accident?
Definition an unforeseen event, chance,
unexpected happening, formerly Act of God

• From experience and analysis they are
  caused occurrences
• Predictable - the logical outcome of hazards
• Preventable and avoidable - hazards do not have
  to exist. They are caused by things people do --
  or fail to do.

Fatalities
Severe Injuries
Minor injuries
Close calls
Hazardous conditions
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What Is An Incident?
An incident may disrupt the work process, but
does not result in injury or damage. It should be
looked as a wake up call. It can be thought of
as the first of a series of events which could
lead to a situation in which harm or damage does
occur.
Example of an incident A 50 lb carton falls off
the top shelf of a 12 high rack and lands near a
worker. This event is unplanned, unwanted, and
has the potential for injury.
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Accidents Dont Just Happen

• An accident is not just one of those things.
• Accidents are predictable and preventable events.
• They dont have to happen.

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The Tip of the Iceberg
Accidents
Accidents or injuries are the tip of the iceberg
of hazards.
Investigate incidents since they are potential
accidents in progress.
Incidents
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Missing guard
Horseplay
Poor housekeeping
Ignored safety rules
Didnt follow procedures
Defective tools
Equipment failure
Did not report hazard
No MSDSs
Dont know how
Purchasing unsafe equipment
Poor work procedures
Lack of supervision
No follow-up/feedback
Rules not enforced
Lack of Training
Lack of safety leadership
Poor safety management
Poor safety leadership
Root Causes
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The Five Whys

• Basic Question - Keeping asking What caused or
  allowed this condition/practice to occur? until
  you get to root causes.
• My car will not start. (the problem)
• 1) Why? - The battery is dead. (first why)
• 2) Why? - The alternator is not functioning.
  (second why)
• 3) Why? - The alternator belt has broken. (third
  why)
• 4) Why? - The alternator belt was well beyond
  its useful service life and has never been
  replaced. (fourth why)
• 5) Why? - I have not been maintaining my car
  according to the recommended service schedule.
  (fifth why and the root cause)

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Why Investigate?

• Prevent future incidents (leading to accidents).
• Identify and eliminate hazards.
• Expose deficiencies in process and/or equipment.
• Reduce injury and worker compensation costs.
• Maintain worker morale.
• Meet regulatory standards.

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Investigate All Incidents and Accidents

• Conduct and document an investigation that
  answers
• Who was present?
• What activities were occurring?
• What happened?
• Where and what time?
• Why did it happen?

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Actions At The Accident Scene

• Check for danger
• Help the injured
• Secure the scene
• Identify and separate witnesses
• Gather the facts who, what, where, when, how

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Help the Injured

• Provide First Aid from the first aid kit
• Call family member to take them home, DR. office,
  walk-in clinic or ER
• Call on-campus EMT squad 911
• Clean up bodily fluids
• Pay the employee for the rest of the shift, if
  they seek medical treatment

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Begin Investigation Immediately

• Its crucial to collect evidence and interview
  witnesses as soon as possible because evidence
  will disappear and people will forget.

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Fact Finding

• Witnesses and physical evidence
• Position of tools and equipment
• Equipment operation logs, charts, records

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Document

• Complete and online report
• Take photographs or diagram
• Preserve evidence if serious injury occurs

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Online System

• Accidents or work injury/illness (no incidents)
• Complaints of personal injuries that could later
  be claimed as work related
• Timely
• Completely filled out
• SAP

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Confidentiality

• All medical is confidential
• Do not keep copies of reports
• If printed must be shredded
• Do not discuss with those who have no need to
  know

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Suspicious

• Emee asks to leave work to go to the doctor
  about a sore wrist. They show up next day with a
  ace bandage on wrist. 3rd day claims (witnessed)
  they hurt their wrist at work. They subsequently
  lie to the WC investigator that they had not seen
  a doctor or had an ace bandage on prior to the
  claimed date of injury.

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Notify HR ASAP

• Lost time
• Medical treatment
• Work-related at any time
• Personal illness/injury and left work not by
  themselves
• Death
• More than 2 sent to hospital

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MOST IMPORTANT

• HOW CAN WE PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN??

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TAKE ACTION Tuition already paid

• Root Causes enforcement, training,
  hurrying/horse play
• Hazards broken equipment, leaking floor, wrong
  chemical
• 5 Whys maybe a combination of causes

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ACTIONS

• Maintenance Work Order
• Retrain
• Signage
• Arrange space differently
• Remove or label clearly broken equipment
• Discipline employees

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Lack Common Sense ?????
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FIRST QUESTION

• How will someone get hurt?

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Beginning of the Semester

• New employees and students
• Existing employees not physically use to
  working/routine/lifting/standing
• New equipment/New units new hazards
• Busy and lack student employees

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New Employees

• New to ASC or new to you
• Do not leave training up to co-workers
• Training is not baptism under fire
• How might this employee be injured?
• Take them on a tour of the unit and point out
  hazards

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Do you want him training your next employee?
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RECAP

• Take care of the injured
• Document accidents Gather all facts
• Properly investigate accidents and incidences
• How can we prevent this from happening again?
• ASK yourself how will someone get hurt?

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Common Hazards

• Slips, trips, and falls
• Cuts
• Burns
• Muscle Strain/ Sprain

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Why is the rate of slips and falls higher in
December than October?
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What type of burns do you get in food service?
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How will a cashier get a shoulder strain?
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Most common way to get a cut at ASC?