01 Sep Accident Reporting – Reporting and Investigating Incidents

Accident Reporting – Reporting and Investigating Incidents

Accident reporting is an essential part of preventing future injuries. All work-related injuries, illnesses, property damage incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions should be reported promptly so hazards can be identified, investigated, and corrected before another incident occurs.

The purpose of reporting and investigating an incident is not to assign blame. It is to determine what happened, identify contributing and root causes, and prevent recurrence.

Report Incidents Immediately

Employees should promptly report incidents to their supervisor, including:

• Work-related injuries or illnesses.
• Near misses.
• Property or equipment damage.
• Vehicle incidents.
• Environmental releases or spills.
• Unsafe conditions or unsafe actions that could result in an incident.

Do not wait until the end of the shift to report an injury or incident. Early reporting allows appropriate medical care, hazard control, and investigation to begin as soon as possible.

First – Take Care of the Injured

When an incident occurs, the first priority is protecting people.

• Stop work when necessary.
• Obtain appropriate first aid or emergency medical assistance.
• Call emergency services when required.
• Eliminate or control immediate hazards when this can be done safely.
• Keep unnecessary personnel away from the area.
• Notify supervision according to company procedures.

Never delay necessary medical attention in order to complete paperwork or begin an investigation.

Preserve the Incident Scene

Once immediate hazards have been controlled and injured employees have received appropriate care, protect the incident scene when practical.

Employees should:

• Avoid unnecessarily moving equipment, tools, or materials.
• Preserve physical evidence.
• Keep unauthorized personnel away.
• Identify witnesses.
• Make notes about what they observed.
• Preserve photographs, documents, or other relevant information when directed.

Equipment or materials may need to be moved when necessary to rescue an injured person, eliminate an immediate hazard, or prevent additional injury or damage.

What Does an Investigation Determine?

A thorough investigation should answer:

• What happened?
• When did it happen?
• Where did it happen?
• Who was involved or witnessed the event?
• What conditions and actions contributed to the incident?
• Why did those conditions exist?
• What corrective actions can prevent recurrence?

Investigations should look beyond the immediate event and identify underlying or root causes.

For example, determining that an employee slipped may explain what happened, but the investigation should also determine why the walking surface was slippery and why the hazard had not been eliminated or controlled.

Employee and Witness Responsibilities

Employees who witness an incident can provide valuable information.

If you witness an incident:

• Make mental or written notes while events are fresh in your memory.
• Identify what you personally saw or heard.
• Provide complete and accurate information.
• Distinguish facts from assumptions or opinions.
• Cooperate with the investigator.
• Do not alter the scene unless necessary for safety.
• Identify other witnesses or relevant information.

Witnesses should provide their own recollection rather than trying to develop a common version of events with other employees.

Investigate Near Misses

A near miss is an event that did not result in injury or damage but had the potential to do so.

Examples include:

• A falling object narrowly missing an employee.
• Equipment unexpectedly starting without causing injury.
• A vehicle nearly striking a worker.
• A worker slipping but recovering without falling.
• A load shifting without striking anyone.

Near misses are valuable warnings. Investigating them provides an opportunity to correct hazards before someone is injured.

Identify Root Causes

The goal of an investigation should be more than identifying an employee’s immediate action.

Contributing factors may include:

• Inadequate procedures.
• Insufficient training.
• Defective tools or equipment.
• Poor housekeeping.
• Inadequate supervision or planning.
• Missing or ineffective safeguards.
• Improper PPE selection or use.
• Environmental conditions.
• Communication failures.
• Changes in work conditions.
• Inadequate hazard identification.
• Failure to correct previously identified hazards.

Finding the root causes allows corrective actions to address the reason the incident occurred rather than simply treating the symptoms.

Corrective Actions

An investigation is not complete until appropriate corrective actions have been identified and implemented.

Corrective actions may include:

• Eliminating the hazard.
• Installing engineering controls or safeguards.
• Repairing or replacing defective equipment.
• Revising work procedures.
• Improving housekeeping.
• Providing additional training.
• Changing work practices.
• Improving supervision or communication.
• Providing or changing PPE when appropriate.
• Conducting follow-up inspections.

Corrective actions should be assigned, tracked to completion, and evaluated to make sure they are effective.

Serious Incidents

Serious incidents require immediate management attention and may also trigger regulatory or client notification requirements.

Employees should immediately notify supervision of fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations, loss of an eye, or other serious incidents so the company can determine and meet applicable reporting requirements.

Employees should not independently contact regulatory agencies unless specifically authorized or required by their responsibilities.

Remember

Effective accident reporting gives the company an opportunity to learn from injuries, incidents, and near misses before they happen again. Report incidents promptly, obtain medical assistance when necessary, preserve the scene, provide accurate information, and cooperate with the investigation.

Report it. Investigate it. Correct the cause. Prevent it from happening again.