Blue Ridge Safety Association
Safety Training Presentations
Accident Investigation
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Accident Investigation Goals
 Preparing the investigation team
 Conducting the investigation
 Quiz
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Why Investigate Accidents?
 Prevent a recurrence with corrective action
 Determine the cause
 Document your company’s version of
the incident
 Complete OSHA-required reporting
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Who Investigates?
 Minor accident
—Supervisor
—Safety committee member
 Major accident
—Supervisor
—Safety committee member
—Safety manager
—Production manager
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Investigator’s Qualifications
 Accident investigation training
 Understanding the importance
of investigation
 Ability to communicate details
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When to Investigate?
 Immediately after incident
—Witness memories fade
—Equipment and clues
are moved
 Finish investigation quickly
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Investigation Kit
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Camera and film
Report forms, clipboard, pens
Barricade tape
Flashlight
Tape measure
Tape recorder
Work gloves
11006115 Copyright Business & Legal Reports, Inc.
Accident Investigation Goals
 Preparing the investigation team
 Conducting the investigation
 Quiz
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The Accident Occurs
 Employee immediately reports the
accident to a supervisor
 Supervisor treats the injury or assesses
need for outside medical treatment
 Leave the accident scene intact
 Contact the accident investigation team
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Beginning the Investigation
 Gather investigation
team and kit
 Report to the scene
 Look at the big
picture
 Record initial
observations
 Take pictures
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What’s Involved?
 Who was injured?
 Medication, drugs,
or alcohol?
 Was employee ill?
 Double shift or
rotating shifts?
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Witnesses
 Who witnessed the
incident?
 Was a supervisor or
lead person nearby?
 Where were other
employees?
 Why didn’t anyone
witness the incident?
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Interviewing Tips
 Discuss what happened leading
up to and after the accident
 Encourage witnesses to describe
the accident in their own words
 Don’t be defensive or judgmental
 Use open-ended questions
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What Was Involved?
 Machine, tool,
or equipment
 Chemicals
 Environmental
conditions
 Production schedule
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Time of Incident
 Date and time?
 Normal shift?
 Employee coming
off a vacation?
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Incident Location
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Work area
On, under, in, near
Off-site address
Doing normal job duties
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Incident Activities
 Motion conducted at
time of incident
 Repetitive motions?
 Type of material
being handled
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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
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Causal Factors
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Try not to accept single cause theory
Identify underlying causes
Primary cause
Secondary causes
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Corrective Actions
 Immediate corrective actions
 Recommended corrective actions
—Employee training
—Preventive maintenance activities
—Better job procedures
—Hazard recognition
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Completed Report
 Signed by
investigation
members
 Signed by
injured employee
 Forwarded to
claims management
11006115 Copyright Business & Legal Reports, Inc.
Accident Investigation Goals
 Preparing the investigation team
 Conducting the investigation
 Quiz
11006115 Copyright Business & Legal Reports, Inc.
Summary
 Investigate accidents immediately
 Determine who was involved and
who witnessed it
 Ascertain what items or equipment
were involved
 Record detailed description
 Determine causal factors
 Conduct corrective actions
11006115 Copyright Business & Legal Reports, Inc.
Quiz
1. It is best to interview witnesses all
together in order to save time.
True or False
2. Name two environmental factors that may be involved
in an accident: ______________ and ______________.
3. Define a “minor” accident according to investigation
procedures: __________________________________.
4. The main reason for investigating
accidents is to fix the blame somewhere. True or False
5. Employees need to report injuries only
if they think they need to see a doctor. True or False
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Quiz (cont.)
6. Prior to arriving at the accident scene, one team
member should have taken the __________________.
7. Describe at least two factors to investigate about the
injured employee: ______________ and _____________.
8. How could the time of the accident be considered
a causal factor?
9. Describing the general accident location
is adequate for the report.
True or False
10.Describe at least two factors to investigate when
equipment is involved: ____________ and ___________.
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Quiz Answers
1. False. Witnesses should be interviewed separately.
2. Wet floor, poor lighting, cold or hot day, noise.
3. A “minor” accident is when the injured employee
does not require outside medical attention.
4. False. Accidents are investigated so corrective
actions can be taken to prevent another accident.
5. False. Employees need to report all injuries, no
matter how small, and near-miss incidents.
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Quiz Answers (cont.)
6. Investigation kit.
7. Alcohol or drugs, medication, illness, tired,
extra shift, eyesight.
8. Early morning accident related to tired, inattentive
employee. Late afternoon accident related to
fatigue of a full day of work.
9. False. The report requires very specific details
of the location of an accident.
10. Equipment malfunction, employee training
and skill level, amount of supervision.
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Blue Ridge Safety Association
Thank you for supporting BRSA
We appreciate your comments about the effectiveness of
this training method and the delivery system
E-mail your comments to comments@blueridgesafety.org
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