OHS Webinar – Accident
Investigations
June 17, 2015
Welcome!
• What is go2HR?
• What to expect during this OHS Webinar
• Upcoming key dates:
– OHS Webinar: July 15 – Workplace Ergonomics
– OHS Summit: Sept 24 – register online!
– COR Internal Auditor Training: July 24
• www.go2hr.ca/subscribe
• Alex Booth, Regional Manager, Employers' Advisers
Office
Accident/Incident Investigations
 2015 Employers’ Advisers Office. All rights reserved. The Employers’ Advisers Office encourages the copying, reproduction and distribution for Employer or Employee use of this document. However, no part of this
document may be copied, reproduced, or distributed for profit or other commercial enterprise, nor may any part be incorporated into any other publication, without written permission of the Provincial Government of
British Columbia.
Objectives
• Identify when WorkSafeBC must be contacted
• Identify when an investigation must be completed
• Prepare an incident report
• Identify the benefits of investigations
Employers’ Advisers Office (EAO)
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Independent from WorkSafeBC
Advice
Assistance
Education
Representation
WorkSafeBC issues
Occupational Health & Safety
Requirements
WC Act
Part 3
OH&S Regulations
&
Prevention Policies
OH&S Guidelines
Accident Definition
A sudden event that is not planned or intended
and that causes damage or injury
Incident Definition
• Includes an accident or other occurrence which
resulted in or had the potential for causing an
injury or occupational disease
Investigation Definition
Analysis and account of an incident based on
information gathered by a thorough examination
of ALL FACTORS involved
Purpose of Investigations
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Prevent recurrences and injuries
Find the causes
Saves time, money and lives
It’s the law!
The Law
Workers Compensation Act
• Part 1 – Compensation to Workers & Dependents
(Divisions 1-6) (Sections 2-101)
• Part 2 – Liability of Employers in Industries not within the
Scope of Part 1
(Sections 102-105)
• Part 3 – Occupational Health & Safety
(Division 1-17) (Sections 106-230)
• Part 4 – Appeals
(Sections 231-260)
Immediate Notice of Certain Accidents
Workers Compensation Act s. 172
• Must immediately notify WorkSafeBC
• Serious injury or death
• Major structural failure
• Major release of a hazardous substance
• An incident required by regulation
• Do Not disturb the accident scene
Incidents that must be Investigated
Workers Compensation Act s. 173
• Must immediately investigate into the cause(s)
– Reported under s. 172
– Resulted in an injury requiring medical treatment
– Potential for causing serious injury (Near Miss)
– An incident required by regulation
• Does not apply to motor vehicle accidents on public
street or highway
Why Investigate Near Misses?
Investigation Process
Workers Compensation Act s.174
• Carried out by knowledgeable persons
• If possible, participation of employer and worker reps
• Names, addresses and telephone numbers of witnesses
to be recorded
Bill 9 - Investigations
What HASN’T Changed:
• When an investigation is required and who is to conduct it
• Required Investigation and Corrective Action Reports
• Corrective Action Report to be provided to Joint Committee
or Worker Representative, or be posted
What HAS Changed:
• Process – now two steps:
• preliminary investigation and report within 48 hours of
incident;
• full investigation and report within 30 days of incident
Preliminary Investigation
Requirements
Section 175 of the Workers Compensation Act:
• Identify unsafe conditions, acts,
• Complete a preliminary within 48 hours
• Take corrective action without undue delay
• Provide Corrective Action Report to Joint
Committee or worker representative, or post
Full Investigation Requirements
Section 176 of the Workers Compensation Act:
• Full Investigation to:
– determine cause;
– identify unsafe conditions, acts or
procedures that significantly contributed;
– determine corrective action.
Full Investigation Requirements
Section 176 (continued):
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Undertake corrective action without undue delay
Prepare a report of corrective action taken or to
be taken
Provide to the Joint Committee/Worker Rep or
post
Key points to the changes
-Don’t panic!
-Preliminary vs Full investigation
-Follow the requirements
-Adapt your forms to comply with Policy D10175-1 and Policy D10-176-1 not just OH&S
regulation 3.4
Prevention of Reporting
Workers Compensation Act s.177
• Employer or supervisor must not attempt to prevent
a worker from reporting to WorkSafeBC an injury,
illness, death, or hazardous condition, or allegations
of these.
What is the most important thing you
need to conduct an investigation?
The Investigation
A step-by-step process
Secure the Scene
• Eliminate the hazards:
– Control chemicals
– De-energize
– De-pressurize
– Illuminate
– Shore it up
– Ventilate
Isolate the Scene
• Barricade the area and keep everyone out
• Except those providing care, law enforcement,
and investigators allowed entry
• Protect the evidence
Provide Care to the Injured
• Ensure that medical care is provided to the
injured people before proceeding with the
investigation
Ask “What Happened”
• Get a brief overview of the situation
• Not a detailed report yet
Interview Process
• Interview as soon as
possible after the incident
– Do not interrupt medical
care to interview
• Interview each person
separately
• Do not allow witnesses to
confer prior to interview
The Interview
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Put the person at ease.
Fact finding NOT fault finding
Don’t ask leading questions
Take notes
Summarize what you have been told
Ask for recommendations to prevent
recurrence
Gather Evidence
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Examine the accident scene
Diagram the scene
Take photographs
Review records
Contributing Factors
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Environmental
Design
Systems & Procedures
Human Behaviour
Environmental Factors
• Noise
• Vapours, fumes,
dust
• Light
• Heat
• Weather
• Insects and animals
Design Factors
• Workplace layout
• Design of tools &
equipment
• Maintenance
Systems and Procedures
• Lack of systems &
procedures
• Inappropriate systems
& procedures
• Training in procedures
• Housekeeping
Human Behaviour
Contributing
Factors
Root Causes
Missing guard
Hazardous
Conditions/Practices
Horseplay
Poor housekeeping
Ignored safety rules
Didn’t follow procedures
Defective tools
Equipment failure
No MSDS’s
Did not report hazard
Don’t 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
Common pitfalls…
• Believing carelessness is a cause of incidents
• Assuming contradictory evidence indicates
falsehood
• Looking for only one basic cause
• Forgetting about the personal feelings of others
• Failing to keep the information confidential
If an investigation is not completed
• Orders could be written
• An administrative penalty could be imposed
• It could happen again!
MSI Investigation
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Focus on a different mechanism of injury
Process does not change
Identify risk factors and assess risks
Use a checklist to keep investigation in focus
Benefits of Accident Investigation
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Prevents recurrences
Identifies outdated procedures
Improvements to work environment
Improvement of operational and safety
procedures
• Raises safety awareness
• Improves workplace morale
Summary
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Remember the Near Miss
Go to scene of accident promptly
Get the facts; study possible causes
Develop corrective actions
Consult with joint committee about possible
solutions
• Ensure investigation reports completed and
submitted to WorkSafeBC when required
• Foster environment where workers are
empowered to report accidents and incidents
COR Program
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Element 5: Investigation of Incidents/Accidents
10% of total audit score
100 points available
Verification method: documentation &
interviews
• What will the audit measure?
• Key concepts & implementation tips
Resources for You
Employers’ Advisers Office
www.labour.gov.bc.ca/eao
WorkSafeBC
www.worksafebc.com
go2HR
www.go2hr.ca/health-safety
Questions?
Trina Pollard
Manager, Industry Health & Safety
go2HR
tpollard@go2hr.ca
(604) 633-9787 ext 259
Zito Kare
Industry Health & Safety Specialist
go2HR
zkare@go2hr.ca
(604) 633-9787 ext 220
Employers’ Advisers Office
eao@eao-bc.org
1-800-925-2233