What is an accident and why should it be investigated?
The term “accident” can be defined as an unplanned event that interrupts the completion of an activity, and that may (or may not) include injury or property damage. An incident usually refers to an unexpected event that did not cause injury or damage this time but had the potential. “Near miss” or “dangerous occurrence” are also terms for an event that could have caused harm but did not. Reasons to investigate a workplace accident include: • most importantly, to find out the cause of accidents and to prevent similar accidents in the future • to fulfill any legal requirements • to determine the cost of an accident • to determine compliance with applicable safety regulations • to process workers’ compensation claims Incidents that involve no injury or property damage should still be investigated to determine the hazards that should be corrected. The same principles apply to a quick inquiry of a minor incident and to the more formal investigation of a serious event. Please note: The term
Overview: The term “accident” can be defined as an unplanned event that interrupts the completion of an activity, and that may (or may not) include injury or property damage. Accident investigations are conducted to find out the cause(s) of accidents and to prevent similar accidents in the future. When accidents are investigated, the emphasis should be concentrated on finding the root cause(s) of the accident rather than the investigation procedure itself. The best team to conduct an accident investigation includes the injured worker, their supervisor and a safety representative. It is critical that the injured workers supervisor is on the accident investigation team because this person will be the most knowledgeable about the work conditions and the people involved. This article covers many models of accident causation, ranging from Heinrich’s domino theory to the sophisticated Management Oversight and Risk Tree (MORT). However, it is essential to remember that the purpose of an accid
By Maureen Alvarez, CIH, CSP The term “accident” can be defined as an unplanned event that interrupts the completion of an activity, and that may (or may not) include injury or property damage. There are many reasons to conduct a workplace accident investigation, such as: to fulfill the legal requirement to determine the cost of an accident to determine compliance with applicable safety regulations to process workers’ compensation claims Most importantly accident investigations are conducted to find out the cause(s) of accidents and to prevent similar accidents in the future.When accidents are investigated, the emphasis should be concentrated on finding the root cause(s) of the accident rather than the investigation procedure itself. Who should do the accident investigating? Ideally, an investigation should be conducted by an expert in accident causation who is experienced in investigative techniques, fully knowledgeable of the work processes, procedures, persons, and industrial relati
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