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What to Look for in an Accident Investigation
Conducting an accident investigation is crucial for determining the cause of a specific accident and helping to prevent future accidents. Accident investigations should be conducted for all workplace incidents, not just ones that result in an injury. When conducting an accident investigation, most of the time, it will be determined that the events surrounding the accident were predictable and that the accident could have been prevented if proper actions had been taken. The purpose of an accident investigation is not to find fault but to understand the facts that lead to the actual root cause of the incident.
Unsafe actions and unsafe conditions both lead to workplace accidents. Even the most straightforward accidents can have multiple causes. It is important to identify all of those potential causes to find not only the root cause of an accident. Some questions that you should ask during an accident investigation to determine the root cause are:
- Was the employee distracted? If so, why?
- Were proper procedures being followed? Why not?
- Were all safety devices working properly? Why or why not?
- Was the worker adequately trained on the task? If not, why?
What steps should an employer take following a workplace accident?
- Report the accident to the proper personnel
- Ensure any injured employees receive the required medical care
- Investigate the accident or incident
- Determine potential causes
- Determine the root cause
- Report the findings of the investigation
- Develop corrective actions
- Implement corrective actions
- Evaluate the plan’s effectiveness
- Monitor the plan and make changes when needed
Accident investigations play a critical role in an effective safety program. It is essential that employers conduct accident investigations properly to prevent similar incidents in the future. Under the topic index “Accident Prevention-Investigation” in the AlaCOMP Online Safety Library , you can find additional materials to assist you in conducting a proper accident investigation. As always, our Loss Control Department is happy to provide additional assistance or answer any questions you have regarding accident investigations.
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