Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/728580
WHY CONDUCT AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION? It's critical to learn from the past and prevent accidents from occurring in the future. T he first priority after an accident occurs is—of course— the safety of the employees involved. Once the severity of the accident has been properly managed, a quick and in-depth investigation should be conducted as soon as possible. To help understand terms used in this column, the term "accident" can be defined as an unplanned event that disturbs the completion of an activity that may or may not include injury or property damage. An accident typically refers to an unexpected event that didn't cause injury or damage, but had the potential. When accidents are investigated, emphasis should be on finding the root cause of the accident, rather than the investi- gation procedure itself, so you can prevent it from happening again. The purpose is to identify facts that can lead to correc- tive actions—not to find fault. In conducting the investigation, look for single or multiple causes that contributed to why the accident happened. What are the reasons to investigate a workplace accident? • To find out the root cause of the accident • To prevent a similar accident reoccurring • To fulfill any regulatory requirements • To determine the cost and losses caused by the accident • To process workers' compensation claims. If you are the one leading an accident investigation, in- clude all incidents involving no personal injury or property damage to determine the hazards that should be corrected or managed. The same principles apply to a quick inquiry of a minor accident as they do to the more formal investigation of a serious accident. Who should participate in the accident investigation? The best investigations are conducted by applying a team approach. The person leading the team should be someone experienced in accident causes and investigative techniques. Each team member should have some knowledge of the work processes, procedures, people involved, and the environment of a particular situation. If your employees are represented by a labor union, including hourly employees or union manage- ment on the team is highly recommended and probably is required under the labor contract. Here is an example of team members to include on the accident investigation: • Employees with knowledge of the work being done • Supervisor of the employees involved in the accident • Senior or corporate management • Safety and health manager • Health and safety committee if one exists • Union representative, if applicable • Employees with experience in investigations • Witnesses to the accident. What to look for as the root cause There are a number of things that contribute to an accident. Was it caused by unsafe conditions? Was it caused by unsafe actions by the employee? Don't focus on only one or the other as the single event that caused the accident. Look at the condi- tions surrounding the accident and what actions or human errors occurred. The team must uncover all the underlying facts in the chain of events that led up to the accident. One of the most important points to remember in the inves- tigation: Even when it appears obvious to the investigating team there is a single cause, this should not indicate the end of determining the root cause. Rarely is there a single cause. For example, consider an employee pushing the wrong button on a crane and dropping the load, causing personal injury. Was the employee not pay- ing attention? Was there a distraction? Was he not properly trained? These are just a few of the questions to consider. Others might include: • If the employee was distracted, why or what was the distraction? • Was a safe work procedure being followed? If not, why not? • Were safety devices in order? If not, why not? • If the employee was not properly trained, why not? Steps involved in investigating an accident The accident investigation must start as quickly as possible. Here are some simple steps to follow: • Preserve conditions as much as possible at the scene after all personnel have been treated, removed, and the location stabilized, preventing any further risk for injury. • Talk with witnesses and obtain their testimony of the facts they observed. • Assemble the team to discuss the observed conditions, the facts of the accident, and the testimony of witnesses in order to identify the causes. GARY GANSON, CSP, CIH SAFETY MATTERS waterwelljournal.com 44 October 2016 WWJ