Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/728580
• Complete a report of the results from the investigation. • Develop a strategy and institute a plan for corrective action. • Conduct a later follow-up to evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective plan. All of the strategy to put change into action should happen as quickly as possible to prevent complacency setting in. What to look for as the cause of an accident While there are many accident investigation models, here are just a few tips to use during the investigation to evaluate what may have caused the accident. What was the task being performed at the time of the accident? The accident investigation team will need to look for the answers to questions such as: • Was there a written and trained procedure used? • Were the appropriate tools and materials available and used? • Had workplace conditions changed to make the procedure unsafe? • Were safety devices in place and working properly? • Were there any defects in equipment? • Were employees trained and familiar with equipment and processes? The team then asks itself: "If not, why not?" Material used in the process • Was there an equipment failure, and if so, what caused it to fail? • Was the machinery poorly designed or maintained? • Were hazardous materials involved? • Were hazardous materials identified and employees aware of them? • Was the raw product defective in some way? • Was PPE available, used, and employees trained in its use? Same concern: "If not, why not?" Environment What were the conditions at the time of the accident and could they have contributed? • What were the weather conditions? • Was poor housekeeping a problem? • Was it too hot or too cold? • Was noise a problem? • Was there adequate light? • Were there physical distractions from outside sources? • Were any toxic or hazardous gases, dusts, or fumes present? Personnel Here are some ideas to evaluate during the investigation— but with the purpose of finding out the factual causes, not to place blame. • Were workers trained and experienced in the work they were doing? • Were they physically able to do the work? • What was the status of their health? • Were they tired? • Were they under stress (work or personal)? Management Management has a legal responsibility for the safety of the workplace. As such, the role of supervisors and management must always be considered in an accident investigation. • Were safety rules communicated to and understood by all employees? • Were written procedures and training orientation provided? • Were they being enforced? • Was there adequate supervision? • Had hazards been previously identified? • Was PPE provided and employees trained in its use? • Were unsafe conditions corrected? • Was regular maintenance of equipment carried out? • Were regular safety inspections carried out? The steps in accident investigation are quite simple. The accident investigators gather information, analyze informa- tion, draw conclusions, and make recommendations. The procedures are straightforward, but each step can have its pitfalls. Keeping an open mind is necessary in accident in- vestigation—preconceived notions may result in some wrong paths being followed while leaving some significant facts un- covered. All possible causes should be considered. Making notes of ideas as they occur is a good practice, but no conclu- sions should be drawn until all the information is gathered. As the team wraps up the accident investigation, here are some pointers in preparing the conclusion and writing up the report. • Keep an open mind in evaluating the step-by-step account of the accident details. • Focus on the factual details that are objective to what hap- pened. Avoid assumptions in the investigative phase. • When making recommendations, be factual, specific, and identify corrective actions for root causes to eliminate WWJ October 2016 45 Twitter @WaterWellJournl Learn Safety in NGWA Webinar Columnist Gary Ganson, CSP, CIH, will lead a one-hour webinar on "How to Conduct an Incident Investigation" from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET on November 3. Another Safety Matters columnist, Jerome Spear, CSP, CIH, will lead a one-hour webinar on January 19, 2017, titled "OSHA's New Final Rule on Crystalline Silica" at 12 p.m. ET. Find out more about both sessions at www.NGWA .org/Events-Education. SAFETY continues on page 46