Persons who should investigate the accident include the middle management; health and safety officers; line manager/ supervisor; safety representatives (if in place); and any specialists.
Actions that need to be followed in order to collect evidence for an investigation of an accident include:
Steps in investigation
- Respond to the injury promptly and positively. First aid and emergency reactions.
- Put into place temporary controls to prevent it happening again.
- Collect information on the accident.
- Analyse significant immediate causes.
- Analyse significant underlying causes.
- Develop remedial long term controls.
- Implement long term controls.
- Brief all involved and employees who could have a stake in what is happening.
- Review findings and recommendations. Discuss at the health and safety committee.
- Follow through the actions.
Take control. Keep the scene of the accident intact prior to investigation.
Take pictures. Sketch and map.
Examine the equipment. Look at the tools and equipment. If they don't look right then ask for help from an expert. Take pictures.
The collation of statements from the person who suffered the injury, any witnesses, and the manager of the area. It would also be useful to have a statement from an "expert witness".
Information on previous risk assessments, controls, procedures and method statements applicable to what happened needs to be gathered.
Maintenance checks need to be found including operator checks and statutory checks, preventative and any breakdown maintenance conducted.
Training records would be useful of those involved would also be required.
Re-enact the accident if possible (and safe to do so). Consider material failure analysis if the loss is high.
Establish an outline of causal factors. Analyse each immediate cause in turn to establish underlying/ basic causes and loss control further down the chain (remember latent failures).
Review the existing risk assessments and if necessary write new ones. Recommend controls.
Write the report. Ensure this is written in good time. Remember that the report could be used in claims cases. Use salient points to brief to others.
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