A Guide for Business Owners, Safety Managers and Supervisors Accident Investigations Provided by Morris & Reynolds Insurance © 2014 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

Agenda We will discuss: Why accidents should be investigated Types of accidents Traits of a competent investigator The correct tools and procedure for investigating Determining whether an accident is work-related Reporting the accident Following up after an accident

Accident costs

Determine what happened and why Prevent the same or a more serious accident from happening again Document the accident Determine whether the accident is work- related Secure details to report to your insurance carrier Help deter fraudulent claims Why should accidents be investigated?

Which incidents need to be investigated? 1.Injury—an event that caused an employee to be injured 2.Near miss—an incident that did not result in an injury, illness or damage but had the potential to 3.Property damage—an event that resulted in damage to company property 4.Illness—an employee becomes ill after being infected with a contagious disease at work

Investigation in 3 steps Investigate Analyze Report 1 2 3

1. Investigation Seek medical treatment for injured employee(s) Block off the accident site Inform the investigator Follow your company’s accident investigation procedures  Interview witnesses  Take photos or draw diagrams  Take samples if necessary

Who conducts the investigation? Acts objectively Doesn’t look for blame Listens Assumes all accidents are preventable Takes detailed notes Focuses on the purpose of the investigation The manager in charge of the area or department where the accident occurred is responsible for conducting the investigation. A competent investigator…

The investigator will determine… Whether the accident is work-related The scope of the investigation WHAT HAPPENED –Who was involved –What employee was doing at time of the accident –When the accident happened –Where it happened—take pictures of the scene –Why it happened—direct and indirect causes –How the accident happened—draw a diagram The investigator is held accountable for reporting the investigation carefully and clearly.

Accident investigation kit First aid kit Camera Tape measure Work gloves Barricade tape Scissors Flashlight Sample containers with labels Accident investigation forms, clipboard and pens Keep an accident investigation kit on hand at all times in a central location. Your kit will help you gather necessary information and should include:

Interviewing witnesses Interview injured employee(s) and witnesses promptly after the event Be informal and put witness at ease Discuss what happened leading up to and after the accident Encourage the injured employee(s) and witnesses to describe the accident in their own words Ask open-ended questions Focus on facts, not blame

2. Analyze Determine the causes of the accident:  Direct—a harmful transfer of energy that produces injury or illness  Indirect—unsafe acts or conditions that lead to an accident  Root—common conditions and behaviors that result in an accident Determine what corrective actions to take  Consider short-term corrections if long-term are not yet available

Corrective actions Corrective actions should be taken to prevent the same or a more serious accident from happening again. There may be only one corrective action to address to fix the root cause of the accident, or there may be several. Examples of corrective actions include: Eliminating the hazard Substituting a less hazardous material Ensuring proper use/ availability of personal protective equipment Improving operating procedures Additional employee training Performing preventive maintenance

Determine whether the situation or conditions that lead to the accident occur anywhere else in the company  If so, take action to correct this Use the accident as an opportunity to review safety procedures, personal protective equipment use or any other applicable training with your employees  If a root cause is to blame for the accident, this is your opportunity to correct it Further analysis

3. Report An accident investigation is not concluded until a final report is complete.  Focus on facts, not blame  Be sure to describe, in detail, what corrective actions are taken and which specific employees, job functions or shifts they apply to Provide copies of any forms you used as well as notes, photos or diagrams to your insurance carrier. If the accident is OSHA recordable (work- related), enter it into your OSHA log.

Accident recording Securing details surrounding an accident will help your insurance carrier determine compensability.

5 steps to assist your insurance carrier 1.Provide supervisor and witness questionnaire forms to all levels of management, including supervisors and foremen. 2.Educate employees to immediately report all injuries to their supervisors, no matter how minor they may seem. 3.Instruct supervisors to immediately complete a supervisor accident report form, and give witness report forms to involved co-workers. Accident site inspections should also be conducted if applicable. 4.Review the cause of the accident to determine whether further loss control measures need to be taken to avoid future accidents. 5.Provide copies of all accident report forms to Morris & Reynolds Insurance, along with the first report of injury or illness.

Is the accident work-related? An injury or illness that occurs in the work environment is NOT work-related and does NOT need to be recorded in your OSHA log if it: Involves signs or symptoms that surface at work but result solely from a non-work-related event or exposure Results solely from voluntary participation in a wellness program or in a medical, fitness or recreational activity Is solely the result of an employee eating, drinking or preparing food or drink for personal consumption, whether bought on the employer's premises or brought in

Is the accident work-related? An injury or illness that occurs in the work environment is NOT work-related and does NOT need to be recorded in your OSHA log if it: Is solely the result of an employee doing personal tasks (unrelated to his or her employment) at the establishment outside of assigned working hours Is solely the result of personal grooming or self-medication for a non-work-related condition, or is intentionally self- inflicted Is caused by a motor vehicle accident and occurs on a company parking lot or company access road while the employee is commuting to or from work

An injury or illness that occurs in the work environment is NOT work-related and does NOT need to be recorded in your OSHA log if: At the time of the injury or illness, the employee was present in the work environment as a member of the general public rather than as an employee The illness is the common cold or flu However, these contagious diseases are considered work- related if the employee is infected at work:  Tuberculosis  Brucellosis  Hepatitis A  Plague Is the accident work-related?

Accident follow-up 1. Hold follow-up interviews at the site of the accident 2. Review the sequence of events, other involved employees and any equipment involved 3. Investigate the site to be sure the conditions that caused the accident are no longer present  If the conditions still exist, take corrective action to eliminate the hazard

Slips, trips and falls account for millions of work-related injuries every year. Preventing slip, trip and fall accidents

Prevent these common accidents by training employees to: Look out for foreign substances on the floor (water, grease, oil, debris) Clean footwear thoroughly when entering a building from outside or areas with debris Avoid running—walk and do not change direction sharply Keep passageways clear of debris Walk in designated walking areas—do not take shortcuts Learn and practice ladder and scaffold safety Use fall protection equipment if working at heights of 6 feet or greater.

Recap ALL accidents should be investigated Document the accident Determine cause, not blame Be prepared with an accident investigation kit Interview every witness Determine whether it’s work-related Follow up