1. Accident Investigations
OH NO! Now What Do I Do?
Accident Investigations
Dr. Mohamed Reda Ramadan Gomaa

2. What is an Accident?
An accident is any unplanned event that results in personal injury or in property damage.

3. Why Investigate?
Accident investigation concentrates on gathering all information about the factors leading to an accident.
The goal is preventing future accidents and injuries.

4. Why Investigate? Determine direct causes Uncover contributing causes
Prevent similar accidents
Document facts
Provide information on costs
Promote safety

5. Determine Direct Causes
Hazard control system failure?
Rules and regulations broken?
Defective machinery?
Poor layout of workspace?

6. Uncover Contributing Causes
Other factors may be:
Poor housekeeping
Failure to follow maintenance schedules
Inadequate supervision
Faulty equipment

7. Prevent Similar Accidents
Identification may help prevent similar accidents in the future by identifying needed actions and improvements.

8. Document Facts Compensation and litigation issues
A permanent record of facts
Accident reconstruction may be needed
Facts must be recorded properly, accurately and thoroughly

9. Provide Information on Costs
Direct Costs
Indirect Costs

10. Promote Safety Demonstrates the organization’s interest
Psychological and material benefits
Demonstrates the organization’s interest
Indicates management’s sense of accountability and commitment to safety
Fact-finding, not Fault-finding process

11. Be empathetic Treat employees with respect People do not like pain
Do not make assumptions
Be sensitive to the fact that the injured party may be embarrassed and defensive
Seek to fix the problem, not the blame

12. Cases to be Investigated
All on-the-job injuries, exposures or illnesses should be reported
Near-misses may hold important clues about potential accidents and should be reported also

13. Accident Causes and Their Control
Every accident can be attributed, directly or indirectly to:
Human factors (the worker or another person)
Situational factors (facilities, tools, equipment, or materials)
Environmental factors (noise, vibration, temperature extremes, illumination)

14. Human Factors
Any person who by action or failure to act causes an accident
deviation from standard operating procedures
deviation from safety rules and training
WHY??

15. Why? No safe job procedures exist
The employee did not know the standard job procedure
Employee knew, but did not follow the procedures
Employee followed procedures

16. Why? Procedure encourages risk-taking
Employee changed the job procedure or by-passed safety procedures
Employee did not follow procedures because of the supervisor
Individual characteristics

17. Situational Factors Hazardous Materials Unsafe operations Tools
Equipment
Facilities

18. Environmental Factors
Physical - noise, vibration, radiation, lighting, temperature
Chemical - toxic gas or vapors, fumes, mists, smoke
Biological - bacteria, fungi, parasites, insects, plants
Ergonomic - awkward or repetitive actions that place stress on the body

19. Sources of Situational or Environmental Hazards
Purchasing agents
Maintenance personnel
Employees

20. Examining Accident Causation
After-the-fact
Before-the-fact
Critical Incident Technique
Safety Sampling

21. After-the-fact Crucial Questions: Who? How? What? Why?
When? (and following sequence)
Where?

22. Eight Data Elements Employer data Employee data Narrative Description
Equipment
Task description
Time Factors
Nature of Injury
Preventive Measures

23. Fact-Finding Interview witnesses as soon as possible,
Inspect the accident site before any changes occur.
Take photographs and make sketches.
Record pertinent data in maps.
Get copies of all reports.
Keep accurate notes in a bound notebook.

24. Fact-Finding
Documents containing normal operating procedures, flow diagrams, maintenance charts, or reports of difficulties or abnormalities may be useful.
Record pre-accident conditions, the accident sequence, and post-accident conditions.

25. Fact-Finding
Document the location of victims, witnesses, machinery, energy sources, and hazardous materials.
Call in experts if needed.

26. Interviews
Get preliminary statements as soon as possible from witnesses.
Locate the position of witnesses on a map or chart.
Explain the purpose (prevention) and try to put the witness at ease.
Let the witness speak freely and take notes without distracting him/her.

27. Interviews
Use a tape recorder only with the permission of the witness.
Use sketches and diagrams to help the witness.
Make note of direct observations versus hearsay.
Try to use the exact words used by the witness.

28. Interviews
Word questions carefully and repeat or reword if the witness does not undestand the question.
Identify the qualifications of each witness (name, address, occupation, years of experience, etc.).
Supply each witness with a copy of their statements (signed statements desirable).

29. Before-the-fact
Systematic approach to identifying and evaluating an accident before it occurs
Critical Incident Technique
Safety Sampling

30. Critical Incident Technique
Ask a sampling of workers to describe job hazards
Management classifies “incidents” into hazard categories and identifies problem areas
A team can analyze the management systems in place that should have prevented the unsafe acts or conditions

31. Safety Sampling Uses expertise within the organization
Make rounds to observe unsafe practices
Make observations during different times of the day and throughout the jobsite

32. Resources and References