Accident Investigation Recognize & Investigate

1. Accident InvestigationRecognize & Investigate SCF Arizona

3. Basic Elements of Safe Behavior Skill Knowledge Attitude Knowledge - Train employees Skill - Provide employees opportunities to acquire it Attitude - Motivate employees

4. Accident Prevention and Control • The best way to control costs is to recognize hazards and to prevent accidents from occurring. • If an accident does occur, it must be investigated to determine the cause.

5. Vocabulary • Accident • Hazard • Near miss • Unsafe condition/act • Hazard inspection • Accident investigation

6. Accident • An accident is an unexpected and unplanned event that may result in damage or injury.

7. Accidents • All accidents are caused. • They are the result of an unsafe behavior, an unsafe condition or a combination of both. • Other causes of accidents may include policies, procedures and the corporate culture.

8. Hazard • A hazard is a source of risk or harm. • (This can be a physical hazard or an unsafe behavior.)

9. Near Miss • “Near miss” describes incidents in which, given a slight shift in time or distance, injury or damage could have occurred but did not.

10. Accident Investigation • An effective program provides for investigations of accidents and “near miss” incidents, so their causes and the means to prevent future incidents are identified.

11. AccidentTheories

12. H.W. Heinrich’s - Causation Factor Model Unsafe acts 88% Machine related 10% Acts of God 2% 10% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

13. The Accident Pyramid Fatality Result Severe Injury Minor Injury Behavior Near Miss Unsafe Acts

14. 1 29 300 H.W. Heinrich: Accident Causation Theory 300-29-1 Ratio Severe injury/fatality Minor injuries Near misses, incidents resulting in no injuries

15. Common Attitudes • It was “fate.” • He was careless. • He’s accident prone. • She did a stupid thing. • She didn’t use common sense. • What was the last excuse you had?

16. Unsafe Condition or Act?

17. Unsafe Condition • Any physical hazard related to equipment, materials, structures or other physical elements of a worker’s environment.

18. Unsafe Conditions Include: • Poor housekeeping • Lack of guarding • Poor maintenance • Defective equipment • or tools • Improper material storage • Slips, trips and fall hazards

19. Unsafe Act • Any hazard • created as a • result of a • human action • or behavior.

20. Unsafe Acts Attributed To: • Lack of adequate training • Improper work techniques • Poor attitude • Shortcut to save time • Lack of proper equipment and tools • Poor leadership

35. OtherFactorsto Consider

36. Expected Consequences Drives Behaviors

37. Symptoms vs. Causes • Symptoms – Unsafe acts/conditions, which we can see, often resulting in accidents. • Causes – Underlying reasons for accidents, which we can’t see; They are identified only by investigation.

38. Examples of Symptoms • Careless operation of a forklift truck • Oil on the floor • Standing on the top step of a ladder • Improper lifting techniques • Not wearing eye protection

39. Examples of Causes • Ineffective employee motivation • Lack of accountability • Poor maintenance of facilities or equipment • Inadequate employee training

40. Example • Symptom – Climbing an unsafe ladder • Cause – Having a defective ladder • Solution – Replace ladder • What are other causes to consider? • An improved inspection program • Improved training • Redefinition of responsibilities • Pre-job planning

41. Proactive vs. Reactive • Most accident investigation techniques • are reactive. • After an accident occurs, the cause and corrective action is identified. • Proactive techniques allow you to identify potential hazards before an accident occurs.

42. Accident Investigation Used to determine how and why an accident occurred. All accidents, whether they result in injury or not, must be investigatedproperly.

43. Accident Investigation • All accidents must be investigated • This should include near misses • The extent of the accident will determine the degree of investigation

44. Why are Accidents Investigated? • Determine direct causes • Uncover contributing accident causes • Prevent similar accidents • Document facts • Provide information on costs • Promote safety

45. Reason for Investigating Near Misses • Leads to preventing future accidents that could cause serious injuries or property damage. • Alerts employees to hazards of which they may not been aware.

46. Fact Finding Vs. Fault Finding • The goal of the accident investigation is to discover the facts - not to place blame.

47. Fact Finding vs. Fault Finding • Fact Finding: • Worker didn’t wear proper protective equipment. • Ladder was not set up properly. • Worker tripped over uncoiled hoses.

48. Fact Finding Vs. Fault Finding • Fault Finding: • Lazy • Careless • Stupid • Inattentive • Accident prone

49. The Investigation Process • Equipment • Materials • People/Behavior

50. Investigation Process • Define the scope of the investigation • Select investigators • Visit accident site • Interview witnesses and victim(s)