Accident Investigation
In 2016, more than three million people were injured and 4,000 died in work-related accidents. The numbers are truly shocking.
When an accident happens, it is valuable to do an inspection and determine what caused the accident and how it could have been prevented. The National Safety Council defines an accident as “an undesired event that results in personal injury or property damage.”
There is no set way to do an inspection, but here are a couple of things you could include:
-Have the right person do the inspection. He or she should have an expert-level knowledge of the workplace where the accident happened.
-Survey the scene of the accident
-Contact emergency personnel and tend to the injured people if necessary
-Protect any "scene evidence"
-Figure out the cause of the accident
-Fill out a thorough accident report
-Implement new policies if necessary
As you wrap up your investigation, remember the most important thing is to determine the cause of the accident and how to prevent it in the future, not to figure out who caused the accident.
