Incident
Investigation -- Tips, Techniques & Trivia
Go ahead; ask me what’s the most common mistake I see
being made in serious workplace incidents.
It’s almost always a combination of two related factors.
One, not responding appropriately to the seriousness of the
incident, and secondly, not keeping your boss informed.
Typically, these are cases where the injury is serious but
not felt to be life threatening and this turns out not to be
the case. Or it may involve a major violation of the OHS Act
that is not immediately recognized as such. Keep you boss informed
from the outset. Get immediate help and direction. Assume the
worst and continue with your investigation response until the
investigation is fully concluded. Being charged for an OHS violation
is a situation you do not want to face; however, reacting promptly
and positively as noted above will place any employer in a much
stronger position to defend themselves against charges.
In both cases once the true nature of the situation is recognized
it’s almost always too late to launch an effective investigation
and you are now in a “catch up” mode.
The remedy? Treat any serious incident as having a potential
worst case scenario outcome. Within an hour of the incident
taking place involve those with OHS knowledge in a discussion
as to how this incident might play out, and what possible charges
could be laid by regulators.
Jeff
Factors
Often Overlooked in Investigations
Terry Ryan - OH&S Canada
This
issue and the next one contain an article by Terry Ryan originally
published in the OHS Magazine. The following are crucial factors
that are often missed during accident investigations.
Ergonomics: Workstations and equipment with dimensions
and designs not suited to the human body can play a significant
role in accident causation. Poorly designed work stations can
force employees to perform tasks beyond their physical capabilities.
Environmental
conditions: Factors such as noise and lighting play a
role in most accidents. The work environment can affect a worker’s
system to the point where he or she can’t function at a
normal level. The wearing of PPE can be distracting. Gloves that
don’t fit well, respirators that are uncomfortable and goggles
that block peripheral vision, for example, can divert an employee’s
attention to the job at hand.
The
supervisor’s ability to supervise: Supervisors
are often promoted and given little or no management training.
As a result, they are unable to adequately teach others to do
a job safely or to convey the safety message. Examine the activities
of the supervisor to the same degree as the injured employee’s
activities when investigating accidents.
The
shift the employee was working: Shift work can be a factor
in accidents for a number of reasons. Some people can’t
work well at certain hours or the night. Late shifts often have
less supervision than earlier shifts. Normal sleep patterns can
be disrupted by shift work. Lighting and environmental conditions
can change with certain shifts. To be continued in the next issue.
Terry
Ryan – OH& S Canada
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