Newsletter
January 2007

Accident Investigation Solutions
January 2, 2007
 
 

Incident Investigation -- Tips, Techniques & Trivia    

Some of you may be considering a New Year’s resolution, and some of you may have already broken one. I’ve come to the realization that I will never again have a size 32 waist and have given up on that resolution.

If you are considering making a resolution to improve the quality of your investigation program here’s a few thoughts to consider.


Jeff

  

Incident Investigation Studies of Quality
Fred A.Manuele, “On the Practice of Safety" 3rd Edition


Incident investigation, done well or superficially, reflects the reality of an organization’s culture concerning safety. The quality of incident investigation gives significant messages to employees as they interpret the substance of what management does in relation to what management says.

Thorough incident investigation and follow-through with remedial actions support a culture that gives importance to safety. Poorly done incident investigations give employees reason to doubt management’s sincerity with respect to safety.

Manuele, in his article lists some factors that directly relate to the quality of incident investigations:


  • Good incident investigation cannot be achieved without training, and repeated training.
  • Supervisors with Job Hazard Analysis training have a better understanding of causal factors and did a more thorough job of incident investigation. They frequently went beyond the basic requirements of their investigation form.
  • Investigations are usually done well in organizations that include management accountability for hazards related results.
  • Team based investigations were generally superior in all aspects, in particular, causal factor analysis and selection of corrective actions.



phone: 780 432 4262

Return to Newsletter Archive