Fall is here and organizations are ramping up their investigation training. If you are thinking about doing some training later this year call me with your preferred dates. This will allow me to tentatively set them aside for you, and as we get closer to the date we can make changes if required.
Jeff

Interviewing Tips

Taking Control of the Interview

These tips deal with the investigation of sensitive issues such as sexual harassment, however, some concepts would be equally applicable to serious incident investigations as well. Most likely when there is a need to establish you as the person in charge of the interview.

Always open an interview by introducing yourself, providing your authority to conduct the investigation, and the purpose of the interview. The opening remarks should convey (in a low key way) that this is YOUR interview and you are in control. If you sit at a table you should sit at the head of the table since this conveys the psychological message that you are in control.

If you have advance information that the subject is difficult, hostile, or uncooperative, you may want to gain a psychological advantage by subtly demonstrating that you are in charge. You can do this by allowing the witness to take a seat. You should then politely ask them to move to a seat that you select. This places them at a psychological disadvantage, by subtly indicating that you are in control. Do not ask them if they mind changing seats since this provides them with an opportunity to refuse or argue.

Be prepared to explain the employee's rights and how his/her statement may be used in the investigation or subsequent disciplinary action. Bargaining unit employees may require special considerations, i.e., their rights to union representation.

Know your options if the employee is represented and the representative is disruptive. Explain to the employee that this is his/her opportunity to tell their side of the story. If the representative continues to be disruptive terminate the interview, and document why you terminated.

SOURCE: peramerica.com

Seat Belts Being Used?

As a routine part of any thorough traffic crash investigation, knowing whether or not a safety belt was being worn by a vehicle occupant is imperative. Do not simply accept the statement of a motorist if he/she was wearing a safety belt during a traffic crash; attempt to verify their statements through physical evidence if at all possible.

Often in serious crashes where vehicles are significantly damaged, sufficient energy forces are exerted on the belted occupants so that obvious physical evidence on the belt systems create excellent indicators of safety belt use.

Closely examine the belt webbing where it routes through the "D-ring" and at the latch plate for load forces such as burn marks, stretching, discoloration, or brittleness. If the belt is made with a stitched loop design or a "replace me" tag, note if the stitching has been shredded or torn apart and the tag pulled out of its normal position.

Examine the condition of the metal-like "D-ring" and sliding latch plate also for burn-abrasion marks made by the webbing. Any one of these are excellent indicators that the safety belt was being worn at the time of the crash.

SOURCE: Virginia Commonwealth University