702studyguide

OSHAcademy Course 702 Study Guide
Effective Accident
Investigation

Copyright © 2000-2013 Geigle Safety Group, Inc. Page 2 of 71
Effective Accident Investigation
Copyright © 2013 Geigle Safety Group, Inc. No portion of this text may be reprinted for other than personal
use. Any commercial use of this document is strictly forbidden.
Contact OSHAcademy to arrange for use as a training document.
This study guide is designed to be reviewed off-line as a tool for preparation to successfully complete
OSHAcademyCourse 702.
Read each module, answer the quiz questions, and submit the quiz questions online through the course
webpage. You can print the post-quiz response screen which will contain the correct answers to the
questions.
The final exam will consist of questions developed from the course content and module quizzes.
We hope you enjoy the course and if you have any questions, feel free to email or call:
OSHAcademy
1915 NW Amberglen Parkway, Suite 400
Beaverton, Oregon 97006
www.oshatrain.org
instructor@oshatrain.org
+1.888.668.9079

Contents
Module 1: The Basics.............................................................................................................................................7
What is an accident?.........................................................................................................................................7
Accidents and incidents ....................................................................................................................................7
Accident Types ..................................................................................................................................................7
Are accidents always unplanned?.....................................................................................................................8
Old Theory - Worker Error ................................................................................................................................9
New Theory - Systems Approach ......................................................................................................................9
Why conduct an "investigation"?......................................................................................................................9
Characteristics of an effective accident investigation program .....................................................................11
Module 1 Quiz.................................................................................................................................................13
Module 2: Initiating the Investigation.................................................................................................................15
Why conduct the investigation? .....................................................................................................................15
Let's get started! .............................................................................................................................................15
When should you secure the accident scene? ...............................................................................................15
Why secure the accident scene?.....................................................................................................................16
Two things may disappear after an accident occurs.......................................................................................16
Reporting accidents to OSHA..........................................................................................................................17
What information do I need to give to OSHA about the incident? .............................................................17
Module 2 Quiz.................................................................................................................................................19
Module 3: Documenting the Accident Scene .....................................................................................................21
Document before it goes away.......................................................................................................................21
Why the team approach works best...............................................................................................................21
Methods to document the accident scene.....................................................................................................21
Make personal observations.......................................................................................................................22
Get initial statements..................................................................................................................................22

Take photos of the accident scene .............................................................................................................22
Take video clips of the scene ......................................................................................................................23
Sketch the accident scene...........................................................................................................................23
Some sketching pointers.............................................................................................................................24
Interview records ........................................................................................................................................26
Final words… ...................................................................................................................................................26
Module 3 Quiz.................................................................................................................................................27
Module 4: Conducting Effective Interviews........................................................................................................29
Digging up the facts can be a challenge..........................................................................................................29
Steve's Seven "Rights" of the interview process.............................................................................................29
Cooperation is the Key!...................................................................................................................................29
Preparing for the interview.............................................................................................................................30
Effective Interviewing Techniques..................................................................................................................31
Final words... ...................................................................................................................................................32
Module 4 Quiz ................................................................................................................................................33
Module 5: Conducting Event Analysis.................................................................................................................35
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................35
Sorting it all out...............................................................................................................................................35
Analysis defined ..............................................................................................................................................35
Why accidents happen....................................................................................................................................36
Single Event Theory.........................................................................................................................................36
The Domino Theory.........................................................................................................................................36
Multiple Cause Theory ....................................................................................................................................37
The final event in an unplanned process ........................................................................................................37
Four categories of events................................................................................................................................37

Developing the sequence of events................................................................................................................39
The two components of an event: The Actor and the Action.........................................................................39
Sample sequence of events.............................................................................................................................40
Paint a word picture........................................................................................................................................41
Sample sequence of events.............................................................................................................................41
Make sure you are constructing only one event ............................................................................................42
Final words... ...................................................................................................................................................42
Module 5 Quiz.................................................................................................................................................43
Module 6: Determining the Causes ....................................................................................................................45
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................45
The harmful transfer of energy is the direct cause of injury ..........................................................................45
The surface causes of accidents......................................................................................................................46
Hazardous conditions..................................................................................................................................46
Unsafe or inappropriate behaviors.................................................................................................................46
Below are some examples of unsafe or inappropriate employee/manager behaviors.............................47
The root causes of accidents...........................................................................................................................47
Three levels of cause analysis .........................................................................................................................48
Injury Analysis .................................................................................................................................................49
Harmful forms of energy.................................................................................................................................49
Event Analysis..................................................................................................................................................50
More on Event Analysis...................................................................................................................................51
Final words… ...................................................................................................................................................52
Module 6 Quiz.................................................................................................................................................53
Module 7: Developing Solutions.........................................................................................................................55
What is a good recommendation?..................................................................................................................55

Why decision-makers don't respond quickly..................................................................................................55
Do it right! .......................................................................................................................................................55
The Hierarchy of Control Strategies................................................................................................................56
Higher priority strategies that control hazards...........................................................................................56
Lower priority strategies to control exposure and behaviors ....................................................................57
Recommend system improvements ...............................................................................................................58
"GIGO" or "QIQO"?..........................................................................................................................................59
To develop great recommendations, ask six key questions ...........................................................................59
Estimating direct and indirect costs................................................................................................................62
What is the ratio between direct (insured) and indirect (uninsured) costs in your scenario?...................62
What is the ratio between total accident costs to direct costs? ................................................................63
What is return on the investment (ROI)?....................................................................................................63
Provide options ...............................................................................................................................................64
Module 7 Quiz.................................................................................................................................................65
Module 8: Writing the Report.............................................................................................................................67
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................67
Perception is reality.........................................................................................................................................67
The Accident Report Form ..............................................................................................................................67
Section I. Background..................................................................................................................................68
Section II. Description of the accident ........................................................................................................68
Section III. Findings......................................................................................................................................68
Section IV. Recommendations ....................................................................................................................69
Section V. Summary ....................................................................................................................................69
Open Document..............................................................................................................................................69
Module 8 Quiz.................................................................................................................................................70

Module 1: The Basics
What is an accident?
An accident is the final event in an unplanned process that results in injury or illness to an employee and
possibly property damage. It is the final effect of multiple causes.
An "event," occurs when one "actor" (one person/thing) performs an "action" (does something). In this
definition, a person or thing will do something that results in a change of state. Accidents are processes that
culminate in a final event that causes injury or illness. An accident may be the result of many factors
(simultaneous, interconnected, cross-linked events) that have interacted in some dynamic way.
Accidents and incidents
Accidents are part of a broad group of events that adversely affect the completion of a task. These events are
incidents. For simplicity, the procedures discussed in this course apply most appropriately to accidents, but
they are also applicable to all incidents in general. Think of it this way: accidents cause injuries and incidents
do not.
Accident Types
An accident isn't just an event that you can lump into one big category. In reality, there are many different
types of accidents. Let's take a look at a partial list.
-Struck-by. A person is forcefully struck by an object. The force of contact is provided by the object.
-Struck-against. A person forcefully strikes an object. The person provides the force or energy.
-Contact-by. Contact by a substance or material that, by its very nature, is harmful and causes injury.
-Contact-with. A person comes in contact with a harmful substance or material. The person initiates the
contact.
-Caught-on. A person or part of his/her clothing or equipment is caught on an object that is either moving or
stationary. This may cause the person to lose his/her balance and fall, be pulled into a machine, or suffer
some other harm.

-Caught-in. A person or part of him/her is trapped, or otherwise caught in an opening or enclosure.
-Caught-between. A person is crushed, pinched or otherwise caught between a moving and a stationary
object, or between two moving objects.
-Fall-To-surface. A person slips or trips and falls to the surface he/she is standing or walking on.
-Fall-To-below. A person slips or trips and falls to a level below the one he/she was walking or standing on.
-Over-exertion. A person over-extends or strains himself/herself while performing work.
-Bodily reaction. Caused solely from stress imposed by free movement of the body or assumption of a
strained or unnatural body position. A leading source of injury.
-Over-exposure. Over a period of time, a person is exposed to harmful energy (noise, heat), lack of energy
(cold), or substances (toxic chemicals/atmospheres).
Are accidents always unplanned?
We like to think that accidents are unexpected or unplanned events, but sometimes, that's not necessarily
so. Some accidents result from hazardous conditions and unsafe behaviors that have been ignored or
tolerated for weeks, months, or even years. In such cases, it's not a question of "if" the accident is going to
happen: It's only a matter of "when." But unfortunately, the decision is made to take the risk.
A competent person can examine workplace conditions, behaviors and underlying systems to predict closely
what kind of accidents will occur in the workplace. Technically, we can't say an accident is always unplanned.
Like any system, a safety management system is designed perfectly to produce what it produces.
Consequently, written safety plans may be (unintentionally) designed such that they create circumstances
that cause accidents.
In companies that decide to take the risk, it's likely their attitude about accidents is that, "accidents just
happen; there's nothing we can do about them." Of course, that's an unacceptable notion in any effective
safety culture. Employers with a healthful attitude about accidents consider them to be "inexcusable," and
demand that hazards be corrected before they cause an accident.

Old Theory - Worker Error
Old thinking about the causes of accidents assumes that the worker makes a choice to work in an unsafe
manner.
It implies that there are no outside forces acting upon the worker influencing his actions and that there are
simple reasons for the accident. Old thinking also considers accidents as solely resulting from worker error: A
lack of "common sense." Actually, common sense is an invalid concept. No one has common sense. Rather,
we each develop a unique and hopefully "good sense" based on individual experience, education, etc.
Assuming common sense also allows management to more easily place blame for accidents squarely on the
shoulders of the employee. The employee is "the problem." So, to prevent accidents, the employee must
work more safely. This thinking results in blaming and short-term fixes that are inefficient, ineffective, and in
the long run more expensive to implement and maintain.
New Theory - Systems Approach
The systems approach takes into account the dynamics of systems that interact within the overall safety
program. It concludes that accidents are considered defects in the system. People are only one part of a
complex system composed of many complicated processes (more than we
realize). Accidents are the result of multiple causes or defects in the system.
It becomes the investigator's job to uncover the root causes (defects) in the
system. Fixing the system, not the blame, is the heart of the investigation. To
prevent accidents, the system must work more safely. This line of thinking
results in long-term fixes that are actually less expensive to implement and
maintain.
Why conduct an "investigation"?
The answer to this question is key to the success of the entire program. Does your organization conduct
accident investigations for the same reason as OSHA? To determine the purpose of a process, it's important
to look at the "output" of that process. The fatality investigation report is the output of the investigation
process, so let's take a look at the sample given in OSHA Instruction CPL 2.113, Appendix C:

MEMORANDUM FOR: Regional Administrator
FROM: Area Director
SUBJECT: Notification of Results of Fatality
Investigation
The following information supplements the OSHA-170, regarding investigation of the accident at _____
Company, Inc., which occurred on June 15, 1995.
Establishment Information: ____Company, Inc., located at Grainfield Road, Grossfield, USA, has no previous
inspection history. The company has a work force of 32 employees and operates on a seasonal basis, usually
June to November.
Family Involvement: The next of kin information was obtained from the company and the CSHO telephoned
to verify the information and advise the family that an investigation is in progress. The standard information
letter was sent. There has been no further Contact from the family.
Union Involvement: There is no union at this location.
Proposed Action: (The output!) Issue citations for serious and other violations of machine guarding, open
floor holes, hazard communication and recordkeeping with a penalty total of $5,475. A 5(a)(1) letter
outlining the hazards to be corrected which were not clearly addressed by 29 CFR 1928 Safety and Health
Standards for agriculture and for which other OSHA Standards are not applicable will also be mailed to the
company.
The six month date for this case is December 15, 1995
The message in the above OSHA report is that, as required by the OSHA Act of 1970, OSHA agencies conduct
accident investigation primarily to determine if violations in OSHA law caused the accident: To establish
employer liability, place blame, if you will. This is OSHA's mandate.
This is not your organization's mandate... Read on...

The employer's mandate: Investigate and analyze to fix the system... not the blame
Unfortunately, some employers believe that the investigation process ends once the blame has been
established. The problem, however, is that once the purpose of the analysis process has been achieved,
analysis stops. When employers investigate to place blame, effective analysis to fix the system does not
generally occur.
According to OSHA's Safety & Health Program Management Guidelines, the employer's primary purpose for
investigating accidents is primarily, "so that their causes and means for preventing repetitions are
identified."
OSHA goes on to say this about the investigation process:
"Although a first look may suggest that 'employee error' is a major factor, it is rarely sufficient to stop there.
Even when an employee has disobeyed a required work practice, it is critical to ask, "Why?" A thorough
analysis will generally reveal a number of deeper factors, which permitted or even encouraged an employee's
action. Such factors may include a supervisor's allowing or pressuring the employee to take short cuts in the
interest of production, inadequate equipment, or a work practice which is difficult for the employee to carry
out safely. An effective analysis will identify actions to address each of the causal factors in an accident or
'near miss' incident."
Bottom line. The output of the employer's accident investigation process should not end with merely
identifying violations of employer safety rules. The end product should identify the root causes: the safety
management system weaknesses. In the most effective employer accident investigations, the question of
liability (fault, blame) should be addressed only if an honest post-investigation evaluation concludes that no
safety management system weaknesses contributed to the accident.
Characteristics of an effective accident investigation program
• The program will be guided by standard written procedures. It's important to make sure procedures
are clearly stated and easy to follow in a step-by-step fashion.
• Clearly assigned responsibility for accident investigation. It's up to the employer to determine who
conducts accident investigations. Usually a supervisor, management/labor team, or safety committee
member conducts the investigation. Whoever conducts the investigation needs to understand his or
her role as an accident investigator. Usually, two heads work better than one, especially when
gathering and analyzing material facts about the accident. We recommend a team approach.

• All accident investigators will be formally trained on accident investigation techniques and
procedures. Investigators may attend accident investigation training presented by OSHA, private
educational institutions, or in-house training conducted by a qualified person.
• Accident investigation must be perceived as separate from any potential disciplinary procedures
resulting from the accident. The purpose of the accident investigation is to get at the facts, not find
fault. The accident investigator must be able to state with all sincerity, that he or she is conducting
the investigation only for the purpose of determining cause, not blame.
• The accident investigation report will be in writing and will make sure that the surface causes and
root causes of accidents are addressed. Most accident reports are ineffective precisely because they
neglect to uncover the underlying reasons or factors that contribute to the accident. Only by digging
deep, can you eliminate the hazardous conditions and work practices that, on the surface, caused the
accident.
• The accident investigation report will make recommendations to correct hazardous conditions and
work practices, and those underlying contributing factors that allowed them to exist. In many
instances, the surface causes for the accidents are corrected on the spot, and will be reported as
such. But the investigator must make recommendations for long-term corrections in the safety and
health system to make sure those surface causes do not reappear.
• Follow-up procedures to make sure short and long-term corrective actions are completed.
• An annual review of accident reports. A couple of safety committee members evaluate accident
reports for consistency and quality. They must make sure root causes are being addressed and
corrected. Information about the types of accidents, locations, trends, etc., can be gathered.

Module 1 Quiz
Use this quiz to self-check your understanding of the module content. You can also go online and take this
quiz within the module. The online quiz provides the correct answer once submitted.
1. According to the text, an accident is the _______ in _______ process.
a. end result, a planned
b. final event, an unplanned
c. expected outcome, an unsafe
d. unexpected happening, a hazardous
2. Accidents are usually caused by a lack of common sense.
a. True
b. False
3. The employer's mandate when conducting accident investigations is to investigate to ______.
a. determine fault, not the cause
b. fix the fault to establish accountability
c. fix the system, not the blame
d. any of the above is a valid mandate
4. Employers with a healthful attitude about accidents consider them to be excusable.
a. True
b. False

5. Which of the following are characteristics of an effective accident investigation program?
a. standard written procedures
b. investigators will be formally trained
c. surface causes for the accidents are corrected on the spot
d. all of the above
Go online and submit your quiz to receive the correct “book” answers.

Module 2: Initiating the Investigation
Why conduct the investigation?
The accident investigation process we will discuss in this course will make sense if you understand that
ultimately, the purpose of the investigation is to improve the safety management system. If you conduct the
investigation for any other reason, it will likely result in ineffective solutions.
In this module, we'll discuss a six-step process for conducting accident investigations.
• Secure the accident scene
• Conduct interviews
• Develop the sequence of events
• Conduct cause analysis
• Determine the solutions
• Write the report
Let's get started!
The first step in an effective accident investigation procedure is to secure the accident scene as soon as
possible so that we can accurately gather facts. At this point, you are not yet interested in what "caused" the
accident. Instead, you should focus on making the accident scene secure so that you can gather as much
pertinent information as possible.
To secure the accident scene, simply use yellow caution tape, place warning cones, or post a guard to keep
people away.
When should you secure the accident scene?
That's a good question, and the basic answer is that you should begin when it is safe to do so. As the accident
investigator, you don't want to get in the way of emergency responders. It's also not safe to start if hazards
have not been properly mitigated.

Why secure the accident scene?
That's a good question. It's always important to know why we
are doing something, isn't it? In this situation, we need to
prevent material evidence from being removed or relocated in
some way. This is especially true if the accident is a reportable
(serious or fatal) injury that might trigger an OSHA accident
investigation.
Remember, at the request of OSHA, the employer must mark for identification, materials, tools or
equipment necessary to the proper investigation of an accident. It is important that material evidence does
not somehow get lost or "walk off" the scene.
Two things may disappear after an accident occurs
Material evidence. Material evidence is anything that might be important in helping us find out what
happened. Somehow, tools, equipment, and other items just seem to move. The employer is anxious to
"clean up" the accident scene so that people can get back to work. It's important to develop a procedure to
protect material evidence so that it does not get moved or disappear. If evidence disappears, I'm sure you
can see why it might be difficult to uncover the surface causes for the accident. If you can't uncover the
surface causes, it will be almost impossible to discover and correct the root causes. We'll talk more about
surface and root causes later in the course.
Memory. Accidents are traumatic events that result in both physical and psychological trauma. Of course,
there may be physical trauma to the victim and others. Varying degrees of psychological trauma may also
result depending on how "close" an individual is to the accident or victim. Everyone is affected somehow. As
the length of time after an accident increases, thoughts and emotions distort what people believe they saw
and heard. Conversations with others further distort reality. After a while, the memory of everyone
associated in any way with the accident will be altered in some way. With that in mind, it's important to get
written statements and conduct interviews as soon as possible.

Reporting accidents to OSHA
If your company is in the private sector, and a serious accident or fatality occurs, you may be required to
report it to your State or Federal OSHA office.
Let's take a look at the OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1904.39, Reporting of Fatality or Multiple Hospitalization
Incidents to OSHA, for the specific requirements.
1904.39, Reporting of Fatality or Multiple Hospitalization Incidents to OSHA
(a) Basic requirement.
Within eight (8) hours after the death of any employee from a work-related incident or the in-patient
hospitalization of three or more employees as a result of a work-related incident, you must orally report the
fatality/multiple hospitalization by telephone or in person to the Area Office of the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, that is nearest to the site of the incident. You may
also use the OSHA toll-free central telephone number, 1.800.321.OSHA (1.800.321.6742).
(b) Implementation—
(1) If the Area Office is closed, may I report the incident by leaving a message on OSHA's answering
machine, faxing the area office, or sending an e-mail? No, if you can't talk to a person at the Area
Office, you must report the fatality or multiple hospitalization incident using the 800 number.
What information do I need to give to OSHA about the incident?
(2) You must give OSHA the following information for each fatality or multiple hospitalization
incident:
 establishment name;
 location of the incident;
 time of the incident;
 number of fatalities or hospitalized employees;
 names of any injured employees;
 Your contact person and his or her phone number; and
 A brief description of the incident.

(3) Do I have to report every fatality or multiple hospitalization incident resulting from a motor vehicle
accident? No, you do not have to report all of these incidents. If the motor vehicle accident occurs on a
public street or highway, and does not occur in a construction work zone, you do not have to report the
incident to OSHA. However, these injuries must be recorded on your OSHA injury and illness records, if you
are required to keep such records.
(4) Do I have to report a fatality or multiple hospitalization incident that occurs on a commercial or public
transportation system? No, you do not have to call OSHA to report a fatality or multiple hospitalization
incident if it involves a commercial airplane, train, subway or bus accident. However, these injuries must be
recorded on your OSHA injury and illness records, if you are required to keep such records.
(5) Do I have to report a fatality caused by a heart attack at work? Yes, your local OSHA Area Office director
will decide whether to investigate the incident, depending on the circumstances of the heart attack.
(6) Do I have to report a fatality or hospitalization that occurs long after the incident? No, you must only
report each fatality or multiple hospitalization incident that occurs within thirty (30) days of an incident.
(7) What if I don't learn about an incident right away? If you do not learn of a reportable incident at the
time it occurs and the incident would otherwise be reportable under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section,
you must make the report within eight (8) hours of the time the incident is reported to you or to any of
your agent(s) or employee(s).
If you live in a "State Plan" state, your state OSHA accident reporting requirements may be different, so be
sure to check them out.
Well, that wasn't too bad, was it? Now it's time for your second module quiz. This quiz will help you review
some of the important points about securing the accident scene and initiating the investigation. If you find it
difficult to answer the questions, just review the material. I do not "grade" the quiz, so don't worry about
that. Also, I just want to remind you that the final exam questions are based on the questions within each
module, so study the quiz questions.

Module 2 Quiz
1. The purpose of an accident investigation includes all of the following, except:
a. uncover surface and root causes
b. improve safety in design
c. determine fault
d. make safety program improvements
2. Which of the following are methods used to secure the accident scene?
a. use yellow caution tape
b. place cones
c. post a guard
d. any of the above may be used
3. What might be the result if the investigation is not initiated as soon as possible?
a. memory about what happens disappears
b. material evidence is moved or removed
c. more difficult to uncover the facts
d. all of the above might result

4. If a workplace fatality occurs, the affected employer must notify OSHA within _____ hrs.
a. 24
b. 16
c. 8
d. 4
5. The fatality report to OSHA would include all of the following except.
a. Name of witness(s)
b. Name of the establishment
c. Location of incident
d. Contact person
e. Description of the incident

Module 3: Documenting the Accident Scene
Document before it goes away...
In this module we will take a look at strategies for documenting the accident scene. We'll emphasize the
team approach and discuss the advantages of using the various documentation methods including, personal
observation, photo/videotaping, taking statements, drawing sketches and reviewing records.
Why the team approach works best
Once the accident scene has been roped off, it's important to begin immediately to gather evidence from as
many sources as possible during an investigation. One of the biggest challenges you'll face as an investigator
is to determine what information is relevant. You want data that will help you determine what happened,
how it happened, and why it happened. Identifying items that answer these questions is the purpose of
documenting the accident scene.
You won't be able to document the scene effectively unless you come prepared, so make sure you have put
together an accident investigation kit for use during the investigation. As you'll learn, there are many ways to
document the scene, so it may become quite difficult for one person to effectively complete all actions. The
most effective strategy is to document as much as possible, even if you don't think the information may not
be relevant. It's easy to discard clues or leads later if they prove to not be useful to the investigation. It's not
at all easy to dig up material evidence late into the investigation. All items found at the scene should be
considered important and potentially relevant material evidence. Consequently, a team approach is probably
the most efficient strategy to use when investigating serious accidents.
Methods to document the accident scene
Let's talk about the various methods you can use to document the accident scene.

Make personal observations
With clipboard in hand, take notes on personal observations. Try to involve all of your senses (sight, hearing,
smell, etc.).
 What do you see? What equipment, tools, materials, machines, structures appear to be broken,
damaged, struck or otherwise involved in the event? Look for gouges, scratches, dents, smears. If
vehicles are involved, check for tracks and skid marks. Look for irregularities on surfaces. Are there
any fluid spills, stains, contaminated materials or debris?
 What about the environment? Were there any distractions, adverse conditions caused by weather?
Record the time of day, location, lighting conditions, etc. Note the terrain (flat, rough, etc.).
 What is the activity occurring around the accident scene?
 Who is there: Who is not? You'll need this information to take initial statements and interviews.
 Measure distances and positions of anything and everything you believe to be of any value to the
investigation.
Get initial statements
If you are fortunate there will be one or more eye-witnesses to the accident. Ask them for an initial
statement giving a description of the accident. Also try to obtain other information from the witness
including:
 names of other possible witnesses for subsequent interviews;
 names of company rescuers or emergency response service; and
 materials, equipment, articles that may have been moved or disturbed during the rescue.
Take photos of the accident scene
When taking photos, make sure you start with distance shots, and gradually move in closer as you take the
photos. Below are some important points to remember about taking photos.
 Take photos at different angles (from above, 360 deg. of scene, left, right, rear) to show the
relationship of objects and minute and/or transient details such as ends of broken rope, defective
tools, drugs, wet areas, containers.
 Take panoramic photos to help present the entire scene, top to bottom - side to side.

 Take notes on each photo. These will be included in the appendix of the report along with the photos.
Identify the type of photo, date, time, location, subject, weather conditions, measurements, etc.
 Place an item of known dimensions in the photo if hard-to-measure objects are being photographed.
 Identify the person taking the photos.
 You may want to indicate the locations at which photos were taken on sketches.
Take video clips of the scene
There is no requirement to take video. However, with the video capability of digital cameras, it's becoming
more common to use this method. If you are planning to take video, the earlier you can begin the better.
Once the emergency responders are attending to the victim, begin taking video. The video recorder will pick
up details and conversations that can add much valuable information to your investigation. Just remember
not to get in the way. Below are some important points to remember when videotaping.
 Have each witness accompany you and privately describe what happened while taking video.
 If possible, try to reenact the event.
 To get the "lay of the land," stand back from a distance and zoom in to the scene.
 Scan slowly 360 degrees left and right to establish location.
 Narrate what is being viewed: describe objects, size, direction, and location, etc.
 If a vehicle was involved, video the direction of travel, going and coming.
Before you take video, make sure your video camera is operating properly, the battery is charged, and, oh
yes...take the cap off the lens ;-)
Sketch the accident scene
Sketches are very important because they compliment the information in photos, and are good at indicating
distances between the various elements of the accident. This is important to do because it establishes
"position evidence." It is important to be as precise as possible when making sketches. Below you will find
the basic components of a sketch.
 Documentation. Date, time, location, identity of objects, victims, etc.
 Spatial relationships. Measurements.
 Location of photographs.

Sketches are also valuable because they reconstruct the accident in model form and effectively show
movement through time. Sketches also help establish testimony if it becomes necessary to defend against a
damage or injury claim. The sketch may also help establish a claim against a supplier or manufacturer.
You don't have to be a professional illustrator to make a decent sketch, but you must be accurate in your
measurements. Take a look at the sketch below as a sample of a useful sketch.
Some sketching pointers
 Make sketches large; preferably 8" x 10".
 Makes sketches clear. Include information pertinent to the investigation.
 Include measurements. Establish precise fixed identifiable reference points.
 Print legibly. All printing should be on the same plane.
 Indicate directions: N,E,S,W.
 Always tie measurements to a permanent point, e.g. telephone pole, building.
 Mark where people were standing.
 Use an arrow to show direction of motion
 Use sketches when interviewing people.
 Show where photos were taken.

The first sketch to the right illustrates the
Triangulation Method which makes it possible to
later pinpoint the exact location of an object. In this
accident, the victim Contacted a high voltage line
with a metal tree trimming pole. The position of the
victim's head is measured from three points. Notice
the small circles with horizontal lines through them.
These circles indicate where photos were taken.
Also, North is indicated and all major objects are
identified.
The second sketch illustrates one of the major
advantages of sketching. It shows motion through time.
In this sketch you can see the direction the deceased and
the bulldozer were travelling shortly before the accident
and at the time of the accident.

Interview records
That's right...you don't just review records, you "interview" them by asking them questions. If you ask...they
will answer. Below are some of the records you may want to interview.
 Maintenance records
 Training records
 Standard operating procedures
 Safety policies, plans, and rules
 Work schedules
 Personnel records
 Disciplinary records
 Medical records (if permission granted, or otherwise allowed.)
 EMT reports
 OSHA 300 Log
 OSHA Form 301, Injury and Illness Incident Report
 Safety committee minutes
 Coroner's report
 Police report
Final words…
Documenting the scene is important for so many reasons. Remember, the team approach works best
because accuracy in reconstructing the accident is the final criteria. I think you'll agree that given all the time
and money constraints, and complexity of the investigation process, two heads are better than one. Now
let's take the quiz.

Module 3 Quiz
1. When documenting the scene, one of the biggest challenges facing the investigator is to determine...
a. determine who is to blame
b. determine what's relevant
c. determine who's in charge
d. determine who is liable
2. The most effective documentation strategy is to...
a. document material evidence
b. document obviously relevant material
c. document it, even if relevancy is in question
d. document evidence to establish relevancy
3. When making personal observations, the investigator should consider which of the following:
a. What is not present
b. Condition of objects
c. What is present
d. All of the above
4. Photos are better at documenting the scene for all the reasons below except:
a. Photos more effectively show motion through time.
b. Photos are better at displaying details.

c. Photos best show size relationships.
d. Photos are easier to produce.
5. Which of the documents below is least likely to be "interviewed" as part of the investigation process for
a minor injury?
a. training records
b. maintenance records
c. police records
d. inspection records

Module 4: Conducting Effective Interviews
Digging up the facts can be a challenge
After you have initially documented the accident scene, the next step is to start digging for additional details
by conducting interviews.
This activity is perhaps the most difficult part of an investigation. This module will help you understand how
to set up an interview and develop interview questions. The module will also discuss how to organize the
interview and the participants to most effectively get accurate information.
Steve's Seven "Rights" of the interview process
The purpose of the accident investigation interview is to obtain an accurate and comprehensive picture of
what happened. To do that, the interviewer must demonstrate personal leadership and skill in conducting
the interview. Since leadership is all about doing the right thing, I came up with seven "rights" to help us
remember what we should do to make sure the interview process is effective. So, here are those seven
rights...
Be sure you ask the...
1. Right people the
2. Right questions at the
3. Right time in the
4. Right place in the
5. Right way for the
6. Right reason to uncover the
7. Right facts
Cooperation is the Key!
Cooperation not intimidation is the key to a successful accident investigation interview. It's very
counterproductive to give the impression in any way that can be interpreted by the interviewee as trying to
establish blame. The purpose of the accident interview is to uncover additional information about the
hazardous conditions, unsafe work practices, and related system weaknesses that contributed to the

accident. Consequently, it's very important that effective techniques to establish trust and a cooperative
atmosphere be used by the interviewer during the process.
What are effective ways to increase cooperation in the accident interview process? What communication
strategies might increase the likelihood of an adversarial relationship in the interview? As you conduct
interviews, gaining experience along the way, you'll further develop the "art" of interviewing by improving
your ability to apply these techniques.
Preparing for the interview
Your first task is to determine who needs to be interviewed. You will need to design your questions around
the interviewee. Consequently, each interview will be a very unique experience. Interviews should occur as
soon as possible, but usually they do not happen until things have settled down just a bit. Below are some of
the people you may want to consider interviewing.
 The victim. To determine the immediate events leading up to and including the accident.
 Co-workers. To establish what actual vs. appropriate procedures are being used.
 Direct supervisor. To get background information on the victim. He or she can provide procedural
information about the task that was being performed, the training provided, workload, scheduling,
and resources being provided.
 Manager. To get information on related operational and safety management programs/systems.
 Training department. To get information on quantity and quality of training the victim and others
have received.
 Personnel department. To get information on the victim's and other employees' work history,
discipline, appraisals.
 Maintenance personnel. To determine background on corrective and preventive maintenance.
 Emergency responders. To learn what they saw and did when responding to the accident.
 Medical personnel. To get medical information (as allowed by law.)
 Coroner. Can be a valuable source to determine type/extent of fatal injuries.
 Police. If they filed a report.
 Other interested persons. Anyone interested in the accident may be a valuable source of
information.
 The victim's spouse and family. They may have insight into the victim's state of mind or other work
issues.

Effective Interviewing Techniques
An important aspect of your job, as the interviewer, is to construct a composite story or "word picture" of
what happened using the various accounts of the accident and other evidence. To do that, you will need to
understand effective interview techniques and be able to skillfully apply those techniques.
It's important to remember that you are conducting an accident investigation, not a criminal investigation.
These two interview processes may be similar, but each has a unique purpose. Each process requires
different techniques to achieve the intended purpose. The last thing you want to do in an accident
investigation is to come down hard (be accusatory) on an interviewee. So let's take a look at some effective
techniques that will assure you get to the facts...not find fault.
 Keep the purpose of the investigation in mind: To determine the cause of the accident so that similar
accidents will not recur. The interview process is not conducted to determine liability, but to
determine the facts so that any and all safety management system design and implementation
weaknesses can be improved. Make sure the interviewee understands this: "We don't want you or
anyone else to get hurt like this again."
 First, ask for background information like name, job, and phone number. Then, simply have the
witness tell you what happened. Let them talk, and you just listen. Don't ask them "if" they can
explain what happened, because they may respond with a simple "no," and that's that.
 Approach the investigation with an open mind. It will be obvious if you have preconceptions about
the individuals or the facts.
 Go to the scene. Just because you are familiar with the location or the victim's job, don't assume that
things are always the same. If you can't conduct a private interview at the location, find an office or
meeting room that the interviewee considers a "neutral" location.
 Put the person at ease. Explain the purpose and your role. Sincerely express concern regarding the
accident and desire to prevent a similar occurrence.
 Tell the interviewee that the information they give is important. It's important to say it's "important".
 Be friendly, understanding, and open minded. Be calm and unhurried.
 Don't ask leading questions; don't interrupt; and don't make expressions (facial, verbal of approval or
disapproval).
 Do ask open-ended questions to clarify particular areas or get specifics. Try to avoid closed-ended
questions that require a simple yes and no answer. Try to avoid asking "why-you" questions as these

type of questions tend to make people respond defensively. Example: Do not ask: "Why did you drive
the forklift with under-inflated tires? Rather, ask: What are forklift inspection procedures? or "Tell me
about the forklift inspection procedure."
 Repeat the facts and sequence of events back to the person to avoid any misunderstandings.
 Notes should be taken very carefully, and as casually as possible. Let the individual read your notes so
that they can possibly fill in missing information and correct inaccuracies. Give the interviewee a copy
of the notes. Have the interviewee initial that they have read and found the notes accurate.
 Don't use a tape recorder unless you get permission. Tell the interviewee that the purpose of the
recorder is to make sure the information is accurate. Offer to give the interviewee a copy of the tape.
 If the interviewee wants to have someone witness the interview, that's fine. In most union
environments, this is an employee right.
 Ask for the interviewee's opinion about what caused the accident and what can be done to make sure
it doesn't happen again. Do not accept answers that accuse or place blame. Note: There is never
enough information to establish blame at this phase of the investigation. Only after the investigation
is complete and closed out will the need for discipline be discussed, and that's usually the
responsibility of the supervisor and the Human Resource Department, not the accident investigator.
 Conclude the interview with a statement of appreciation for their contribution. Ask them to contact
you if they think of anything else. If possible, relay the outcome of the investigation to each person
who was interviewed. Again, do not discuss the possibility of disciplinary action.
Final words...
Understanding and applying the information above during the interview process will help establish a high
level of trust and a cooperative relationship so that you can get to the facts. Remember, intimidation and
placing blame has no place in the accident investigation process and besides, it just doesn't work.
Okay, now that you are an ace interviewer, it's time to take the module quiz ;-)

Module 4 Quiz
1. What is the purpose of the interview process.
a. satisfy OSHA investigation requirements
b. determine who is to blame quickly
c. determine the cause of the accident
d. cover your rear end
2. Which of the following is an effective interview technique?
a. Ask "why-you" questions
b. Ask open-ended questions
c. Blow smoke in their face
d. Encourage fault-finding
3. Which of the following locations might be best for conducting the interview?
a. The scene of the accident
b. The supervisor's office
c. The lunch room
d. At a restaurant
4. Why is it important to ask the interviewee to review the interview notes?
a. to keep them confidential
b. to shape interviewee thinking

c. they can make sure the right person is blamed
d. they can correct inaccuracies
5. What happens when you interview several persons in presence of each other?
a. the others' stories change with each interviewee's account
b. others will remember more with each interview
c. each interviewee will more likely be accurate with each story
d. each interviewee feels more comfortable telling their story

Module 5: Conducting Event Analysis
Introduction
This module introduces you to the concepts of assessment and analysis as they relate to the accident
investigation process. We'll review some theories of accident causation and discuss the process of
developing and analyzing the sequence of events occurring prior to, during, and immediately after an
accident.
Sorting it all out...
So far, you have collected a lot of factual data and it's strewn all over your desk. The task now is to turn that
data into useful information. You've got to somehow take this data and make some sense of it. It's important
to know that you're not gathering all of this information just to conduct an assessment of what was and was
not present immediately prior to the accident. You're actually conducting an analysis to determine
specifically how behaviors and conditions, and the underlying system weaknesses contributed to the
accident. To better understand this, let's take a closer look at what the process of "analysis" is.
Analysis defined
Webster defines analysis as the, "separation of an intellectual or substantial whole into its parts for
individual study."
When an accident occurs, we need to separate or "break down" the "whole" accident process into its
component "parts" for study to determine how they relate to the whole accident. Since the accident, itself, is
the main event, its component parts may be thought of as the individual events leading up to and including
the main event or the accident. The accident investigator's challenge is to effectively assess each event to
identify the presence or absence of behaviors and conditions, and then analyze those behaviors and
conditions in each event to determine if and how they contributed to the accident. To do this we need to
make some basic assumptions about the factors that cause or contribute to accidents.

Why accidents happen
Over the past century, safety professionals have tried to more effectively explain how and why accidents
occur. During the early years the initial explanations were at first rather simplistic. Theorists gradually
realized that it was not sufficient to explain away workplace accidents as simple cause-effect events. They
developed new theories that better explained as the result of complicated interactions taking place among
conditions, behaviors and systems. With this in mind, let's take a look at some of these theories.
Single Event Theory
"Common sense" leads us to this explanation. An accident is thought to be the result of a single, one-time
easily identifiable, unusual, unexpected occurrence that results in injury or illness. Some still believe this
explanation to be adequate. It's convenient to simply blame the victim when an accident occurs. For
instance, if a worker cuts her hand on a sharp edge of a work surface, her lack of attentiveness may be
explained as the cause of the accident. ALL responsibility for the accident is placed squarely on the shoulders
of the employee. An accident investigator who has adopted this explanation for accidents will never look
beyond perceived personal employee flaws to discover the underlying system weaknesses that may have
contributed to the accident.
The Domino Theory
This explanation describes an accident as a series of related occurrences which lead to a final event which
results in injury or illness. Like dominoes, stacked in a row, the first domino falling sets off a chain reaction of
related events that result in an injury or illness. The
accident investigator will assume that by eliminating any
one of those actions or events, the chain will be broken
and the future accident prevented. In the example above,
the investigator may recommend removing the sharp
edge of the work surface (an engineering control) to
prevent any future injuries. This explanation still ignores
important underlying system weaknesses or root causes
for accidents.

Multiple Cause Theory
This explanation takes us beyond the rather simplistic assumptions of the single event and domino theories.
Once again, accidents are not assumed to be simple events. They are the result of a series of random related
or unrelated actions that somehow interact to cause the accident. Unlike the domino theory, the investigator
realizes that eliminating one of the events does not assure prevention of future accidents. Removing the
sharp edge of a work surface does not guarantee a similar injury will be prevented at the same or other
workstation. Many other factors may have contributed to an injury. An accident investigation will not only
recommend corrective actions to remove the sharp surface, it will also address the underlying system
weaknesses that caused it.
The final event in an unplanned process
When we understand that the accident, itself, is actually the final event in a complex series of events, we'll
naturally want to know what the initiating events were. When the initiating events occur, they effect, in one
way or another, the workplace conditions and actions of others, setting in motion a potentially very
complicated process that eventually ends in an injury or illness. The trick is to take the information gathered
and arrange it so that we can accurately determine what initial conditions and/or actions transformed the
planned work process into an unintended accident process.
Four categories of events
In this step, take the information you have gathered to determine the events prior to, during, and after the
near miss/injury accident. It is important to note that a serious injury accident can easily be the result of 20
or more events. Events can occur anytime, anywhere, any place, and to anyone. It is possible that pertinent
events may have occurred many weeks or months before the accident.

There are four categories of events:
1. Actual Events. These are events that you are able to determine actually occurred i.e., an event that is
witnessed by one or more persons (two or more is best) and they can verify it actually happened. You
would want to interview all witnesses to the event.
Example: Bob and Bobbie saw Robert turn off the chipper power switch and then walk over
and reach into the chipper in an attempt to remove some jammed wood.
2. Assumed Events. These are events that must have happened but have not yet been verified. Flag
these somehow to remind you that more investigation is needed. Assumed events are harder to
establish. In any step-by-step process, you can't get to step 3 without first doing the first two steps. If
a worker is injured at step 3, you may assume he accomplished steps 1 and 2 unless, it is established
that he bypassed the first two steps. If completing steps 1 and 2 will prevent an injury at step 3, you
may assume the worker did not do steps 1 or 2.
Example: If Robert's hand was crushed while clearing a piece of wood that was stuck in a large
chipper, we may assume he did not perform lockout/tagout, or we may assume that he
performed lockout/tagout incorrectly. Only further investigation and analysis will uncover
what actually happened.
3. Non-Events. If an event was supposed to happen, but did not, that is a non-event. Although non-
events describe an event that did not occur, they should be captured because they may help discover
conditions and behaviors relevant to the investigation.
Example: Robert did not try to start the chipper to verify lockout/tagout was successfully
performed. He failed to perform the verification step of the lockout/tagout procedure.
4. Simultaneous Events. In some accidents scenarios two or more events occur at precisely the same
time resulting in a hazardous condition or set of unsafe behaviors that cause an injury.
Example: Ralph wondered why the chipper was off and turned it back on at the same instant in
time that Robert reached into the chipper to remove the jammed wood.

Developing the sequence of events
Our challenge at this point in the investigation process is to accurately determine the sequence of events
leading up to the accident so that we can more effectively understand why the accident event, itself,
happened. Once the sequence of events is developed, we can then study each event in the sequence to
determine the related elements below.
 Hazardous conditions. Objects and physical states that directly caused or contributed to the accident.
 Unsafe behaviors. Actions taken/not taken that directly caused or contributed to the accident.
 System weaknesses. Underlying inadequate or missing policies, programs, plans, processes,
procedures and practices that contributed to the accident.
(Hold on... we'll study more about these three elements in the next module.)
In the multiple-cause approach to accident investigation, many events may occur, each somehow
contributing to the final event. For instance, if a supervisor ignores an unsafe behavior because doing so is
not thought to be his or her responsibility, the failure to enforce safe behavior represents an event in the
production process that may contribute to or increase the probability of a future accident.
The two components of an event: The Actor and the Action
Each event in the unplanned accident process is composed of an actor and an action, so let's take a look at
each.
 Actor. The actor is an individual or object that directly influenced the flow of the sequence of events.
An actor may participate in the process or merely observe the process. An actor initiates a change by
performing or failing to perform an action.
 Action. An action is "the something" that is done by an actor. Actions may or may not be observable.
An action may describe a behavior that is accomplished or not accomplished. Failure to act should be
thought of as an act, just as much as an act that is accomplished.
It's important to understand that when describing an event in writing, first identify the actor and then tell
what the actor did. Remember, the actor is the "doer," not the person or object being acted upon or
otherwise having something done to them. For instance, take a look at the event statement below:

"Bob unhooked the lifeline from the harness."
In this example, "Bob" is the actor and "unhooked" describes the action. First we describe the actor...Bob.
Next, we describe the action...unhooking. The lifeline and harness, although "objects" are not actors because
they are not performing an action. Rather, something is being done to them. Also note that the statement is
written in active tense.
Sample sequence of events
To get a good idea of what the sequence of events looks like, review the example below that was prepared
for an actual fatality investigation conducted by an OSHA accident investigator a few years ago.
1. Employee #1 returned to work at 12:30 PM after lunch to continue laying irrigation pipes.
2. At approximately 12:45 PM employee #1 began dumping accumulated sand from an irrigation mainline
pipe.
3. Employee #1 oriented the pipe vertically and it contacted a high voltage power line directly over the work
area.
4. Employee #2 heard a ‘zap’ and turned to see the mainline pipe falling and employee #1 falling into an
irrigation ditch.
5. Employee #2 ran to employee #1 and pulled him from the irrigation ditch, laid him on his back and ran
about 600 ft to his truck and placed a call for help on his mobile phone.
6. Employee #2 then ran back to find employee #1 had fallen back into the ditch.
7. Employee #2 jumped back into the ditch and held employee #1 out of the water until help arrived.
8. Two other ranch employees arrived and assisted employee #2 in getting employee #1 out of the ditch.
9. Approximately one minute later, paramedics arrived and began to administer CPR on employee #1. They
also used a heart defibrillation machine in an attempt to stabilize employee #1’s heart beat.
10. At approximately 1:10 PM an ambulance arrived and transported employee #1 to the hospital where he
was pronounced dead at 1:30 PM.

Paint a word picture
It's important that the sequence of events clearly describe what occurred so that someone who is unfamiliar
with an accident is able to "see it happen" as they read the narrative.
Sample sequence of events
Here is another example that shows how a sequence of events can be developed using cards. Describe each
event and then arrange the events on your desk or a wall in the proper sequence.

Make sure you are constructing only one event
If an event is hard to understand, it may be that the description is too vague or general. The solution to this
problem is to increase the detail. We can use two strategies to increase detail:
1. Look around. Determine if anything else was said/done before or after the event you’re currently
assessing.
2. Separate the actors. Remember, an actor may be a person or a thing accomplishing a given action. If
an event includes actions by more than one actor, break the event down into two events. If the event
contains the conjunction, "and," the event is likely to be a combination of two events. If you look at
the sample sequence of the events from 5.9 and 5.10, I'm sure you can spot a few combined events.
Final words...
Well, that was a good introduction to the idea of constructing the sequence of events. Just remember, the
accuracy of your investigation will be greater by following this procedure. Okay, that's it. It’s time to take the
quiz.

Module 5 Quiz
1. (fill in the blanks) _______________ determines presence/absence. ____________ breaks down the
whole into parts to see how they each relate to the whole.
a. Evaluation, Analysis
b. Analysis, Assessment
c. Assessment, Analysis
d. Analysis, Evaluation
2. Once the sequence of events is developed, the investigator will study each event to determine all of the
following, EXCEPT:
a. hazardous conditions
b. unsafe behaviors/actions
c. system weaknesses
d. personal fault
3. Which theory below states that eliminating one event does not assure prevention of future accidents?
a. Single event theory
b. Domino theory
c. Multiple cause theory
d. System weakness theory
4. In the event statement, "Robert pounded a nail with a broken hammer," ________ is the actor and
________ is the action.
a. Broken hammer, pounded a nail
b. Nail, with a broken hammer
c. Robert, pounded a nail
d. Robert, with a broken hammer

5. In this event statement, "The wrench struck Robert's hand," ________ is the actor and _________ is the
action.
a. struck, wrench
b. struck, Robert
c. Robert, struck
d. wrench, struck

Module 6: Determining the Causes
Introduction
You've gathered information and used it to develop an accurate sequence of events. You have a good
mental picture of what happened. Now it's time to conduct an analysis of each event to determine causes.
This module will introduce us to the concepts below.
 Direct cause of injury
 Surface cause of the accident
 Root cause of the accident
 Injury analysis
 Surface cause analysis
 Root cause analysis
The harmful transfer of energy is the direct cause of injury
It's important to understand that all injuries to workers are caused by one thing: the harmful transfer of
energy. Let's take a look at some examples that illustrate this important principle.
• If a harsh acid splashes on your face, you may suffer a chemical burn because your skin has been
exposed to a chemical form of energy that destroys tissue. In this instance, the direct cause of the
injury is a harmful chemical reaction. The related surface causes might be the acidic nature of the
chemical (condition) and working without proper face protection (unsafe behavior).
• If your workload is too strenuous, force requirements on your body may cause a muscle strain. Here,
the direct cause of injury is a harmful level of kinetic energy (energy resulting from motion), causing
injury to muscle tissue. A related surface cause of the accident might be fatigue (hazardous condition)
or improper lifting techniques (unsafe behavior).
The important point to remember here is that the "direct cause" of the injury is not the same as the "surface
cause" of the accident event.
 The direct cause of injury is the harmful transfer of energy as a consequence of your exposure to that
energy. The direct result of this harmful energy transfer is injury.
 The surface cause of the accident is the condition or behavior that interact in a way that results in
the harmful transfer of energy.

Safety "engineers" closely analyze all the surface cause categories and attempt to:
 eliminate the harmful energy transfer,
 reduce the harmful energy transfer, or
 reduce exposure to harmful energy transfer.
They do this through "safety by design" by designing safety features directly into tools, machinery,
equipment, facilities, etc.
The surface causes of accidents
The surfaces causes of accidents are those hazardous conditions and unsafe or inappropriate behaviors that
have directly caused or contributed in some way to the accident.
Hazardous conditions
 Are unique things or objects that are somehow defective or unsafe
 Are "states of being" such as employee fatigue
 May also be unique defects in processes, procedures or practices
 May exist at any level of the organization
 Are the result of deeper root causes
Hazardous conditions may exist in any of the categories below:
 Materials
 Machinery
 Equipment
 Tools
 Chemicals
 Environment
 Workstations
 Facilities
 People
 Workload
Unsafe or inappropriate behaviors

It's important to know that most hazardous conditions in the workplace are the result of the unsafe or
inappropriate behaviors that produced them.
 Actions we take or don't take that increase risk of injury or illness
 May also be thought to be unique performance errors in a process, procedure or practice
 May exist at any level of the organization
 Are the result of deeper root causes
Below are some examples of unsafe or inappropriate employee/manager behaviors.
 Failing to comply with rules
 Using unsafe methods
 Taking shortcuts
 Horseplay
 Failing to report injuries
 Failing to report hazards
 Allowing unsafe behaviors
 Failing to train
 Failing to supervise
 Failing to correct
 Scheduling too much work
 Ignoring worker stress
The root causes of accidents
Now let's switch gears. Instead of talking about unique conditions and behaviors, let's look at the general
conditions and behaviors inherent in the safety management system. Oh yes... to me the safety management
system is "organic". By that I mean it is dynamic, ever-changing and behaves as though it were alive. Think
about it. If that's a little too metaphysical for you... read on.
The root causes for accidents are the underlying safety management system weaknesses, which consist of
thousands of variables, any number of which can somehow contribute to the surface causes of accidents.
These weaknesses can take two forms.
 System Design Root Causes. Inadequate design of one or more components of the safety
management system. The design of safety management system policies, plans, programs, processes,
procedures and practices (remember this as the 6-P's) is very important to make sure appropriate
conditions, activities, behaviors, and practices occur throughout the workplace. Ultimately, most
surface causes will lead to system design flaws.
 System Implementation Root Causes. Inadequate implementation of one or more components of

the safety management system. Failure to effectively implement the safety management system is
critical to the success of the system. You may design an effective safety plan, yet suffer failure
because it wasn't implemented properly. If you effectively implement a poorly written safety plan,
you'll get the same results. In either instance, you'll eventually need to improve one or more policies,
plans, programs, processes, procedures or practices.
Safety managers work with safety engineers to eliminate or reduce exposure to hazards through effectively
improving safety system components. Because systems design work common throughout the workplace,
eliminating any single root cause may simultaneously eliminate many hazardous conditions and unsafe
behaviors.
Since root causes reside within safety management systems, upper management -- those who formulate
systems, are most likely going to be involved in making the necessary improvements. When analyzing for
system weaknesses, it may be beneficial to coordinate closely with those who will be responsible for
implementing system improvements.
If you have Adobe Acrobat, take a look at the Accident Weed, an excellent analogy that helps us understand
the relationship between surface and root causes for accidents.
Three levels of cause analysis
As mentioned earlier in the course, accidents are processes that culminate in an injury or illness. An accident
may be the result of many factors (simultaneous, interconnected, cross-linked events) that have interacted in
some dynamic way. In an effective accident investigation, the investigator will conduct three levels of cause
analysis:
1. Injury analysis. At this level of analysis, we do not attempt to determine what caused the accident,
but rather we focus on trying to determine how harmful energy transfer caused the injury.
Remember, the outcome of the accident process is an injury.
2. Event Analysis. Here you determine the surface cause(s) for the accident: Those hazardous conditions
and unsafe behaviors described throughout all events that dynamically interact to produce the injury.
All hazardous conditions and unsafe behaviors are clues pointing to possible system weaknesses. This
level of investigation is also called "special cause" analysis because the analyst can point to a specific
thing or behavior.

3. Systems analysis. At this level, you're analyzing the root causes contributing to the accident. You can
usually trace surface causes to inadequate safety policies, programs, plans, processes, or procedures.
Root causes always pre-exist surface causes and may function through poor component design to
allow, promote, encourage, or even require systems that result in hazardous conditions and unsafe
behaviors. This level of investigation is also called "common cause" analysis (in quality terms) because
you're identifying a system component that may contribute to common conditions and behaviors
that exist or occur throughout the company.
I think the greatest challenge to effective accident investigation is to transition from
event analysis to systems analysis. Why? Because it's hardly ever done.
One last important point to make is that most accident processes are far more complex than you might
originally think. Some experts believe at least 10 or more factors come together to cause a serious injury
accident. Other experts state that an average of 27 factors directly and indirectly contribute to a serious
accident.
Only by thoroughly conducting all three levels of analysis can you design system improvements that
effectively eliminate hazardous conditions and unsafe behaviors at all levels of the organization. The accident
investigation cannot serve as a proactive safety process unless system improvements effectively prevent
future accidents.
Injury Analysis
If you examine the surface cause categories in 6.3 and 6.4, you will find that each condition or behavior may
somehow result in the transfer of a harmful level of energy to a person's body causing injury. The severity of
the injury depends on the magnitude of the harmful energy. Below are the various forms of energy that can
be harmful.
Harmful forms of energy
1. ACOUSTIC ENERGY - Excessive noise and vibration.

2. CHEMICAL ENERGY - Corrosive, toxic, flammable, or reactive substances. Involves a release of energy
ranging from "not violent" to "explosive" and "capable of detonation".
3. ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Low voltage (below 440 volts) and high voltage (above 440 volts).
4. KINETIC (IMPACT) ENERGY - Energy from "things in motion" and "impact," and are associated with the
collision of objects in relative motion to each other. Includes impact between moving objects, moving object
against a stationary object, falling objects or persons, flying objects, and flying particles. Also involves
movement resulting from hazards of high pressure pneumatic, hydraulic systems.
5. MECHANICAL ENERGY - Cut, crush, bend, shear, pinch, wrap, pull, and puncture. Such hazards are
associated with components that move in circular, transverse (single direction), or reciprocating motion.
6. POTENTIAL (STORED) ENERGY - Involves "stored energy." Includes objects that are under pressure,
tension, or compression; or objects that attract or repulse one another. Susceptible to sudden unexpected
movement. Includes gravity - potential falling objects, potential falls of persons. Includes forces transferred
biomechanically to the human body during lifting.
7. RADIANT ENERGY HAZARDS - Relatively short wavelength energy forms within the electromagnetic
spectrum. Includes infra-red, visible, microwave, ultra-violet, x-ray, and ionizing radiation.
8. THERMAL ENERGY - Excessive heat, extreme cold, sources of flame ignition, flame propagation, and heat
related explosions.
Event Analysis
In the last module you learned that each event in our sequence will include descriptions of actors and their
actions that may have contributed to the accident.
Our next step is to examine each event to determine:
 the actor that represents a hazardous condition, and
 the action that represents an unsafe behavior.
The hazardous conditions (actors) and unsafe behaviors (actions) we identify as contributing to the accident
are called the surface causes of the accident.

After you identify surface causes, you'll need to determine if inadequate safety system components
contributed to the accident by allowing the hazardous conditions and unsafe behaviors to develop or occur.
These system inadequacies are called the root causes of accidents. Let's take a closer look at these two very
important concepts.
More on Event Analysis
Well, you know what surface and root causes are, and you know all about the three levels of analysis
required for an effective investigation, but what techniques can you use to help conduct the analysis? Let's
take a look at one technique that I have found efficient in conducting an event analysis.
I've used a "fishbone diagram" below to help you conduct an event analysis. Follow the steps below when
using this tool.
1. Get a sheet of paper.
2. At the top of the sheet write "Accident Analysis". Doing this reminds you that you are breaking down
the process into a number of events.
3. At the left side of the sheet, centered, write "The Injury".
4. Extend a horizontal line out from the right of the box.
5. Describe the injury event on the horizontal line.
6. Identify and circle the actors and actions described in the event statement.
7. Start asking why questions (at least five whys) about the actor and actions to uncover any hazardous
conditions or unsafe behaviors.
8. Draw lines either angling up or down from the circled actors and actions and write the answers to
your questions.
9. Repeat these steps with each of the new level of answers.

The diagram you produce using this procedure should look something like this. Each level of questioning will
get you closer to the root cause(s) that contributed to the hazardous conditions or unsafe behaviors. Once
you start identifying inadequate policies, programs, plans, processes, and procedures...you are getting to the
real root causes!
Final words…
Finally, it's important to understand that most accidents in the workplace result from unsafe work behaviors.
According to the latest research:
 unsafe behaviors represent the primary surface cause for about 95% of all workplace accidents;
 hazardous conditions represent the primary surface cause for only about 3% of workplace accidents;
and
 uncontrollable (unknowable) causes account for the remaining 2%.
These statistics imply that management system weaknesses contribute in some way for fully 98% (conditions
+ behaviors) of all workplace accidents.
To effectively fulfill your responsibilities as an accident investigator, you must not close the investigation
until these root causes and solutions have been identified.
Whew! That was a lot to take in. Time for the quiz!

Module 6 Quiz
1. Which of the following is a possible root cause contributing to an accident?
a. The wrong tool
b. A defective machine
c. No safe work procedure
d. A person
2. Which of the following is a surface cause for an accident?
a. An inadequate policy
b. A person
c. No written plan
d. Unsafe process
3. Surface causes describe hazardous _________ and unsafe _________. Root causes describe inadequate
________.
a. Systems, behaviors, conditions
b. Behaviors, activities, policies
c. Conditions, behaviors, systems
d. Conditions, systems, accountability
4. The ___________ of the injury depends on the __________ of the transfer of harmful energy.
a. magnitude, probability
b. probability, magnitude
c. magnitude, severity
d. severity, magnitude

5. Which of the following would be the form of hazardous energy transferred if an employee were to fall
to a lower surface?
a. kinetic
b. thermal
c. chemical
d. acoustic

Module 7: Developing Solutions
What is a good recommendation?
An accident investigation is generally thought to be a "reactive" safety process because it is initiated only
after an accident has occurred. However, if we propose recommendations that include effective immediate
corrective actions and system improvements, we may transform the investigation into a valuable "proactive"
process that helps to prevent future injuries. In this module we'll explore tips and tactics for making effective
recommendations that "sell" safety improvements.
Once you have developed engineering and administrative controls to eliminate or reduce injuries, the
challenge becomes convincing management to make changes. Management will most likely understand the
importance of taking corrective action and readily agree to your ideas. However, if management doesn't
quite understand the benefits, success becomes less likely. Your ability to present effective
recommendations becomes all that more important. This module will help you learn how to put together "an
offer they can't refuse," by emphasizing the long-term bottom-line benefits of the corrective action you are
recommending.
Why decision-makers don't respond quickly
When recommendations are not acted upon, it is usually because the decision-maker does not have enough
information to make a judgment. To speed up the process and to improve the approval rate, you must learn
to anticipate the questions the decision-maker will ask in order to sign off on the requested change. This
being the case, the more pertinent the information included in the presentation, the higher the odds are for
approval.
Do it right!
It's important to divide your recommendations into the categories below.
 Immediate or short-term corrective actions to eliminate or reduce the hazardous conditions and/or
unsafe behaviors related to the accident.

 Long-term system improvements to create or revise existing safety policies, programs plans,
processes, procedures and practices identified as missing or inadequate in the investigation.
Some employers may assign the responsibility for making recommendations to safety directors or other
managers. However, you, as the accident investigator, may be required to take on this very important
responsibility. Consequently, it's a good idea to know where to start, and how to write strong
recommendations. One tip up front: If you find the responsibility is yours, be sure to get the help of experts if
you are unsure how to proceed. OSHA consultants, other safety professionals or your workers' compensation
insurer can be a great source for help.
The Hierarchy of Control Strategies
Let's discuss the six hazard control strategies that I've grouped into the two categories described in module
7.2. As a safety professional, you need to be familiar with these basic strategies. You can be sure they'll be on
the exam :-)
Higher priority strategies that control hazards
1. Elimination. Totally eliminate the hazard. (no hazard - no accident) Why is this control strategy our
top priority? Employing an engineering control has the potential to completely remove the hazard.
We're somehow changing a thing/condition in the workplace. And as we all know...
No hazard, no exposure = no accident.
2. Substitution. Substitute the hazard with a less hazardous condition, process or method. Some basic
examples are, substituting a toxic chemical with a non-toxic chemical, or replacing an old poorly-
designed machine with a new model.
3. Engineering controls. See if any of the strategies below are used in your workplace.
 Design. Example - Design a tool so that it reduces the likelihood of an strain or sprain.
 Redesign. Example - Change the design of a machine so that dangerous moving parts or
electrical circuits are out of reach.
• Enclosure. Examples - Place a hood over a noisy printer. Place a machine guard around a

dangerous moving part.
It's important to note that OSHA expects the employer to first try to eliminate, substitute or engineer the
hazard so that it can no longer cause a serious injury. For instance, if a machine is producing unacceptable
noise, OSHA would expect the employer to first eliminate or reduce the noise level to acceptable levels using
one or more of these three strategies. In this instance, an engineering control such as enclosure might work.
Lower priority strategies to control exposure and behaviors
4. Warnings. Signs and labels that tell employees to "Keep Out," "May cause eye irritation" etc., are
used to warn employees about hazards. Note: Employees do not necessarily follow "posted" rules and
warnings. They usually only follow "enforced" rules and warnings. Think about that the next time
you're driving down the highway. Do you drive at the posted speed limit, or the enforced speed limit?
Enough said.
5. Administrative controls. This control strategy also attempts to reduce exposure by limiting the
duration of exposure to a hazard. To do this, the employer may employ job rotation and schedule
work/breaks. This is also accomplished through improving work procedures and practices. Example -
Develop and use a safe work procedure for preventative maintenance on air conditioning equipment.
6. Personal protective equipment (PPE). Some jobs require PPE by law. PPE places a barrier between
workers and the hazard. This control strategy is used in conjunction with the other control strategies. It
should not be used to replace them. When other controls do not adequately eliminate or reduce
hazards, PPE may be needed in addition to those strategies. Remember, PPE does not eliminate or
reduce the hazard itself, it merely sets up a barrier between you and the hazard. And, to be successful,
it is highly dependent on the employee's behavior.
The final three control strategies are less effective than elimination, substitution, and engineering controls in
the long term because they do not remove the hazard, itself. Rather, they merely attempt to reduce
exposure to hazards by controlling behavior - attempting to change "things we do or don't do."

As long as employees "behave" or comply with the warning signs, administrative controls and wear PPE
when required, these control strategies will work. However, human beings are natural risk-takers, and it's
"normal" for us to want to work in the most efficient manner. Sometimes safe work procedures are not
perceived as efficient, so we may not want to use them.
Therefore, managers must regularly supervise employees to make sure they comply with warning signs,
procedures and PPE requirements. Think about the "Murphy's Law" principle below. It certainly applies to
safety. Here's an important principle to remember:
"Any system that relies on human behavior is inherently unreliable."
The Hierarchy of Controls, when used separately or in combination, may be quite effective in eliminating or
greatly reducing the probability of a future similar accident. However, to make sure long term risk reduction
is achieved throughout the entire company, safety management system improvements must be made, so
let's discuss this important topic.
Recommend system improvements
The surface causes for accidents actually represent the symptoms of underlying safety management system
weaknesses. This cause-effect relationship is so important to understand that I'll say it again: the behaviors
and conditions that caused the accident are, themselves, usually the effects of deeper root causes. This is a
fact.
Consequently, your first assumption, as an accident investigator, should be that root causes have
contributed to an accident, and your job is to find them. Your first basic assumption should never be that an
accident is simply the result of surface causes. Once in a while, you'll find that an accident was solely the
result of a "personal failure," but that won't be often: in fact, it will be rare in most organizations.
Therefore, make every effort to improve safety management system components to ensure long term
workplace safety in your company. As we learned in the last module, the most successful accident
investigator is actually a systems analyst. Making safety management system improvements might include
some of the following examples:

 including "safety" in a mission statement;
 improving safety policy so that it clearly establishes responsibility and accountability;
 changing a work process so that checklists are used that include safety checks;
 including hands-on practice as part of the safety training program;
 revising purchasing policy to include safety considerations as well as cost; and
 changing the safety inspection process to include all supervisors and employees.
"GIGO" or "QIQO"?
Here's another idea to think about. When managers do not respond to a recommendation, it may be that
they do not have enough useful information to take action. You've probably heard of the GIGO principle -- "If
you put garbage in, you'll get garbage out." That also works on the flip side. Quality in - Quality out or
"QIQO". Useful information presented to management is more likely to result in decisions that take effective
action to make long-lasting positive improvement..
To develop great recommendations, ask six key questions
We're going to use this scenario to make some effective recommendations for corrective action. We want to
make sure this accident never happens to Bob (or anyone else) again. You'll do this by reviewing the accident
scenario and answering six key questions. With the information gained, you will conclude by writing a
recommendation. Your job is to convince me (your supervisor) that your ideas make sense... and I'm busy, so
make it good!
Bob was a new hire employee working as a clean up person in the finish department of XYZ, Inc's particle
board plant. On his first day of work, he received an initial classroom orientation on company policies from
the personnel department. He was also introduced to his new supervisor who gave him a walk-around tour of
the plant. Since his supervisor was quite busy, and didn't have time to fully brief Bob on his new job, he was
then given some simple initial duties to accomplish.
He was busy cleaning up around the floor under the return belt of a conveyor connected to a large piece of
machinery. He removed a guard covering pinch points on the conveyor, and reached into the area to remove
a piece of wood.

Bob's glove became caught in the return drum nip point, and he was drawn into the machinery. Luckily, Bob
was eventually able to pull himself out of the machinery before being injured.
XYZ, Inc. has a mod rate of 1.5. Unfortunately, this incident was not a total surprise to the company. Most of
their OSHA 300 Log recordable accidents have been the result of injuries to employees within their first six
months on the job.
Answer the following six questions to help develop and justify recommendations.
1. What exactly is the problem?
 What are the specific hazardous conditions and unsafe work practices that caused the problem?
 What are system components - the inadequate design or implementation of safety management
programs, policies, plans, processes, procedures and general practices that allowed the conditions
and behaviors to exist?
2. What is the history of the problem?
Have similar accidents occurred previously? If so, you should be able to claim that the probability for similar
accidents is highly likely to certain. What are previous direct and indirect costs for similar accidents? How
have similar accidents affected production and morale?
 Describe how it has affected direct, budgeted or insured costs related to past injuries or illnesses.
 How has it affected indirect, unbudgeted or uninsured costs related to loss of efficiency and/or
productivity and employee morale?
3. What are the solutions that would correct the problem?
What are the specific engineering, administrative and PPE controls that, when applied, will eliminate or at
least reduce exposure to the hazardous conditions? What are the specific system improvements needed to
ensure a long term fix?
4. Who is the decision-maker?
Who is the person who can approve, authorize, and act on the corrective measures? What are the possible
objections that he/she might have? What are the arguments that will be most effective in overcoming
objections?

5. Why is the decision-maker doing safety?
It's important to know what is motivating the decision-maker. Is the decision-maker doing safety to fulfill one
or more of the following imperatives?
 Fulfill the legal obligation? You may need to emphasize possible penalties if corrections are not
made. Common in a fear-driven culture.
 Fulfill the fiscal obligation? You may want to emphasize the costs/benefits. Common in an
achievement-driven culture.
 Fulfill the social obligation? You may want to emphasize improved morale, public relations. Common
in a humane corporate culture.
Employer motivation will determine the nature of the objections to the recommendations you submit. What
are possible objections the decision-maker might raise? Whatever they might be, it's important you
understand their motivations so that you are better prepared with responses that satisfy the decision-
maker's needs.
• List the possible decision-maker objections.
• List the arguments that are most likely to be successful against those objections.
• As a last resort: Review employer obligations under administrative law.
6. What will be the cost/benefits of corrective actions and system improvements?
• What are the costs that might result if/when OSHA inspects? Answer this question to address the
legal obligation your employer has.
• What is the estimated investment required to take corrective action, and how does that contrast with
the possible costs if corrective actions are not taken? Answer this question to address the fiscal
obligation your employer has.
• What is the "message" sent to the workforce and the community as a result of action or inaction?
Answer this question to address the social obligation your employer has.
It's important to have the answers to all of these questions ready for the decision maker.

The maintenance supervisor may be able to help you estimate the investment required for recommended
corrective actions.
More ideas to consider:
• These options must also eliminate or reduce the hazards and the exposures;
• Try to include at least three (real world) but only one or two for this exercise;
• Briefly list low/high cost solutions that eliminate the problem now/soon;
• Briefly list low/high cost solutions that reduce the problem now/soon;
• Briefly list the advantages and disadvantages of each solution.
Estimating direct and indirect costs
The direct and indirect accident costs represent the "benefits" (money saved) if we adopt the recommended
actions. The benefits are realized because we will not have to pay the costs over the foreseeable future. To
help estimate direct and indirect costs, you can use OSHA's Safety Pays software. This is an excellent
software tool that determines direct and indirect accident costs. It also calculates the business volume
required to cover those costs. The data is based on 52,000 lost-time claims submitted to a major workers
compensation insurance carrier.
What is the ratio between direct (insured) and indirect (uninsured) costs in your scenario?
The indirect costs for accidents will usually be higher than the direct costs. Generally this ratio will be 1.5
times (150%) or greater than the direct costs. For every one dollar spent in direct costs, you'll pay $1.50 in
indirect costs. To determine the ratio between the indirect and direct costs, use the following equation:
Let's say an employee injured his hand (requiring surgery) while working around the machinery in our
scenario. If the indirect (uninsured) accident cost totals $160,000 and the direct (insured) cost is $40,000, the
ratio of indirect to direct costs will be 4 to 1. This ratio just happens to be the average ratio between indirect
and direct accident costs in the USA.

What is the ratio between total accident costs to direct costs?
This ratio is a little more dramatic than contrasting the indirect costs with direct costs. It helps emphasize the
fact that direct costs are actually just the tip of the iceberg. To determine this ratio, use the following
equation:
In this case, if the indirect (uninsured) cost totals $160,000 and the direct (insured) cost is $40,000, the ratio
of total costs to direct costs will be $200,000/$40,000 = 5:1. What will XYZ have to earn in sales to pay back
this lost money? Well, if XYZ has a 5% profit margin, they'll have to earn 20X the total accident cost, or $4
million in sales!!!
What is return on the investment (ROI)?
To determine ROI, it's necessary to estimate the amount of the initial investment required to complete
corrective actions and safety system improvements. Once the initial investment is determined, use the
equation below to determine ROI.
Let's say our investment to train all employees on lockout/tagout procedures, machine guarding and PPE
while working around machinery will be $20,000. If our total accident cost is $200,000, our ROI will be
1000%!!! Now that's a return.

Provide options
Another good recommendation strategy is to provide the decision-maker with alternative corrective actions.
This will increase the probability that the decision-maker will choose one of the alternatives. Your options
might follow the logic below:
• First option -- If we had all the money we needed, what could we do? Eliminate the hazard with
primarily engineering controls. Additional administrative controls if required.
• Second option -- If we have limited funds, what would we do. Eliminate the hazard with primarily
administrative controls. Engineering controls if required.
• Third option -- If we don't have any money, what can we do? Reduce exposure to the hazard with
administrative controls and/or PPE.
Well, how was that? Pretty tough... but the whole idea is to help you get through the rough parts now, so
that you will be able to develop and present an effective recommendation to top management the first time!
It is time to take the review quiz, so let's go.

Module 7 Quiz
1. When making recommendations, we need to propose immediate __________ actions and
____________ improvements.
a. retrieval, worker
b. disciplinary, system
c. system, behavioral
d. corrective, system
2. Which of the following is an administrative control?
a. Substitution
b. Enclosure
c. Rescheduling
d. Redesign
3. Which hazard control strategy is considered most effective?
a. Substitution
b. Administrative Controls
c. Elimination of the hazard
d. Engineering controls
4. Which of the following is considered an immediate corrective action?
a. Writing a new safety policy
b. Establishing a proactive incentive program
c. Placing a guard on a table saw
d. Revising an accident investigation form

5. How does the "GIGO" principle apply to safety system improvements?
a. Get in and get out (GIGO) before you get fired.
b. If you give management bad information, you'll get ineffective action.
c. Management GIGO is associated with negative entropy.
d. You're more likely to get top management support by eliminating GIGO.
6. The indirect (uninsured) costs for accidents will usually be __________ the direct (insured) costs.
a. lower than
b. one- half
c. greater than
d. double
7. According to the text, the average indirect to direct cost ratios are around __________.
a. 4 to 1
b. 6 to 1
c. 1 to 6
d. 1 to 10

Module 8: Writing the Report
Introduction
Now that you have accurately assessed and analyzed the facts related to the accident and developed
effective corrective actions and system improvements, you must report your findings to those who have the
authority to take action. In this module, we'll cover the procedure for effectively reporting the facts.
Perception is reality...
Never forget that your primary objective, as an accident investigator, is to uncover the direct causal (surface
causes) and contributory factors (root causes). It should not be your job to conduct the analysis to establish
liability: that's playing OSHA if you do. In fact, if your analysis has uncovered any number of secondary
surface causes or system weaknesses, justification for employee discipline does not exist because
management has not fulfilled its accountabilities. Your challenge is to be as objective and accurate as
possible.
Your findings, and how you present them, will shape perceptions and subsequent corrective actions. If your
report arrives at conclusions such as..."Bob should have used common sense," or "Bobbie forgot to use PPE,"
how effective in making safety management system improvements will it be? Of course, it won't be effective
at all. If your report concludes with statements like these, it will be virtually impossible to initiate corrective
actions that permanently eliminate the causes. It's likely that similar accidents will recur. Bottom line: If the
accident investigation doesn't fix the system, it's most likely been a waste of time and effort. Okay, I'll get off
the soapbox. Let's look at the report.
Here is a series of Accident Reports with assessments of surface and root causes.
The Accident Report Form
One of the reasons an accident investigation might fail to help eliminate similar accidents, is that the report
form is poorly designed. Some poorly designed forms actually make it quite difficult to get beyond
identification of only surface causes: root causes are often ignored.
Let's take a look at one format that is designed to emphasize root cause analysis. If you have Adobe Acrobat,
take a look at a sample accident report. This is a report format similar to that used by OSHA accident
investigators in conducting workplace accident investigations, but it goes further. This form includes the

identification of safety management system weaknesses and recommended improvements. You may want to
print this form while we discuss the various sections.
Section I. Background
This section contains background information that answers questions about who the victim is, and the time,
date, location of the accident, as well as other necessary details. Make sure you obtain all of this information
for possible later reference.
Section II. Description of the accident
This section presents a descriptive narrative of the events leading up to, including and immediately after the
accident. It's important that the narrative paint a vivid "word picture" so that someone unfamiliar with the
accident can clearly see what happened.
Take a look at a sample Section II Description of the accident..
Section III. Findings
The findings section describes the hazardous conditions, unsafe behaviors and the system weaknesses your
analysis has uncovered. Each description of a surface or root cause will also include justification for the
finding. The justification will explain how you came to your conclusion.
Unfortunately, the most common failure found in accident reports is that they address only surface causes.
Consequently, similar accidents recur. These report forms may have a format that "forces" the investigator
to list only surface causes for accidents. The form does not "report" the system weaknesses associated with
each surface cause. Consequently, the investigator believes the job is done without ferreting out the system
weaknesses representing the root causes.
Other forms may actually require the investigator to indicate the status of employee negligence. Now, how
can the accident investigator assure an interviewee or any other employee that the purpose of the analysis
process is to "fix the system -- not the blame," when the report form shouts "negligent"?
To complete this section, just state the facts: The hazardous conditions, unsafe behaviors, practices, and
inadequate or missing programs, policies, plans, processes and procedures that produced them. Be sure to
write complete descriptive sentences. Not short cryptic phrases.

Take a look at this sample Section III: Findings and Justifications.
Section IV. Recommendations
If root causes are not addressed properly in Section III of the report, it is doubtful recommendations in this
section will include improving system inadequacies. Effective recommendations will describe ways to
eliminate or reduce both surface and root causes. They will also detail estimated costs involved with
implementing corrective actions. Let's take a closer look at effective recommendation writing. Review this
sample Section IV. Recommendations.
Section V. Summary
This section contains a brief review of the causes of the accident and recommendations for corrective
actions. In your review, it's important to include language that contrasts the costs of the accident with the
benefits derived from investing in corrective actions. Including bottom-line information will ensure that your
recommendation will be understood and appreciated by management.
Open Document
The accident investigation report should be considered an open document until all of the essential
components have been completed. These include, but are not limited to:
• Background Information
• Accident Description
• Investigation Findings
o Surface causes
o Root causes
• Recommendations
o Corrective actions
o System improvements
• Report Summary
• Report Submitted
o Safety committee
o Decision-Maker
• Improvements Completed
o Corrective actions
o System improvements

Module 8 Quiz
1. The primary purpose of the most effective accident investigation report is to...
a. Determine negligence of the victim and/or others
b. Improve safety management system weaknesses
c. Comply with OSHA accident investigation requirements
d. Fix hazards and correct behaviors
2. All of the following may be weaknesses in an accident report form, except?
a. They may not give the investigator enough space to write findings.
b. They influence or force a determination of negligence.
c. They help guide the investigation process.
d. They report only surface findings.
3. OSHA's accident investigation reports emphasize system improvement?
a. True
b. False
4. To be effective, an organization's accident investigation report must _________.
a. accurately determine surface causes
b. thoroughly describe the accident
c. suggest system improvements
d. accomplish all of the above.

5. The accident investigation report should be considered an open document until _____.
a. the report has been submitted to the appropriate decision-maker
b. corrective actions have been completed.
c. system improvements have been completed.
d. all of the above is accomplished.

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