Step 7: Write the Report
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.
The Accident Report Form
One of the most common reasons an accident investigation might fail to fulfill its intended purpose of helping to eliminate similar accidents, is that the report form is poorly designed. They actually make it difficult to get beyond identification of only surface causes: root causes are often ignored. Consequently, system improvements are not recommended.
Let's look at one format that is designed to emphasize root cause analysis. 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.
- Employee #1 returned to work at 12:30 PM after lunch to continue laying irrigation pipes.
- At approximately 12:45 PM employee #1 began dumping accumulated sand from an irrigation mainline pipe.
- Employee #1 oriented the pipe vertically and it contacted a high voltage power line directly over the work area.
- Employee #2 heard a "zap" and turned to see the mainline pipe falling and employee #1 falling into an irrigation ditch.
- 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.
- Employee #2 than ran back to find employee #1 had fallen back into the ditch.
- Employee #2 jumped back into the ditch and held employee #1 out of the water until help arrived.
- Two other ranch employees arrived and assisted employee #2 in getting employee #1 out of the ditch.
- 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.
- At approximately 1:10 PM an ambulance arrived and transported employee #1 to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:30 PM.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-9. What is one of the most common reasons accident reports fail to achieve their intended purpose?
You forgot to answer the question!