Introduction
Workplace accidents occur each and every day all around the world. Accident investigations determine how safety management system weaknesses create hazardous conditions and unsafe behaviors, and develops solutions to prevent similar accidents from occurring. By using the information gained through an investigation, a similar or perhaps more disastrous accident may be prevented. We should always conduct accident investigations with accident prevention in mind rather than establishing blame.
The Challenge
The challenge to any accident investigator is to report the findings in a well-thought-out manner to ensure management will ultimately adopt recommendations for improving its safety management system, thus solving problems long-term. It's a common struggle trying to overcome long-held perceptions about safety and how accidents occur.
This course introduces you to basic accident investigation procedures that have proven effective. We will also take a look at various accident analysis techniques.
Course Objectives
| ID | Objective |
|---|---|
| TO 1.0 | Achieve a minimum score of 70% on the final course assessment. |
| LO 1.1.1 | Define "accident," and give examples of various types of workplace accidents. |
| LO 1.1.2 | Describe the elements of an accident investigation program. |
| LO 1.1.3 | Discuss the importance of securing the accident scene. |
| LO 1.1.4 | Identify guidelines for documenting an accident scene. |
| LO 1.1.5 | Discuss guidelines for conducting interviews during an accident investigation. |
| LO 1.1.6 | Describe the steps in developing and analyzing the sequence of events of a workplace accident. |
| LO 1.2.1 | Describe the purpose of accident cause analysis and identify the three phases of the process. |
| LO 1.2.2 | Identify system failure as the basic assumption accident investigators should make during the investigation. |
| LO 1.2.3 | Describe and give examples of corrective actions and system improvements that might be recommended by accident investigators. |
| LO 1.2.4 | Describe the "Hierarchy of Controls" model for recommending corrective actions and system improvements in an accident report. |
| LO 1.2.5 | Discuss the importance of emphasizing the benefits of approving recommendations for corrective actions and system improvements. |
| LO 1.2.6 | Describe the sections of a well-written accident investigation report. |
Key: Terminal Objective (TO), Learning Objective (LO)