OSHA recommends employers thoroughly investigate any incident that resulted in injury, along with those that are referred to as near misses or close calls. Part of the investigation entails creating an accident investigation form.
Not everyone knows how to investigate an incident at work and properly document the surrounding circumstances. If this describes your situation, this article is for you.
Incident vs. Accident per OSHA
There is a difference between an accident and an incident according to OSHA. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration prefers that employers use the term ‘incident’ instead of ‘accident.’ Many feel that the word accident implies that the injury-causing event was random and impossible to prevent. OSHA’s stance is that most workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities are preventable.
When employers investigate a workplace incident, they have the opportunity to identify potential hazards in their safety programs that need improvement. The goal of the investigation is to identify the problem and create a solution using the hierarchy of hazard controls and effective safety risk management.
Importance of OSHA Accident Investigation
According to OSHA, “ the employer shall furnish to each of his employees’ employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.”
Many employees work with or around dangerous equipment and the environment can also be hazardous due to man-made or natural conditions. Regardless of how careful an employee is, and with safety precautions in place, incidents can still occur. The best way to prevent additional accidents is to perform health and safety investigations.
An investigation will highlight the hazards that caused the incident so employers can take the necessary safety steps. Some hazards controls can eliminate risks, while others are only minimized.
Whether through periodic safety training for employees or upgrading outdated equipment, the potential issues and solutions discovered during an OSHA accident investigation can be mitigated once employers know what they are.
What Types of Accidents Should Be Investigated?
Fatalities call for an immediate OSHA accident investigation. However, it doesn’t matter if the incident was a close call or resulted in illness or injury, it should be reported. If a report isn’t filed, an investigation won’t be initiated, and another accident could occur.
Investigating all incidents is a smart business sense. Not only are future problems prevented, but employers also learn where there are shortcomings or failures in their safety protocols. Companies save money when they fill out an OSHA investigation form since they are helping to eliminate the threat of future incidents.
The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that accident investigations can save businesses up to $39,000 in injury claims and lost work time. Companies save even more, on average $1.4 million, when a fatality is prevented. While the direct costs to the business are obvious, the indirect ones are harder to spot but are just as severe.
Along with the injured employee’s suffering (and that of their family), the business is also negatively impacted when an incident occurs. Productivity decreases, along with workplace morale. Administrators and managers are away from their daily tasks due to the new ones from the incident. There can also be scheduling delays and new, temporary employees might need to be hired and trained.
Where Should I Report OSHA Incidents?
When you need to report an incident, you’ll need an OSHA accident investigation form. There are two types of accident investigation forms, OSHA 300 and 300A.
With the first form, OSHA 300, employers report every incident – even close-calls. They have seven days from when the accident occurred to fill out and file the report with OSHA.
Form 300A is the annual summary OSHA supplies to the company each year. Employers are required to make the form public since it contains a complete list of all accident investigations throughout the year.
The 300 forms are submitted to the OSHA Injury Tracking Application (ITA). Companies will supply the information on their OSHA 300 log by March 2nd annually. Failure to submit OSHA accident investigation forms can result in steep fines and penalties.
OSHA Incident Investigation Process
A safety incident investigation procedure starts the instant an accident occurs. There are a few steps to follow that start with being prepared.
1. Prepare for the Investigation
Once an incident happens there’s little time to prepare. Employers should already have a response team in place that includes supervisors, safety committee members, and upper management. These individuals are the core team, other employees that witnessed the incident will also be involved.
Businesses should also have investigation response kits prepared. Pens and paper, along with digital cameras, flashlights, and measuring tape are some of the items companies want to have on hand.
2. Conduct On-site Investigation of the Incident
The on-site investigation should begin immediately after the incident. Employers want to preserve evidence and get eye-witness statements while the event is fresh in everyone’s minds. There is also an order to the next steps that’s important to follow for an accurate OSHA investigation report.
- Ensure that the incident scene is safe to inspect and the injured employee/s is treated.
- Notify the upper and lower management of the incident.
- Secure the area.
Collect Evidence
Not all incidents leave behind evidence, but some do. Collecting it for later examination is a crucial part of the OSHA incident investigation process.
- Collect witnesses.
- Identify any evidence and start sketching the scene that includes dimensions and placement of affected employees.
- Photograph the area and physical evidence from various angles.
- Use a ruler or measuring tape if necessary
- Collect any evidence for analysis, if applicable.
Conduct Relevant Interviews
The witnesses that were collected are invaluable sources of information, and crucial for the completion of the OSHA accident investigation form. Without placing blame on any individual, each person present during the incident should describe the events and actions of themselves and others before, during, and after.
3. Report on Cause and Preventative Measures
When the accident investigation form is completed, employers should have a clear view of why and how the incident occurred. With this information, businesses can recommend specific protocols and practices that will prevent it from occurring again.
Copies of the completed and submitted OSHA accident investigation form should also be available to all employees.
Safety By Design Offers Hassle-Free Safety Compliance Management
Prevent incidents by maintaining workplace safety with help from Safety By Design. Our safety management services company is available to answer your questions about OSHA incident investigation templates and help employers create a safe and healthy work environment.
Contact us today and schedule an appointment about your worksite’s safety.
