Investigating a workplace incident involves a systematic approach in understanding what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it from happening again. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:
Ensure Safety First:
If the incident involves immediate danger, ensure that the area is secured and that any ongoing hazards are mitigated. Provide medical assistance if needed.
Notify Appropriate Authorities:
Report the incident to relevant authorities, such as your company's health and safety officer, human resources, or any regulatory bodies required by law.
Gather Information:
Collect Statements: Interview all witnesses, including those directly involved and those who observed the incident. Get their accounts in writing if possible.
Document Evidence: Take photographs, video recordings, or notes of the scene and any relevant equipment or conditions. Collect any physical evidence related to the incident.
Analyse the Incident:
Identify the Root Cause: Determine what led to the incident by examining all factors, including human errors, equipment malfunctions, environmental conditions, or procedural failures.
Use Investigation Tools: Employ techniques like the "5 Whys," fault tree analysis, or root cause analysis to dig deeper into underlying issues.
How does the injured employee feel now? ...
Who was injured? ...
What were the causal factors of the accident? ...
When did the accident occur? ...
Why was the person injured?
Review Procedures and Policies:
Assess whether existing safety procedures and policies were followed and if they were adequate. Identify any gaps or areas for improvement.
Compile a Report:
Summary of Findings: Provide a clear and detailed summary of what happened, including the sequence of events.
Root Causes: Detail the root causes identified during the investigation.
Recommendations: Offer actionable recommendations for corrective and preventive measures. This might include changes in procedures, additional training, or equipment upgrades.
Follow-Up Actions: Outline a plan for implementing the recommendations and monitoring their effectiveness.
Communicate Findings:
Share the results of the investigation with relevant stakeholders, including employees, management, and any regulatory bodies such as Workman- Compensation Fund if harm is beyond first aid treatment. Ensure transparency and clarity in your communication.
Implement Changes:
Put the recommended changes into practice. This could involve updating safety protocols, conducting training sessions, or making physical changes to the workspace.
Monitor and Review:
Regularly review the effectiveness of the changes and continue to monitor the workplace for any related issues. Adjust as necessary based on feedback and observations.
Document and Record:
Keep a detailed record of the investigation process, findings, and actions taken. This documentation can be important for compliance purposes and future reference.
Remember, the goal of an investigation is not to assign blame but to understand and address the underlying issues to prevent recurrence. All incidents resulting in medical provided by 3rd party such as hospital needs to be reported to Worman Compensation Fund within seven days of the incident occurrence, failure to do that the employer will be liable for all the medical bills associated with the incident.
The cost implications of an incident can be extremely high and impact a business severely. These costs can include both direct costs and indirect costs such as lost time, hiring and training replacements, conducting investigations, wages paid to injured, over time costs and decreased output of injured worker on return as well as clerical time to attend to all the necessary documentation.
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