An accident investigation program is essential for an organization to prevent and reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and property damages resulting from near misses and other incidents, such as fire. An incident investigation is typically a systematic or formal process that involves an event’s documentation and analysis of what caused a grave loss or the potential for loss. It also includes a thorough assessment of the contributing factors. An accident investigation aims at generating effective recommendations that ensure elimination or prevention of the potential for any future loss when implemented.

An accident investigation is not only an imperative element of occupational health and safety programs but also that of establishing an effective workplace safety culture. The overview of such an investigation is often general in nature, executed to demonstrate the process irrespective of jurisdiction. Here are some more reasons why an incident investigation is essential:

• To meet legal requirements
• It assists in designing risk management solutions
• To assess compliance with existing safety procedures
• It demonstrates the concern for employee well-being
• It enables the necessary processing of worker’s vital compensation claims
• It helps in choosing right property & casualty insurance policy to ensure optimal protection for future
• It helps in claiming the property & casualty coverage to pay for human injuries and property damage

Typical Accident Investigation Process

An accident investigation process often includes following these essential steps:

• Basic investigation of the event or incident
• Identification of the root causes and directly contributing factors
• Disclosure of results
• Building and development of an effective corrective action plan
• Through execution of the plan
• Follow-up review as well as revision is also an imperative step

Prompt Investigation

To conduct a quality initial investigation, it has to take place immediately after the incident. Common accessories necessary for the investigator often include a camera, flashlight, barrier tape measure, paper, pencil, and incident investigation form. Such primary investigation will involve securing as much of the scene and facts as possible after promptly aiding the injured employee, recording physical evidence, and interviewing the workers.

A simple yet proven methodology to help you perform an effective investigation and get a solid comprehension of the incident is simply answering the following questions:

• What did occur?
• Who is it about?
• When did it take place?
• Where did it happen?
• Why did it take place?
• How did it occur?

An accident investigation assesses workplace factors to figure out if they caused the incident. Such factors include:

• Environmental factors
• Management system factors
• Material factors
• People factors
• Work/Process Task factors

For more information on this topic or to obtain ideal property & casualty insurance, contact Suburban Insurance Agencies, Inc. today at (630)-325-4000 to schedule an appointment.