Definition - What does Accident Investigation mean?
An accident investigation is a detailed analysis aimed at discovering the factors that led to an accident that caused a potential injury(s) and/or property damage. An accident investigation is an effective safety measure in helping to identify causal factors connected with accidents, incidents, and near-miss scenarios. The fundamental structure surrounding accident investigations consists of three principal causes such as basic cause (safety policy rules), indirect cause (unsafe act and/or condition), and direct cause (contact with immediate danger).
SureHire explains Accident Investigation
While accidents are likely to happen in the workplace, accident investigations can help pinpoint underlying causes and reasons that can deter future cases of accidents. Supervisors and/or safety management personnel must be notified promptly following the occurrence of an accident. The accident investigations report follows a set criteria that accounts for different variables including date and time of accident, possible defective equipment, present witnesses, job-related duties and tasks, and a comprehensive summary of all events.
It is imperative that employers and safety staff members conduct personal interviews with the affected party coupled with witnesses to gather comparatively reliable documentation. Interviews are not designed to assign blame or fault, but rather identify the precise cause and the successive events prior to the accident.
Accident investigations is a proactive approach in checking recurrent accidents that can have dangerous consequences.
