Accident Investigation

Accident Investigation

There are following reasons for carrying incident investigation:

• To record the facts of the incidents.
• For legal reasons.
• For claim management.
• For disciplinary purpose.
• To identify the immediate and root cause of incident.
• To identify corrective action to prevent a reoccurrence.
• For increasing staff morale.
• For data gathering.

Every accident has some underlying causes which may reduce by taking corrective and preventive actions.

• Unsafe acts and unsafe conditions.
• Accidents exhibit a particular pattern of occurrence.
• Study of historical data.

Systematic Prevention Approach to Accident

Accidents recording, investigation and analysis are suitable approach in prevention of accidents.

• Identify high-risk jobs or work areas.
• Identify factors that can cause accidents.
• Evaluate effectiveness of “no hazard programme”.
• Monitor safety performance of the company.
• Enable inter-firm comparison of safety performance.

Accident Reporting

(i)      Time period to notify (means inform, alert): The accidents require to be notified within duration of their happening.

(ii)   Authorities to be notify: Intimation regarding accident or dangerous occurrences must be sent by the Manager of the factory to the respected superior authorities by first available means.

  Types of Report & Record

• First Aid Reports.
• Accident Reports.
• Accident Investigation Reports.
• Accident particular cards.
• Safety Education & Training Reports.

Purpose of an Accident Records

• To evaluate the magnitude of the accident problems.
• To identify the high rate of accident problems.
• To provide the data for analysis of accidents.
• To create interest among the workers.
• To measure the efficiency of safety promotional activities.
• To take any changes if necessary.

Accident Investigation

     Aim of the investigation is to perceive the same type of an accident do not repeat in future and to trace the root cause of an accident. Investigation of the accident must be carried out within the time duration and as per the proper procedure.

Principles of Accident Investigation

• Should be fact finding.
• Each & every accident must be investigated.
• Investigate each & every clue.
• Suggest suitable & practical preventive measures.
• Enquire each witness separately.
• Accident investigation should be done immediately after the incident / accident.

Purpose of an Accident Investigation

• Determine the causes so that similar accidents can be prevented or avoided.
• Determine the causes by means of workplace improvement and training etc.
• To design and plan for suitable training.
• To publicize the particular hazards among employees and supervisors to direct attention for accident prevention.

Accident Investigation

• Reason for accident.
• Unsafe acts: The personal action which cause the accident.
• Unsafe condition: The hazardous physical or circumstances which causes the accident.
• Contributory Base Factor: Policies / procedure or management control that causes accident.

Accident Investigation

A Proper Investigation will lead to proper determination of whether the accident is preventable or non-preventable and future course of action.

• Secure the event.
• Take photo and video.
• Interviewing witness / injured FIR.
• Foul play

Format 

·Part I: General description

• Location.
• Department.
• Persons involved.
• Date of accident.
• Time.

·Part II: Description of accident

• Who, where, when, why, how.

·Part III: The cause of accident

Unsafe act

• Working hastily.
• Carelessness.
• Failure to obscene clearance.
• Failure to signal.
• Improper backing.
• Improper turning.
• Operating equipment without authority.
• Unsafe condition.
• Defective brake.
• Lifetime.
• Defective light.
• Improper maintenance / services.
• Road condition.
• Excessive load

Contributory

• Influence of stress or alcohol.
• Immature age.
• Fitness.
• Equipment modification.

Accident Analysis

Accident analysis done to determine the preventive measures to be undertaken to achieve ultimate objection of zero accident. Accident reporting and accident investigation are the two pre-requisites to accident analysis.

Accident analysis may be carried out function wise, operation wise, agency wise or parts of the body wise.

(i) Function Wise: (department / Section where accident occurred?)

·Production

·Maintenance

·Stores

·Construction

·Conservancy

·Civil

(ii) Operation Wise: (operation which caused the accident?)

· Turning

· Drilling

· Milling

· Grinding

· Welding

· Fitting

· Painting

· Material handling

(iii) Agency Wise: (what caused the accident?)

·Parts of machinery

·Burrs 

·Grinding wheel

·Splash of chemicals

·Falling body

·Slippery floor/ Producing objects.

·Electrical switches etc.

(iv) Parts of the Body: (which part of the body was injured?)

·Head

·Eye

·Face

·Fingers

·Legs

·Toes etc.

Accident analysis is also includes computation of frequency rate, severity rate.

(i)       Frequency rate is the number of disabling injuries (lost time injuries) per one million man hours worked.

No. of disabling
                                (or lost time injuries)

Frequency Rate = ——————————-X 10,00,000         

Man hours worked

(ii)       Severity is the total number of man days lost
or charged to accidents per one million man hours worked.

Man days lost in a year due to accidents

Severity Rate = ————————————————————- X 10,00,000

Man hours worked

(iii)      No. of man-days charged per injury equals and man days lost and man days charged for fatal accidents per accident. That is:-

 

 Man days lost + Man days charged (as per disabling injuries)

No. of man days =————————————————————————————-

                                            charged per injury Man hours worked