7501 E. Lowry Blvd.

Denver, CO 80230-7006


Accident Investigation

Accident investigation and accident prevention are two sides of the same coin. Through the information obtained from an accident investigation, your company can set preventive procedures, improve management’s approach to safety and increase employee safety awareness – all of which are important aspects of accident prevention.

The purpose of an investigation is not to place blame but to determine both the cause of the accident or near miss and the changes necessary to prevent a similar occurrence. Accident investigation also will assist your company in determining the facts useful in legal proceedings, serve to publicize hazards to employees and help your company comply with policies and regulatory requirements.

A thorough investigation should yield at least the following information:

  1. Part of the body injured and the type of injury sustained (i.e., fracture, burn)
  2. Type of accident (i.e., hit by falling object, inhalation of chemical fumes)
  3. Condition or act that caused or permitted the accident to occur (i.e., poor design, defect, adjusting machinery while in operation)
  4. Equipment, machinery, substance, or structure directly involved in the accident (i.e., backhoe, conveyor belt, chemical)
  5. Factors contributing to the accident (i.e., lack of training)

Persons appointed to investigate accidents should be experienced and able to carry out the investigation in an impartial manner. They should be familiar with the workplace, and knowledgeable about the employees involved and the work situation. Consider appointing a supervisor, foreman, safety professional or safety committee to conduct investigations. The investigator should:

  1. Begin investigating the accident immediately after the injured person has been treated, before the scene can be changed and important evidence removed or destroyed.
  2. Discuss the accident with the injured person, if possible, after first aid or medical treatment has been administered.
  3. Talk with witnesses and those familiar with conditions immediately before and after the accident, preferably away from the distractions of the work area.
  4. Probe for small details that might yield clues to the cause of the accident. Allow witnesses to describe events in their own words.
  5. Reconstruct the events leading up to the accident from clues and eyewitness accounts.
  6. Determine the most probable cause of the accident.
  7. Write a detailed, accurate report of the accident, and follow reporting and record keeping requirements. Remember that any accident that is fatal or results in the hospitalization of three or more employees must be reported to the nearest OSHA office within eight hours of the accident.
  8. Correct any unsafe conditions or procedures discovered during the investigation and advise your company’s safety committee or upper management of corrections needed.

Thousands of accidents occur throughout the United States every day. By using information gained through an investigation, a similar or perhaps more disastrous accident may be prevented. Remember: an accident investigation is not complete until a report has been prepared and submitted to management personnel and preventive actions have been taken.

For a sample copy of a Near-Miss Accident Report or Accident/Incident Investigation Report, call your Pinnacol Assurance Safety Consultant at 1-800-873-7242.

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