Conducting an Accident Investigation
Course 102
Safety Certified Supervisor Series

This material is for training purposes only. Its purpose is to inform Bay Ltd employees of best practices in occupational safety and health and general OSHA compliance requirements. This material is not a substitute for any provision of the Occupational Safety and Health Act or any standards issued by OSHA. This course does not replace any published Bay Ltd Policy or Procedure, nor does it establish any new policy or procedure.

INTRODUCTION

Workplace accidents occur each and every day all across the Country. Each Year the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) publishes a statistical summary of injuries and illnesses (See summary below) that emphasizes this fact.

The failure of people, equipment, supplies, or surroundings to behave or react as expected causes most of the accidents. Accident investigations determine how and why these failures occur. By using the information gained through an investigation, a similar or perhaps more disastrous accident may be prevented. Conduct accident investigations with accident prevention in mind. Investigations are NOT to place blame.

BLS Summary: Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2000. A total of 5.7 million injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry workplaces during 2000, resulting in a rate of 6.1 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Employers reported about the same number of cases compared with 1999 and a 2 percent increase in the hours worked, reducing the case rate from 6.3 in 1999 to 6.1 in 2000. The rate for 2000 was the lowest since the Bureau began reporting this information in the early 1970s.

Of the 5.7 million total injuries and illnesses reported in 2000, about 2.8 million were lost workday cases, that is, they required recuperation away from work or restricted duties at work, or both. The remaining 2.9 million were cases without lost workdays. The incidence rate for lost workday cases was the same in 2000 as in 1999 (3.0 cases per 100 workers), while the rate for cases without lost workdays decreased from 3.3 cases per 100 workers to 3.2 cases per 100 workers.

This course introduces you to basic accident investigation procedures and describes accident analysis techniques. Throughout the course, you'll be taking what you've learned throughout the course to analyze a hypothetical accident!