Conducting an Accident Investigation
Course 102
Safety Certified Supervisor Series

MODULE 4: ANALYZING THE ACCIDENT PROCESS

The final event in an unplanned process.

When we understand that the accident is actually the final event in an unplanned process, we'll naturally want to know what the initial event was. When the initial event occurs, it effects the actions of others, setting in motion a potentially very complicated process eventually ending in an injury or illness. The trick is to take the information gathered and arrange so that we can accurately determine what initial condition and/or action transformed the planned work process into an unplanned accident process.

Remember, that in the multiple-cause approach to accident investigation, many events may occur, each contributing to the final event. For instance, if a supervisor ignores an unsafe behavior because doing so is not thought to be his or her responsibility, the failure to enforce behavior represents an event in the production process that may contribute to or increase the probability of an accident.