Conducting an Accident Investigation
Course 102
Safety Certified Supervisor Series

MODULE 7: WRITING THE REPORT

The Accident Report Form

The primary reason accident investigations fail to help eliminate similar accidents, is that report forms are poorly designed. In many cases the form design actually makes it possible to identify and correct only surface causes: root causes are often ignored. Let's take a look at one format that is designed to give emphasis to root causes. You can also take a look at sample below. This is a report format similar to that used by OSHA accident investigators in conducting workplace accident investigations:

• Section I. Background
• Section II. Description of the accident
• Section III. Findings
• Section IV. Recommendations
• Section V. Summary
• Section VI. Review and Follow-Up Actions
• Section VII. Attachment

Now let's take a closer look at each section.