Incident

Investigation
and
Reporting
Presented by:

Optimal Laboratories, Inc.

Outline of Presentation

What is an incident/accident?
Causes of incident/accident
Incident/Accident Investigation
Incident/Accident Reporting
What is an accident?

An uncontrolled or unplanned
release of energy that
causes or contributes to
illness, injury, death and/or
damage to the environment,
property, equipment or
materials.
All accidents
have a cause and
effect!
 Aklan-Iloilo Oil Spill
July 4, 2020
Power Barge 102 owned by AC Energy Corp
AKLAN, Philippines — An oil spill on July 3, 2020 threatens a
mangrove forest on the Philippine island of Guimaras, an area only
just recovering from the country’s largest spill in 2006.
This latest spill stems from an explosion onboard a floating power
barge in the 13-kilometer (8-mile) waterway between the city of
Iloilo and Guimaras Island.

Operator AC Energy Inc. said the incident spilled 48,000 liters

(12,700 gallons) of fuel oil into the Iloilo River and its tributaries
before being contained eight hours later.
But the Philippine Coast Guard said around 251,000 liters (66,300
gallons) of oil had spread around the waterway.

The day after, July 4, the Coast Guard estimated it had collected
130,000 liters (34,300 gallons) of oil.
Some of the oil was swept out of the containment area by strong
waves and carried across to communities in Guimaras.
“The root cause has yet to be determined,” AC Energy said in a
statement. “But initial findings reveal that the discharge is due to the
ignition of fuel oil in storage which ruptured the barge’s fuel tank
Location Guimaras Strait, Philippines
Coordinates
10°13′N 122°30′ECoordinates: 10°13′N
122°30′E

Date 11 August 2006

Cause Sinking of M/T Solar 1 during

storm

Casualties 1 dead, 2 missing

Operator Sunshine Maritime

Development Corporation, Petron
Corporation

Spill characteristics
Volume 500,000 litres
(110,000 imp gal; 130,000 US gal)
The Taklong Island National
Marine Reserve was severely
damaged. This bird was rescued
in one of the mangroves being
cleaned up.
YOKOHAMA TIRE PHILIPPINES, INC(CLARK PAMPANGA).
, after Fire Limited production has resumed at our
subsidiary YOKOHAMA TIRE PHILIPPINES, INC., in the
wake of a fire there. The fire broke out at around 3
p.m. on Sunday, May 14, 2017 and firefighters had
extinguished it completely by around 11 p.m. An
employee who had experienced throat discomfort as the
result of inhaling smoke while fighting the fire and had
entered a hospital for observation was released the
next day.
Partial damage to buildings and production facilities;
destruction of products stored in a warehouse. Timing of
resumption of production activities in affected areas remains
unknown at the time this document was prepared.

The affected area has an annual production capacity of

about 3.2 million tires. Production resumed at other
production facilities in the complex on May 20, 2017.

Impact on financial results: Yokohama Rubber recorded a loss

related to the fixed assets and inventories destroyed by the fire
and losses resulting from the plant’s shutdown totaling ¥2.2
billion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements
for the first half of fiscal 2017 (the six-month period from
January 1 to June 30, 2017).
KENTEX FIRE ACCIDENT
KENTEX FACTORY
Valenzuela , Metro Manila
MAY 21, 2015 3:49 PM PHT

The fire, without a doubt, was tragic. But this tragedy, we must
remember, did not begin with the fire—a so-called “accident.”
Initial investigation revealed that the footwear factory had no fire exits
and that the windows where the workers could have escaped were
covered with wires.

Flammable chemicals used in manufacturing slippers have no proper

storage, which, some suggest, may be the reason why an explosion was
triggered when the chemicals were ignited by sparks from welding
activities to fix the door of the main entrance.
There were media reports saying the workers were unaware of fire
safety standards and have not attended fire drills before.

The accident could have been prevented if occupational health and

safety standards were met and prioritized. The initial investigaton
suggests negligence on the part of the company for failing to comply
with the safety standards and to provide a conducive work
environment for its employees.
 1 dead, 65
hospitalized in
Navotas AMMONIA
LEAK (ICE PLANT
North Bay
Boulevardand Road
10)

Metro Manila (February 3) — One person

died while 65 others were rushed to the
hospital following an ammonia leak from an
ice plant in Navotas City on Wednesday.
Fire authorities said 22 out of the 65 injured
were transported to Tondo Medical Center,
while the remaining 43 were brought to
Navotas Hospital.
A number of residents fainted, the Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority reported. The Bureau of Fire Protection
said a 44-year-old man died.
Exposure to ammonia, a chemical used in refrigeration
systems, can result in irritation, severe respiratory injuries,
and could be fatal at high concentrations, according to health
experts.
Around 5,000 residents were allowed to return home at around
8 p.m. after the situation was declared under control. Authorities
declared the leak was contained past 10 p.m.
 House Technology Industries
(HTI) at the Cavite Export
Processing Zone in General
Trias.

104people were hurt and

84 hospitalized, mostly for
suffocation, in a fire that hit the
factory of House Technology
Industries (HTI) at the Cavite
Export Processing Zone in General
Trias.

Smoke from HTI factory fire can be seen

from kilometers afar.
which manufactures combustible
materials, such as wood, Styrofoam and
household products
Nov 23, 2015 - MANILA, Philippines – Chemicals spilled
from a factory making plastic products in Quezon City,
causing a foul smell. Pasig City Official Information
Center, the chemical that leaked was monomer, used for
making plastic products. They also identified the
company name of the factory as Hemress Inc.
The word safety refers to your freedom from danger, injury and damage,
and to your personal security.
Person, Equipment, Materials and Environment were cited as the basic
causes of workplace accident. Incident is an undesired event which
under slightly different circumstances could have resulted to harm
people and damage to property.
Unsafe acts are a human action that departs from standard or written job
procedure or common practice and safety rules. Some factors are
improper attitude, lack of knowledge or skills and physical limitations.
Unsafe conditions are physical or chemical property of a material,
machine or environment which results to illness in person.
Incident/Accident Causes

What are the causes of an incident or

accident? There are two basic causes:

• Unsafe Acts, and

• Unsafe Conditions
Unsafe Acts vs. Unsafe Conditions

80-90 percent of all

accidents are caused by
unsafe acts of people, as
opposed to unsafe
mechanical or physical
conditions.

Human failure is the

primary cause of
accidents and incidents!
 Unsafe Acts vs. Unsafe Conditions
Unsafe Acts Unsafe Conditions

Using unsafe/damaged equipment Congested area

Missing machine guards Noise exposure/Loud Noise

Exposed Electrical Circuit Wet floor

Slippery Floor Inadequate machine guards

Improper lifting Inadequate warning system

Horseplay Defective/damaged tools

Influence of drugs or alcohol Poor Layout

Operating without authority Bad Lighting

Left file drawer open Dangerous Stairways

Who should investigate
environmental accidents?
• Plant Manager
• Immediate supervisor
• Department manager
• PCO and Safety Officer
• MMT members
• DENR-EMB, DOLE, etc
Accident Investigation

Suppose an accident occurs in your facility and you

are the one who has to investigate it, what do
you do?
 Keep in mind that all accidents should be
investigated as soon as possible.
 A good, thorough investigation needs to be
conducted so that future occurrences can be
prevented.
The aim of the investigation
Is Not To:
• Exonerate individuals or management
• Satisfy insurance requirements
• Defend a position for legal argument
• Assign blame

Remember, fact finding – not fault finding

Incident/Accident Investigation – Steps Involved

• First and foremost, provide first aid/medical

care to the injured party.
• Use emergency environmental response kits to
immediately contain the area
• Get samples for laboratory analysis.
• Identify the cause of the accident.
• Report the findings (using the appropriate
accident report).
 Develop a plan for corrective action.
 Implement the corrective action plan.
 Evaluate the effectiveness of the actions
taken.
 Make changes for continuous improvement.
 Remember – Time is of the essence!
 As little time as possible should pass
between the moment of the accident and
the start of the investigation!
 Starting
the investigation a.s.a.p. after the
accident occurs enables a supervisor or
manager to:
 Observe conditions as they were at the time of
the accident.
 Prevent disturbance of evidence.
 Identify witnesses.
Remember this? Incident/Accident Causes

Causes of any accident

can be grouped into
five (5) basic
categories:
Task

Material

Environment

Personnel

Management
 TASK
In this category, the actual work
procedure being performed at the
time of the accident is looked at.

Was a safe work procedure used?

Did conditions change to make the

normal procedure unsafe?

Were the appropriate tools and

materials available and used?

Were safety devices (example:

machine guards) in place and
working properly?
 Material
In this area, look for possible
causes resulting from the
equipment and materials used.

Equipment failure? If so, what

caused the failure?

Was the machinery poorly

designed?

Were hazardous substances

involved? If yes, were they
clearly identified and
properly labeled?
 Material (cont.)

Was a less-hazardous alternative substance

available?

Was the raw material substandard in some

way?

Was PPE used? If yes, was it appropriate for

the task being performed and was it in
“serviceable condition?”
Environment
The physical environment, including sudden
changes to it, are factors that need to be
identified.

What were the conditions in the work area

(example: cold, hot, damp, etc.)?

Was poor housekeeping a problem?

Was noise a problem?

Was there adequate light?

Were toxic or hazardous gases, dusts or

fumes present?
 Personnel
The physical and mental
conditions of those individuals
directly involved in the
accident must be explored.

Was the employee experienced in

the work he/she was doing?

Was the employee adequately

trained for the task being
completed?

Can the employee physically

perform the work?
Personnel (cont.)

What was the status of the employee’s

health at the time of the accident?

Was the employee tired at the time of the

accident?

Was the employee under work or personal

stress at the time of the accident?
 Management

Management holds the legal

responsibility for safety in the
workplace!

Were safety rules communicated to and

understood by all employees?

Were written procedures available?

Were the procedures/rules being

enforced?

Was there adequate supervision?

Management (cont.)
Were workers trained to do the
work being performed?

Were hazards previously

identified?

Had procedures been developed to

overcome the hazards
identified?

Were unsafe conditions corrected?

Was regular maintenance of

equipment done?
Pictures

If possible, take a
picture of the
accident scene noting
the date, time and
your location on the
back of the picture.

Pictures can be very

helpful if further
investigation is
necessary or a dispute
occurs.
Accident Witnesses

Every effort should be made

to interview any witnesses.

Witnesses can be a very good

source of information
regarding the cause of an
accident and the
conditions associated with
it.
Eyewitness Accounts

•Witnesses should be interviewed as soon

as possible after the accident.
Witnesses should be interviewed alone,
rather than in a group.
Have witnesses document their
statements and ask them to date and
sign.
Interviewing Witnesses

When interviewing a witness do not:

Attempt to intimidate

Interrupt

Prompt

Ask leading questions

Show your emotions

Make lengthy notes while the

witness is talking
Do:

Ask open-ended questions

(“yes” or “no” answers).

Use probing questions to get

more information.

Repeat witness’s answer back

to them.

Have the witness write their

statement and then sign,
date, time (you also sign,
date, time).
Incident/Accident Prevention

Incidents and
accidents can
be prevented
by early
detection,
reporting and
abating!
Hazard Recognition
Detection/identification of hazards before they cause
injuries or damages is important. To accomplish this,
conduct periodic “walk around” inspections looking for
items such as:

 Slip, trip and fall hazards (e.g., wires across a walk way)

 Broken/damaged equipment (e.g., stool with a broken leg)

 Improper storage or labelling of chemicals

 Exposed electrical wiring (e.g., frayed electrical cord)

 Machinery with missing guards (e.g., cutting machine with

missing blade guard.)

 Damaged PPE (e.g., gloves with rips/tears)

Report Hazards
Once hazards have been identified, they need to
be reported to the appropriate area (e.g., broken
floor tile that could cause a trip and fall should be
reported to building maintenance for repair, a
malfunction of a pollution control device could
cause uncontrolled emissions to the environment
and should be immediately reported to the
operations team for proper action.

The Pollution Control Officer or the Safety Officer,

should keep a log of items reported and follow up
to ensure all hazards reported have been
corrected.
Hazard Abatement
Hazard abatement = The
elimination or reduction of an
environmental and/or safety
and health hazard by complying
with applicable environmental,
safety and health standards or
taking equivalent protective
measures.

Take the steps necessary to abate

hazards; this will provide a safer
and healthier environment for
employees, contractors and
visitors alike.
Accident Prevention
Here are some ways to prevent accidents:

Ensure work areas are not cluttered and trash is

removed regularly.

Provide necessary training/retraining for all

employees.

Ensure that necessary controls are in place

[engineering (e.g., machine guarding),
administrative (e.g., labels/signs), PPE (e.g.,
safety goggles)], pollution control devices.

Have spills cleaned up immediately.

Accident
Prevention (cont.)
Ensure proper lifting/carrying techniques are
being used.

Ensure mechanical handling equipment, or

MHE, is being used properly.

Ensure walking/working surfaces are free of

slip, trip and fall hazards.

Enforce safety rules, policies and procedures.

Ensure safety inspections are being conducted

regularly.
Incident Reporting

DENR Administrative Order

2014-02 (Revised Guidelines
for Pollution Control Officers
Accreditation)
ENVIRONMENTAL INCIDENT
➢ is an occurrence or set of circumstances, as a
consequence of which pollution (air, water, noise, or
land) or an adverse environmental impact has
occurred, is occurring, or is likely to occur
➢ An environmental incident has a huge impact in the
business operation. As Pollution Control Officers we are
expected to perform our duties and responsibilities
for preventing an accident or incident from
happening.
➢ If we fail to perform our duty it will result to
complaint, technical conference, penalties, work
stoppage, litigation/cases.
➢ As PCO we need to educate ourselves for us to
understand and implement environmental standards
that will protect our business, our employees and the
environment.
When to report?
What to report?
How to Report?
How to Report?
How to Report?
Thank You!
God bless