RISKY WORKPLACE AND

RISKY WORKERS |
ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION
Module 3
2.75 HR
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Understand the importance of accident investigation.

• Enumerate the types of accidents to be reported.
• Explain the basic procedure in the conduct of accident
investigation.
• Know how to document an accident investigation.
• Accomplish the Work Accident/Illness Report (WAIR) and
Annual Accident/ Illness Exposure Data
• Reports (AEDR) based on cases give
• Compute sample Severity Rate (SR) and Frequency Rate (FR)
 MODULE CONTENT
• Accident Causation review
• - Dangerous Occurrences, Imminent Danger, Work
• Stoppage Order
• - Accident Investigation (computation of FR/SR;
• accident documentation to EC logbook)
 ACCIDENT

• What is an Accident?
• Is an unexpected, unforeseen, unplanned and unwanted
occurrence or event that causes damage or loss
• of materials or properties, injury or death
 ACCIDENT CAUSATION
• Refers to the factors that are the
primary reasons behind an accident.
• For occupational health and safety
professionals, determining causation
factors in any workplace injury or
accident is the key.
 ACCIDENT CAUSATION
MAN MACHINE
• Workforce • Tools
• Management of the workforce • Machinery
• Policies
• Behavior ENVIRONMENT
• Physical surroundings
MATERIAL • Natural environment
• Used or Worked or made • Community, social & legal influences

METHOD
• Policies
• Programs
• Work Methods
According to Mr. Hienrich’s Survey
Heinrich found out that 98% of workplace Accidents are
Preventable 2% Non-Preventable are nonpreventable.

Of the 98% preventable accidents,

• 88%is due to unsafe/unhealthy acts or “man failure”

• 10% is due to unsafe/ unhealthy conditions.
• 2% Acts of Nature

This study explains the rationale for focusing interventions on

changing the behaviors and attitudes of
workers and management towards safety and health.
 HEINRICH LAW

“In a workplace, for every accident that causes a

major injury, there are 29 accidents that cause minor
injuries and 300 accidents that cause no injuries.”

This is commonly depicted as a pyramid (in this

case with the number of minor incidents shown as
30 for simplicity).
 HEINRICH LAW

Heinrich's law is based on probability and assumes

that the number of accidents is inversely
proportional to the severity of those accidents. It
leads to the conclusion that minimizing the number
of minor incidents will lead to a reduction in major
accidents, which is not necessarily the case.
 THE DOMINO THEORY

Heinrich's Domino Theory states that

accidents result from a chain of sequential
events, metaphorically like a line of
dominoes falling over. When one of the
dominoes falls, it triggers the next one, and
the next...but removing a key factor (such
as an unsafe condition or an unsafe act)
prevents the start of the chain reaction.
What are Unsafe Conditions and Acts?

According to Heinrich, all incidents directly relate to unsafe

conditions and acts, which he defines as “Unsafe performance of
persons, such as standing under suspended loads...horse play, and
removal of safeguards”; and “mechanical or physical hazards such
as unguarded gears...and insufficient light.”
PRIMARY CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS

• UNSAFECONDITION

The physical or chemical property of a material, machine or

the environment that may result in injury to a person, damage
or destruction to property and other losses; these could have
been guarded or prevented.

o Unnoticed
o Uncorrected
PRIMARY CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS
• UNSAFE ACT

o A human action that departs from a standard or written job

procedure or common practice, safety rules, regulations, or
instructions.

o A violation of a commonly - accepted safe procedures and

or processes.

▪ Unaware
▪ Unable
▪ Unmotivated
 DANGEROUS
OCCURRENCES,
IMMINENT DANGER,
WORK STOPPAGE ORDER
 DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES
OSHS RULE 1053.02

The following are dangerous occurrences that shall be investigated and reported:
1. Explosion of boilers used for heating or power
2. Explosion of a receiver or storage container
3. Bursting of a revolving wheel, grinding stone or grinding wheel
4. Collapse of a crane, hoist and other equipment used in raising or lowering
persons or goods
5. Explosion or fire causing damage to the structure of any room or place
6. Electrical short circuit or failure of electrical machinery, machinery, plant or
apparatus
 ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

• A methodical effort to collect and interpret the facts of accident.

• An inquiry as to how and why the accident occurred to explore
actions that should be taken to prevent or minimize recurrence of
the accident.

Accident investigation is the process of determining the root

causes of accidents, on-the-job injuries, property damage, and
close calls to prevent them from occurring again.
 ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

Accident investigation is the scientific and academic analysis of

the facts that occurred during an accident.

An investigation is conducted to identify the root cause of an

accident to make recommendations or take corrective actions to
prevent the future occurrence of the same or a similar event.
PURPOSE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

• To establish all facts

• To draw conclusion
• To make recommendations
• To prevent recurrence
• Comply with policies and regulatory requirements
• Maintain employees awareness
 TYPES OF ACCIDENTS THAT SHOULD BE
INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED

FATAL ACCIDENTS

Fatal - The Occupational Safety and Health Standards being

implemented by DOLE require that accidents resulting in death should
be reported to DOLE Regional Office within twenty-four (24) hours
after occurrence. Using the fastest available means of communication,
and within forty eight (48) hours upon receipt of the initial report, be
investigated.
TYPES OF ACCIDENTS THAT SHOULD
BE INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED
ACCIDENT-CAUSING INJURY OR ILLNESS

Injury - Any injury that causes minor or first-aid treatment to serious, to

permanently/totally incapacitate workers should be reported.
TYPES OF ACCIDENTS THAT SHOULD
BE INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED

DISEASES

Disease - All work-related diseases/illnesses due to exposure to

unsafe working environment should also be reported.
TYPES OF ACCIDENTS THAT SHOULD
BE INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED

DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES

Dangerous occurrences - Any dangerous occurrences which may or

may not cause serious bodily harm to workers, or seriously damage
the premises of employment should be investigated and reported by
the employer to DOLE Regional Office. These include fire, explosion of
boiler and pressure vessels, collapse of equipment or structures, etc.
TYPES OF ACCIDENTS THAT SHOULD
BE INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED
NEAR MISS

Near miss - Near miss in an incident where no injury or property

damage has occurred but where a slight difference in position or timing
could mean the occurrence of damage or injury.
WHO SHOULD CONDUCT AN ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION?
Managers, Supervisor and Employees

• Incident investigations are often conducted by a

supervisor, but to be most effective, these
investigations should include managers and
employees working together, since each bring
different knowledge, understanding and
perspectives to the investigation.
 WHO SHOULD CONDUCT AN
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION?
HSC Representative, First Aiders and/or Security Officers

• They are familiar with the people and the

workplace.
• They have a legal requirement in Critical Injuries.
• They have been trained in accident investigation.
WHO SHOULD CONDUCT AN ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION?
Outside Experts, Representative from LGU and/or Police
• In some cases, other authorities may have
jurisdiction, such as if a serious injury or fatality
occurred. Your organization should establish,
implement, and maintain a procedure to coordinate
managing incidents with the authority having
jurisdiction (e.g., police, OH&S inspectors, etc.).
This coordination may include the authority taking
control of the incident scene.
 MANAGING THE ACCIDENT SCENE
1. Survey the scene

Take a look around to ensure the surrounding

area is safe for the rescuer as well as the
victim.

Note: unless there is an imminent danger, the

victim should not be moved. Assess the
surroundings for any people who can help.
MANAGING THE ACCIDENT SCENE

2. Care & treatment of the injured

Supervisors can increase their ability to
respond to Medical Emergencies by:
 Training in First Aid
 Drills under normal and abnormal
conditions
 Coordinate with hospitals
MANAGING THE ACCIDENT SCENE

3. ISOLATE the Site of Accident

To protect people from further injury

To preserve the evidence and
valuable clues
 MANAGING THE ACCIDENT SCENE

4. Elimination or Control of
Remaining Hazards
If a hazardous environment or toxic
materials exist:
 Notify necessary personnel
 Provide PPE to potentially exposed
 Refer to MSDS
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

1. Gather information
2. Analyze the Facts
3. Make Recommendations
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Gather Information
• Preliminary Facts:
• Nature of Incident (NOI)
• Place of Incident (POI)
• Date of Incident (DOI)
• Time of Incident (TOI)
• Personnel Involved
• Property Damage
• Environmental Harm
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
GATHER INFORMATION
All information gathered during the course of the investigation
should be properly reported and Formally recorded in an
Accident Investigation Report. Although there are no
established industry standard formats for recording the
accident investigation into are port form, there are several
aspects of the processes which are common to most reports.
Each company will generally develop its own format for the
investigation report, one that is acceptable to management.
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
GATHER INFORMATION
The report should answer the 5W and 1H in reporting of
accident.

o WHO was injured?

o WHAT happened?
o WHERE did accident occur?
o WHEN did the accident occur?
o WHY did the accident occur?
o HOW can similar accident be prevented?
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION EQUIPMENT:

Report Form
Notebook or pad of paper
Tape Recorder
Camera (Instant or Digital)
Measuring Equipment
Pen
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
WHAT OR WHO ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INFORMATION
• Time and location. This is the time of the day and place where
the accident happened. You can get an idea of possible causes of
the incident if you know whether it happened in the morning,
afternoon or evening. Likewise, you can also identify causes if you
have the idea of where the accident happened.

• Environment. The evaluation of the environment will provide

information regarding the causes of accident. Identify the
environmental factors that might influence the accident such as
weather conditions, illumination, temperature, noise, ventilation,
etc.
 STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
WHAT OR WHO ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INFORMATION
• Physical Evidence. As the investigator, you should exercise extreme
care in handling, collecting, retrieving, or otherwise identifying physical
evidence. Investigators not familiar with the fragility of these evidence
might destroy it during the investigation process. Examples of the
physical evidence are equipment, tools and materials involved in the
accident.
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
WHAT OR WHO ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INFORMATION

• Witnesses. A witness can be defined simply as any person who has

information relating to the accident. This includes anyone from those
persons principally involved in the accident to those who have seen or
heard about the accident or observed the work environment at the time
the accident occurred. A witness may also be someone who has
knowledge of the events occurring during any of the three (3) stages of
the accident namely the pre-contact, contact and post- contact.
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
WHAT OR WHO ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INFORMATION
• Existing Records. These could be employee, equipment, job or task,
and previous accident investigation records.

• Employee record - Information regarding the victim’s age and

gender, the department and occupation in which he or she worked,
work status (whether a full-time, part-time, or seasonal employee),
experience (how long has the victim been with the company, how long
in current occupation, how often had the employee repeated the activity
engaged in when the accident occurred), and employee’s training -
should be reflected in the employee’s record.
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
WHAT OR WHO ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INFORMATION
• Equipment record. The characteristics of the equipment associated
with the accident include the type, brand, size, and any distinguishing
features of the equipment, its condition, and the specific hazardous
parts that may cause accident.

• Job or task record. The characteristics of task being performed by

the employee include his or her general task, the tools or
equipment/machine he or she issuing/operating. The description should
include the posture or location of the employee in doing the task and
whether the employee is
working alone or with others.
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
WHAT OR WHO ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INFORMATION

• Record of previous accident investigation reports an accident

investigation report form is used to help investigators gather, at a
minimum, the basic information that should be recorded about each
accident. The minimum data recorded for every accident identifies the
who, what, when, where, why
and how (5W + 1H) of the accident.
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

WHAT OR WHO ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INFORMATION

• Record of previous accident investigation reports an accident

investigation report form is used to help investigators gather, at a
minimum, the basic information that should be recorded about each
accident. The minimum data recorded for every accident identifies the
who, what, when, where, why
and how (5W + 1H) of the accident.
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Gather Information
1. Witnesses
• Victim and onlookers
• Those who heard what happened
• Those who saw the area prior to incident
• Others, with information about involved
individuals, equipment or circumstances
 STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Gather Information
• INTERVIEWING Witnesses
1) Reassure the witness
2) Let the witness tell the story
3) Begin with open-ended questions
4) Don’t ask leading questions
5) Summarize
6) Ask for recommendations
7) Get written statements
8) Close on a positive note
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

Gather Information
• What should we NOT say and do during interview?
1) Don’t interrogate
2) Don’t ask yes/no questions
3) Don't ask accusatory questions
4) Don't ask "who's to blame"?
5) Don’t ask leading questions
6) Don’t withhold/conceal notes
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

Gather Information
2. Physical Evidence of the Scene
• It provides information about an accident that
witnesses may overlook or take for granted
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

• Sketch:
 To record important details at
the accident site for later
study
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Electrocution Victim
• Include EVERYTHING that could be
important:
• Floor plan from overhead view
• Location of involved man,
machine, tool
• Size and location of transient
evidences (spills, dust, footprints,
skid marks)
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
• Photograph:
 Detail color differences
 Complex shapes difficult to recall
 General area
 Detailed shots
 Show scale on small objects
 Indicate reference point
 Better to take too many, than too few
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Gather Information
If items have to be removed from the scene for
detailed examination:
 Log and label
 Secure storage & transport
 Avoid contamination
 Guard against tampering and loss
 Install appropriate HSE warnings
 STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

Gather Information
• Environment - Work
 Weather Condition
 Illumination
 Noise
 Housekeeping
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Gather Information
3. Existing Records

• Employee records
o Training, skills and competency
o Behavior and life status
• Equipment records
• Job or Task records
• Previous Accident Investigation
reports
STEPS IN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Recommended Counter Measures

• It’s the best way to ensure that

recommendations are carried out
FOLLOW - UP
 RULE 1050: NOTIFICATION AND KEEPING
OF RECORDS OF ACCIDENT AND/OR
OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS
1053.01 NOTIFICATION

All work accidents or occupational

illnesses resulting in disabling conditions or
dangerous occurrence shall be reported by
the employer to the Regional Labor Office
 RULE 1050: NOTIFICATION AND KEEPING OF
RECORDS OF ACCIDENT AND/OR
OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS

1. Prescribed form: DOLE / BWC / OHSD-IP-6

(Employers Work Accident/Illness Report)

2. The formal report (2 copies) shall be

submitted by the employer on or before the
20th day of the month following the date of
the occurrence of the accident.
 RULE 1050: NOTIFICATION AND KEEPING OF
RECORDS OF ACCIDENT AND/OR
OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS

3. Prescribed Form: DOLE / BWC / OHSD-IP6B

4. Annual Work Accident / Illness Exposure Data

Report (AEDR)
5. Submitted on or before January 20 of the

following year with or without accident

 FREQUENCY RATE

Frequency Rate (FR) = No. of disabling injury X 1,000,000

Total Employee-Hour Exposure
Frequency Rate (FR) = 10 X 1,000,000
200,000
Frequency Rate (FR) = 50

Assuming:
# of Disabling Injuries = 10
Total Employee Hour of Exposure = 200,000
 SEVERITY RATE
Disabling Severity Rate – the number of days lost and/or
charged per 1,000,000 employee-hours exposure

Severity Rate (SR) = Total days lost X 1,000,000

Total Employee-Hour Exposure

Severity Rate (SR) = (200) X 1,000,000

200,000
Severity Rate (SR) = 1,000
Assuming:
Total days lost = 200
Total Employee Hour of Exposure = 200,000
 COMPUTATIONS FOR FR AND SR
Using the Annual Work Accident / Illness Report Form
Compute for the FR and SR
Group # 1 2 3 4

No. of Workers 100 200 300 400

No. of Disabling Injuries

5 10 15 20
(Excluding Fatalities)

No. of Fatalities 0 1 2 3

No. Days Lost per Injury 4 3 2 1

Employee Hours of Exposure for the Year :

Assumptions:
50 Weeks, 5 Days per Week and 8 Hours per Day
 COMPUTATIONS FOR FR AND SR

Group # 1 2 3 4

100*50*5*8 400*50*5*8
Employee-Hours of 200*50*5*8 = 300*50*5*8 =
= =
Exposure 400,000 600,000
200,000 800,000
Total No. of Disabling
5+0=5 10 + 1 = 11 15 + 2 = 17 20 + 3 = 23
Injuries

Total Days Lost 5 * 4 = 20 10 * 3 = 30 15 * 2 = 30 20 * 1 = 20

Total Days Charged 0 6,000 12,000 18,000

Frequency Rate 25.00 27.50 28.33 28.75

Severity Rate 100.00 15,075.00 20,050.00 22,525.00
 CLEAR POINTS
 Accident investigation is a methodical effort to collect and
interpret the facts of accident in order to explore actions
that should be taken to prevent or minimize its recurrence.

A Formal Policy requiring the proper and consistent

reporting of all accidents is one of the most important
principles of any accident investigation program.

 Every accident is an indication of failure in organization.