Become a Skilled Investigator: Explore Essential Training for Accident Investigations
Written by Staff Writer | Edited by Michael Purser
The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) strongly recommends that employers investigate every time workers are injured. The administration also advises careful examination of close calls and near misses that could have caused injuries.
If you are interested in assisting with this important task, incident investigation training can help.
With proper instruction, you can learn how to identify the source of problems and improve workplace safety.
Understanding Accident and Incident Investigation
Responsible employers work hard to prevent and minimize employee injuries. But mistakes happen, meaning people can get hurt at work. The goal of analyses is to identify the root causes behind each occurrence — not to apply fault or blame.
Fatalities, injuries, illnesses — even close calls — all offer learning opportunities. Proper, thorough scrutiny identifies hazards and presents opportunities to improve processes, leading to an overall increase in jobsite protection.
Fundamentals of Worksite Incidents
The goal of scrutinizing after a major occurrence is to determine the root cause or causes. Many people assume that something bad happened because someone was careless or didn’t follow a procedure. While that may be the case, it is rarely the full answer.
Stopping at the first step in the causal chain doesn’t fix the underlying issues that might cause similar problems in the future. A thorough analysis seeks to understand all the factors involved.
A canny investigator can identify shortcomings so everyone involved can do better. OSHA offers several helpful questions that serve as starting points for investigators:
If a procedure or safety rule was not followed, why was the procedure or rule not followed?
Did production pressures play a role, and, if so, why were production pressures permitted to jeopardize safety?
Was the procedure out-of-date or safety training inadequate? If so, why had the problem not been previously identified, or, if it had been identified, why had it not been addressed?
Digging deeper to make important connections is a skill. It takes discipline to resist the natural impulse to stick with the easiest answer. Investigators must adhere to best investigative practices to get to the bottom of every mishap.
Workplace Incident Review Programs and Their Contents
An introduction to incident/accident investigation course should teach you the following:
Understanding how high-quality analyses create a safer jobsite
Participating effectively in basic investigative procedures
Understanding the importance of root cause analysis
Responding to a jobsite emergency or injury
We offer an online program that covers all the major topics required to help you conduct your own. This program shows students how to utilize root-cause analysis to uncover the underlying reasons behind jobsite emergencies. Students also learn a framework for preventing mishaps through procedural changes.
It’s important for companies to maintain a consistent protection instruction regimen — both for compliance reasons and to ensure employees are always up to date with industry best practices. Our Safety Compliance Program is a subscription service that gives you access to crucial safety topics.
Train with OSHA Education Center
Our high-quality online courses help you comply with federal standards while fitting into your busy schedule. That’s why our courses are 100% online — learn when and where you want without the need to attend scheduled classes.
Our programs offer many benefits, including:
Instant access to your Certificate of Completion after finishing
Up to 90 days to complete the program
Audio narration, interactive exercises plus more
24/7 program access from any device with internet access
Automatic progress saving so you can start and stop
Get started by signing up for our Accident Investigation Certificate course now!