Effective Accident Investigation and Reporting in EHS

Accidents are unplanned and unintentional events that result in harm or loss to personnel, property, production, or nearly anything that has some inherent value. Accidents are rarely simple and almost never result from a single cause. Most accidents involve multiple, interrelated causal factors. Accidents can occur whenever significant deficiencies, oversights, errors, omissions, or unanticipated changes are present. Any one of these conditions can be a precursor for an accident; the only uncertainties are when the accident will occur and how severe its consequences will be.

To conduct a complete accident/incident investigation, the factors contributing to an accident, as well as the means to prevent accidents, must be clearly understood. Management prevents or mitigates accidents by identifying and implementing the appropriate controls and barriers. Accidents occur when one or more barriers in a work system, including procedures, standards, and requirements intended to control the actions of workers, fail to perform as intended. The barriers may not exist, may not be adhered to, or simply may not be comprehensive enough to be effective. Personal performance and environmental factors may also reduce protection.

Understanding how to prevent or control accidents requires an understanding of the sequence of events leading to an accident in order to identify and implement countermeasures that contain risks.

The purpose of this course is to provide those responsible for conducting accident investigations with practical, detailed advice on conducting these investigations. The course provides in-depth guidance, as well as specific tools and techniques that will facilitate the investigation process.

Who should attend?

The course is ideal for anyone involved in accident investigation, including:

• Line Managers and Supervisors

• Site and Project Safety Officers

• Safety Professionals

• Safety Representatives

• Occupational health professionals

• Human resources professionals