Example of an Accident & Incident Investigation Policy

(Topic 7)
This policy outlines the procedures that are to be adopted when any employee, visitor or contractor
experiences an accident, near-miss or dangerous occurrence on the company's premises.
It is the policy of the company to identify and investigate unplanned losses (accidents), their source
and hence their underlying causes.
To enable this obective to be achieved it is imperative that all accidents, irrespective of the resulting
inury or damage, be reported according to the laid down procedures.
In order to avoid misunderstanding, the company deem an accident and near-miss to be defined thus!-
Accident:- "any unplanned event that results in personnel inury or damage to property, plant or
e#uipment.
Near-miss:- "an unplanned event which does not cause inury or damage, but could have done so."
$xamples include! items falling near to personnel, incidents involving vehicles and electrical short-
circuits.
Accident Books
%ll accidents must be recorded in the company's accident boo&s.
These accident boo&s will be reviewed regularly by senior management to ascertain the nature of
incidents which have occurred in the wor&place. This review will be in addition to an individual
investigation of the circumstances surrounding each incident.
%ll near-misses must be reported to the 'afety (anager, as soon as possible so that action can be
ta&en to investigate the causes and to prevent recurrence.
Reporting Procedre!" Employees
). %ll accidents must be entered in the appropriate %ccident *oo& either by the inured person or, if
this is not practical, someone else present at the time.
+. %n accident ,eport form (-art ) only) is also to be completed by the same person who should
then give the form to the Immediate 'upervisor of the inured person.
.. The Immediate 'uperior must then!-
/ote that the accident has occurred.
$nsure that the %ccident *oo& has been correctly and fully completed.
Accident & Incident Investigation
Taken from Safety Manual of E & J W Glendinning Ltd
)
Immediately pass the %ccident ,eport form to the 'afety (anager.
$nter on cloc&card, or other such notification to the 0ages 1epartment, the words
"Inured at 0or&".
2. The 'afety (anager will then!-
$nsure that, where applicable, the re#uirements of the ,eporting of Inuries, 1iseases and
1angerous 3ccurrences ,egulations )445 are met.
6omplete -art II of the 6ompany %ccident ,eport form, recording the findings of the
subse#uent investigation.
1iscuss the accident and the contributory factors with the 1epartmental head
,eport findings to the 1irector responsible for 7ealth 8 'afety and, if necessary, instigate
any disciplinary proceedings.
$nsure the %ccounts 1epartment have been informed that the accident occurred to enable
their procedures to be implemented.
5. The 1irector responsible for 7ealth 8 'afety will then!-
$nsure, so far as reasonably practical, that proper action is ta&en to help prevent the
accident being repeated.
N.B.
1. Investigation of an alleged accident does not necessarily imply that sic& pay will be paid. This
will depend on the result of the investigation.
+. The above is simply the administrative procedure. 6learly it is essential for all concerned to give
priority to the safety and welfare of any inured person and anyone else involved.
Reporting Procedre " #isitors $ %ontractors
%ny non-employee who experiences an accident or near-miss incident whilst on the premises must
report the incident immediately to the person responsible for his or her premises on site. If the person
responsible is not available, the visitor 9 contractor must obtain the assistance of a responsible person
to ensure that the company procedure is adhered to.
%ll inuries must be reported in the accident boo&, however minor. :isitors and contractors who are
unable to enter their account into the boo& must arrange for another person to ma&e an entry on their
behalf. :isitors and contractors should also notify their own employer where applicable.
The 6ompany ta&es the responsibility for notifying reportable accidents under the ,eporting of
Inuries, 1iseases and 1angerous 3ccurrences ,egulations )445, therefore the 6ompany;s 'afety
(anager must be informed immediately.
Reporting Procedre " &amage $ T'eft
%ll accidents 9 incidents which result in the loss or damage of plant, e#uipment or vehicles but not
necessarily personal inury must be recorded on the <1amage or =oss ,eport >orm? and passed to
the 'afety (anager without delay.
Accident & Incident Investigation
Taken from Safety Manual of E & J W Glendinning Ltd
+
0here this incident results in any inury to a third party the 'afety (anager must be informed
immediately as it may be necessary to report the incident by telephone to the 7ealth and 'afety
$xecutive. 'hould the 'afety (anager not be available, due to annual leave, etc this responsibility
will pass to the -roduction 1irector.
(afe (ystem of )ork
%ll incidents and near-miss incidents must be reported, however minor. To achieve this the
following procedure should be adopted.
). $nsure the appropriate report form is completed and forwarded to the 'afety (anager.
+. 3btain treatment for any inury from a first-aider or the local hospital.
.. $nsure that the area is made safe and poses no ris& to other personnel (except where the
accident results in a major injury, in which case the scene should be fenced off and left
undisturbed until adised otherwise by the enforcin! authority".
2. $nter details in the accident boo&.
5. Inform the inured person's manager (or a responsible person) of the incident.
@. Aeep the company informed of any after-effects, including periods of incapacity for wor&.
(*++AR,
%ll personnel on site must report accidents and near-miss incidents whilst wor&ing on behalf of the
company.
The four most important steps are!-
B ensure that all relevant details are reported as soon as possible, in accordance with established
procedures.
B remove residual haCards that may pose a ris& to others.
B >ence off the undisturbed scene of a serious incident pending investigation.
B notify management of incapacity for wor& that results from an inury sustained during a wor&
activity.
Accident & Incident Investigation
Taken from Safety Manual of E & J W Glendinning Ltd
.