osha30 accidentinvestigations v6 sg

Introduction

Accident Investigation • One of most important duties of supervising.

– We’ll discuss: • Accident Investigation requirements/guidance. • Why we investigate accidents. • What an accident is. • Details of accident investigation process. • Crisis management planning.

– Approximately 45 minutes.

Introduction

Objectives • Upon completion, the student should:

– Understand what an accident is and be able to identify the different types.

– Know why accident investigations are conducted. Be able to identify different causal factors.

– Understand the process of conducting an accident investigation.

– Know how to gather information. – Know how to develop corrective actions. – Understand the basic principles of crisis management.

Introduction

OSHA’s Position • What’s OSHA’s take on accident / incident

investigations? – “Accident/incident investigation is a tool for uncovering

hazards that were missed earlier or that slipped by the planned controls. But it’s only useful when the process is positive and focuses on finding the root cause, not someone to blame! All accidents and incidents should be investigated. "Near-misses" are considered an incident, because, given a slight change in time or position, injury or damage could have occurred.”

Introduction

OSHA’s Position • Six key questions …

– Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. – “Thorough interviews with everyone involved are

necessary.” – “The primary purpose of the accident/incident

investigation is to prevent future occurrences. Therefore, the results of the investigation should be used to initiate corrective action.”

Introduction

OSHA’s Position • Accident investigation is one element of an

effective safety and health program, which depends on:

• credibility of management's involvement, • inclusion of employees in safety and health decisions, • rigorous worksite analysis to identify hazards and

potential hazards, • stringent prevention and control measures, • thorough training.

Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/accidentinvestigation/safetyprograms.html

Introduction

OSHA’s Position • There are currently no specific standards for

accident investigation. – However, OSHA does have some guidance on the

topic. – Click-on the webpage shown for information that

highlights OSHA standards, preambles to final rules (background to final rules), directives (instructions for compliance officers), and standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards) related to accident investigation.

Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/accidentinvestigation/standards.html

Introduction

Guidance • Accident investigations should …

– Be conducted by trained individuals, and with the primary focus of understanding why the accident or near miss occurred and what actions can be taken to preclude recurrence.

– In large organizations, responsibility may be assigned to the safety director.

– In smaller organizations, responsibility may lie directly with the supervisor.

Introduction

Guidance • Questions to ask:

– What happened? • Investigation should describe what took place that

prompted the investigation: an injury to an employee, an incident that caused a production delay, damaged material or any other conditions recognized as having a potential for losses or delays.

Link: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/dosh_publications/IIPP.html#9

Introduction


– Why did the incident happen? • Investigation must obtain all the facts surrounding the

occurrence: what caused the situation to occur; who was involved; was/were the employee(s) qualified to perform the functions involved in the accident or near miss; were they properly trained; were proper operating procedures established for the task involved; were procedures followed, and if not, why not; where else this or a similar situation might exist, and how it can be corrected.

Introduction


– What should be done? • Person conducting the investigation must

determine which aspects of the operation or processes require additional attention.

• Purpose is not to establish blame, but to determine what type of constructive action can eliminate the cause(s) of the accident or near miss.

Introduction


– What action has been taken? • Action already taken to reduce or eliminate the

exposures being investigated should be noted, along with those remaining to be addressed.

• Any interim or temporary precautions should also be noted.

• Any pending corrective action and reason for delaying its implementation should be identified.

Introduction

Guidance • Corrective action should …

– Be identified in terms of not only how it will prevent a recurrence of the accident or near miss, but also how it will improve the overall operation.

– Will assist the investigator in selling solutions to management.

– Solution should be a means of achieving not only accident control, but also total operation control.

Introduction

Guidance • Safety and health committee members should

… – Review investigations to assist in recommending

appropriate corrective actions to prevent a similar recurrence.

– Thorough investigation of all accidents and near misses will help you identify causes and needed corrections, and can help determine why accidents occur, where they happen, and any accident trends.

Introduction

What is an Accident? – Unplanned – Undesired – Results in:

• Personal injury • Property damage • Environmental impact

– Interrupts the completion of an activity.

Introduction

What is an Accident? • Accidents:

– Are not isolated events. – Have a triggering mechanism. – May have several root causes. – Follow a sequence of events. – CAN BE PREVENTED.

Introduction

Can you identify which of these items are considered to be part of the definition of an accident?

– Saves money [wrong] – Unplanned [correct] – Undesired [correct] – Results in personal injury, property damage,

environmental impact [correct] – Interrupts the completion of an activity [correct] – Affects more than ten people [wrong]

Introduction

Accident Types • Accident types include:

– Slips, trips, falls. – Being struck by or caught in machinery or

equipment. – Lifting, pushing, or pulling. – Body motion. – Contact with hazardous materials. – Repetitive motion. – Motor vehicle accidents.

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Introduction

Why Investigate Accidents? – To learn from past mistakes.

• Determine causal factors. • Evaluate and implement corrective actions. • Change procedures. • Change attitudes. • Communicate lessons learned.

Introduction

Accidents / Incidents to Investigate • Injuries involving:

• Loss of consciousness. • Restriction of motion. • Transfer to another job. • Medical treatment (other than first aid). • Lost time injuries. • Typically includes: cuts, lacerations, punctures, struck

by flying or falling objects, crushing injuries, etc.

Introduction

Accidents / Incidents to Investigate – All occupational illnesses to include:

• Chemical exposures. • Musculoskeletal and repeated trauma disorders • Skin disorders. • Lung disorders (e.g. pneumoconiosis) • Disorders due to physical agents (e.g. noise, thermal

stress, radiation, vibration). • Poisoning. • Occupational infections (e.g. tuberculosis)

Introduction

Accidents / Incidents to Investigate • Near miss incidents require investigation.

– What is a near miss incident? • The ASSE defines a "near miss accident / incident" as an

undesired event that, under slightly different circumstances, could have resulted in personal harm or property damage; any undesired loss of resources.”

• For example consider the two events: – 1) two aircraft pass to near to each other(no collision) or – 2) the accidental release of a hazardous substance where

the immediate results do not include personnel injury, property damage, or obvious environmental harm." but the potential is clearly there.

Introduction

Why Investigate Accidents? – To learn from past mistakes.

• Determine causal factors. [correct] • Determine who to blame [wrong] • Evaluate and implement corrective actions. [correct] • Change procedures.[correct] • Find the culprit [wrong] • Change attitudes. [correct] • Communicate lessons learned. [correct]

Introduction

Direct / Indirect Costs • Direct costs include:

– Medical expenses. – Insurance and compensation costs. – Damage to machines and equipment. – Property damage. – Investigation expenses. – Settlement awards. – Legal expenses.

Introduction

Direct / Indirect Costs • Indirect costs include:

– Lost time to injured worker and fellow workers. – Loss of efficiency and production. – Cost to train and replace worker. – Hardship to employee’s family. – Loss of customers. – Pain and suffering. – Loss of livelihood.

Introduction

Direct / Indirect Costs • Accident costs can be overwhelming:

– Indirect costs are usually 3-10 times greater than direct costs.

General

General Procedures • Superintendent …

– Is responsible for ensuring that an investigation is conducted.

– Why? • Have control of the job and personnel. • Will be held accountable for overall success of the

project. • Has the power to control staffing, manpower, budget

and time.

General

General Procedures • Identification of “causal factors”.

– The objective of any accident investigation is to identify causal factors.

– Causal factors are “all” events, situations, and conditions that result in accidents or incidents in the workplace.

General

General Procedures • Determine immediate causes:

– Circumstances that directly cause the accidents

– Presented in the form of: • Unsafe Acts – people. • Unsafe Conditions – surroundings. • Both

Causal Factors

Basic Causes • Take accident investigation one step

further. – Want to know:

• Why the unsafe act occurred, or • Why the unsafe condition existed.

Causal Factors

Unsafe Acts • “Unsafe acts” defined as:

– Violation of safe operation or procedure. – Committed by the injured employee, another

employee, or a supervisor. Committed by the injured employee, another employee, or a supervisor.

– Performed just prior to the accident.

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Causal Factors

Unsafe Acts • Commonly committed unsafe acts:

– Failure to conduct pre-use inspections of motor vehicles.

– Failure to heed warnings. – Failure to use available personal protection. – Horseplay. – Improper use of equipment.

Causal Factors

Unsafe Acts • Commonly committed unsafe acts.

– Operating at unsafe speed. – Working on “live” equipment. – Improper lifting procedures. – Improper disposal of hazardous material.

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Causal Factors

Unsafe Conditions • “Unsafe conditions” defined as:

• Hazardous characteristics of objects, substances, or the environment.

• Examples of unsafe conditions: – Blocked fire extinguisher. – Defective equipment. – Environmental hazards. – Hazardous method or procedure. – Inadequate guarding. – Poor housekeeping.

Conducting The Investigation

Investigation Personnel – Who should conduct investigations? – Most accidents/incidents can be investigated

by a single individual. – For serious or costly accidents/incidents a

team approach should be considered. • Team may include other employees, upper

management, subcontractors, safety personnel, or outside authorities.


Starting the Investigation • Primary concern is safety / health.

– Provide emergency rescue and medical help. – Don’t compromise responder’s safety. – Take steps to minimize injury and property

damage. – Secure accident scene to make safe.


Starting the Investigation • Additional immediate actions.

– After injured have been taken care of: • Collect information • Determine the extent of damage


Goal of Accident Investigation – Important to understand…

• Goal to prevent recurrence; not to place blame. • Follow a systematic approach. • Consider the severity and complexity. • Review work practices/applicable regulations.

Information Gathering

Questions • Questions to ask yourself:

– WHO? – WHAT? – WHERE? – WHEN? – HOW? – WHY?


Tips! • Investigation tips:

– Visit the accident scene. – Collect the facts. – Interview injured employees. – Interview witnesses. – Note conditions of affected area. – Document all sources of information. – Look for basic causes!!!


Tips! • Identify…

– All employees involved in accident, all eye witnesses, people on the scene leading up to accident, people on scene immediately after accident.

– These are all people that will need to be interviewed to identify the basic causes.


Tips! • Accident Investigation Form:

– The accident investigation needs to be documented. • An accident investigation is not complete until a report is

prepared and submitted. • Special report forms are available in many cases. • Other instances may require a more extended report.

– An accident investigation form may be available from

your workers compensation insurance company, your association, or even your local OSHA consultation office.


Tips! • Accident

Investigation Form: – 1. Background

Information: a. Where and when the accident occurred b. Who and what were involved c. Operating personnel and other witnesses

Accident Investigation Form 1. Background Information 2. Account of the Accident (What happened? 3. Discussion (Analysis of the Accident - HOW; WHY)

4. Recommendations (to prevent a recurrence) for immediate and long- range action to remedy:



– 2. Account of the Accident (What happened?)

• a. Sequence of events b. Extent of damage c. Accident type d. Agency or source (of energy or hazardous material)


– 3. Discussion (Analysis of the Accident - HOW; WHY)

• a. Direct causes (energy sources; hazardous materials) b. Indirect causes (unsafe acts and conditions) c. Basic causes (management policies; personal or environmental factors)

Tips! Accident Investigation Form: • 4. Recommendations (to prevent a recurrence) for immediate and long-

range action to remedy: – a. Basic causes

b. Indirect causes c. Direct causes (such as reduced quantities or protective equipment or structures)


Interviews • When conducting interviews:

– Conduct in private. – Do not assign blame. – Initiate as soon as possible. – Get the facts, not the emotion.


Considerations – Reconstruct the incident. – Contact outside investigators

• Police • Local regulatory agencies • State/Federal – serious injury/illness, fatality or

catastrophe

– Document all sources of information.

Corrective Actions

The Next Step • As superintendent, foreman, etc…

– Make recommendations to prevent recurrence.

– Address immediate and long term actions. – Include a target date for completion. – Ensure that the corrective actions are finished.

Corrective Actions

When Evaluating Corrective Actions • Consider:

– Cost feasibility. – Effect on productivity. – Time required to implement. – Extent of supervision required.

Corrective Actions

In Order to be Effective • Corrective actions must have:

– Acceptance by workers. – Acceptance by managers. – Corrective actions effective in mitigating

and/or controlling the hazard.

Corrective Actions

Once Your Investigation is Complete • Communicate to your crew:

– All relevant facts. – Basic causes. – Lessons learned. – Recommendations for corrective action.

Practical Exercise

An Accident Investigation • Putting accident investigation tips and

techniques together. – Ultimate goal is to develop a strategy or plan to

prevent future recurrences and accidents. – Remember we want to:

• 1. Gather Information, • 2. Analyze the facts, • 3. Implement Solutions to prevent a recurrence of an

incident.

Practical Exercise

An Accident Investigation • Incident Background

– Worker who slipped and seriously bruised his left wrist.

– Cast of characters: • You are the general foreman. • Bruce Holt is the sheetrock foreman and is primarily

responsible for housekeeping and maintenance of the area. • John Smith is a sheetrock laborer and has been on this project

for 1 month. • Mike Powell is the site safety supervisor and has 22 years

construction experience and 6 months on this job.

Practical Exercise

The Problem – Superintendent calls you into his office. Provides accident report

for John Smith, one of the sheetrock laborers. – Accident occurred near the equipment yard. – John was carrying some 20 lb. sacks of sheet rock compound to a

aerial lift. – An area of ankle deep mud, approximately 10 by 3 feet,

developed in the walkway near the aerial lift. – Muddy area actually consisted of water, mud and spilled

sheetrock compound forming a slippery walkway. – John’s right foot stuck in the mud as his left foot slipped, causing

him to fall over against the lift. – John struck his left wrist on the aerial lift, causing a severe bruise.

He lost a day’s work as a result of this accident.

Practical Exercise

The Problem • Superintendent assigns you …

– And the safety supervisor to investigate all the contributing factors to this accident.

– He is determined to find ways to prevent slipping and tripping accidents.

– Your job is to make specific recommendations. – You want recommendations to be both

practical and effective.

Practical Exercise

Question # 1 – You meet with Mike Powell, the safety supervisor to plan

the investigation. You both want to find the contributing factors for this accident.

– Which of the following should you plan to do? Select as MANY as you think are correct. There are 4 answers that we consider correct.

– Interview Bruce Holt, the foreman in the area where the accident occurred.

– Interview John Smith, the injured laborer. – Interview John Smith’s co-workers working near the incident. – Visit the accident scene and examine the area. – Review John’s personnel file in preparation for your investigation. – Attempt to determine if John is a conscientious worker, so you can ask

the right questions.

Practical Exercise

Question # 1 • Answers:

– Correct The foreman’s knowledge and perceptions are important.

– Correct John’s knowledge and perceptions are important. – Correct The co-workers may provide information that is useful

for understanding the factors that contributed to this accident. – Correct Useful information can be obtained by visiting accident

scene. – wrong! You need to investigate the accident first, not the person.

Prejudging the person can prevent finding all contributing factors. – wrong! Asking the right questions should proceed independent of

personalities. You need to investigate the accident first, not the person.

Practical Exercise

Question # 2 – You and Mike decide to interview John, Bruce and John’s

coworkers to determine if John was wearing the proper safety equipment and then visit the accident site.

– You start by talking with John Smith. – John says that he was just trying to do his job and that the

boss wanted the sheetrock compound in a hurry. He says if the boss would keep the area cleaned up, this accident would not have happened.

– Then you ask John, “Why didn’t you clean up the mud hole?” and he says, “The boss didn’t tell me to fix it. It’s not my job!” .

Practical Exercise

Question # 2 – Which of the following are most correct? (hint: 2

correct, 2 incorrect) • John is not responsible for taking care of the mud hole

unless he has specific orders to do so. • John should have informed his foreman about the

hazard and suggested some actions to eliminate the condition or correct it.

• It is John’s responsibility to make the place safe for himself and his co-workers even though he was not specifically directed to do so.

• John needs more training in hazard recognition.

Practical Exercise

Answers to Question 2: – wrong! Regardless of John’s opinion, safety and hazard

recognition and corrective action is John’s and everyone's responsibility when performing a task.

– correct! John should know the job and the hazards better than anyone. He has the responsibility to take the initiate to correct problems and ask for help when needed.

– correct! It is foolish to risk injury to himself simply because the boss failed to tell him to correct a hazard that he could have corrected.

– wrong! John knew the hazards but did nothing to correct them. Some additional training may be helpful, but observing, coaching, frequent monitoring, reminders, and feedback from the foreman are also necessary.

Practical Exercise

Question # 3 – Next you interview Bruce, the Forman, about the

accident. – Bruce says that he sent John, the laborer to move

the sheetrock compound from the supply car to the aerial lift and that since this task is part of John’s job, he gave him no specific instructions. Then he added, “Occasionally mud holes appear when it rains. This one was there for a few days. Since I know that John is somewhat accident prone, I told him to “Be careful!”. John is the only one who was injured.”

Practical Exercise

Questions # 3 – What should you conclude based on the foreman’s

statements? (hint: 2 correct, 4 incorrect) • The accident is John’s fault, due to his not paying attention to

slip and trip hazards. • John is accident prone. • Bruce, the foreman is committed to safety, because he always

reminds his crew to “be careful”. • Bruce, the foreman, was aware of the mud hole and the

hazards it presented at the work site. • You need more information about the details of the accident. • Bruce the foreman did not provide John with adequate task

training for this type of materials handling job.

Practical Exercise

Answers / responses to Question 3 – wrong! You do not have enough information to determine all of the

contributing factors of the accident. Jumping to this conclusion may stop you from looking for additional answers.

– wrong! One should never make this useless judgment. When this judgment is made, people stop looking for contributing factors.

– wrong! Saying “Be careful!” does not demonstrate a serious concern for safety. Actions speak louder than words.

– correct! This should prompt you to ask Bruce how he normally deals with hazards like this.

– ding! At the present time you do not have enough information to make your report.

– buzz! Training records must be examined before you make this judgment. However, having a piece of paper in the file does not guarantee an individual will perform as trained, or that adequate task training took place.

Practical Exercise

Question # 4 – You have decided you need more information. – You look at John’s training record, which shows that John

has received his task training on materials handling. – You, Mike, and Bruce visit the accident site. Bruce tells you

he told John to move 20 sacks of sheetrock compound from the connex box to the aerial lift parked about 40 feet away on the other side of the mud hole. Then, Bruce says he always tells his employees to work safely and take care of unsafe work hazards.

– John says he is extremely interested in preventing accidents and constantly advises his employees about changes in the conditions of the work area.

Practical Exercise

Question # 4 • Which of the following statements are true? (hint: 3 correct, 2

incorrect) – a. The foreman’s perceptions and actions are likely to encourage

John and the other laborers to identify and correct unsafe work conditions.

– The foreman talks safety but ignores his responsibility of correcting the hazard.

– The foreman had a responsibility to instruct John about how to correct the muddy condition and work safely.

– A good foreman is expected to monitor his or her employees frequently.

– The foreman has provided enough instruction and supervision so that John should have been able to perform the job safely.

Practical Exercise

Question 4 answers. – wrong! Bruce needs to assist and direct his workers in correcting

problems, not only by making speeches but by demonstrating through actions.

– correct! Bruce’s actions speak much louder than his words. – correct! John may need more supervision than some laborers,

and he may have needed help in correcting the problem. – correct! A good foreman monitors workers frequently, instructs

and follows up until he or she is confident the person will consistently perform the job in a safe manner.

– wrong! Safe work habits require not only initial instruction, but also observing, coaching, frequent monitoring, reminders, and feedback.

Practical Exercise

Question # 5 – As you examine the work site, you notice the

walkway is dirty, there are roof bolts, broken sheetrock and other debris in the walkway, there are papers and debris around the aerial lift and the equipment in the area is dirty and covered with mud.

– You ask Bruce, “Do you assign specific laborers to specific housekeeping duties?”

– Bruce says, “No, I tell them it’s everybody’s job and everybody’s responsibility”.

Practical Exercise

Questions # 5 – Given this information and Bruce’s response, what

have you established at this point? (hint: 4 correct, 1 incorrect) • Housekeeping in the work area is generally poor. • Accidents involving housekeeping problems will continue to

occur in this area. • In this area, housekeeping will probably continue to be a

subject of discussion but not action. • Because of management’s attention to this accident,

housekeeping in this area will improve. • The housekeeping problem may not be limited to Bruce’s

shift.

Practical Exercise

Question 5 answers. – correct! Specific job assignments are needed so workers know

what to do and who is to do it. – correct! Data from this construction site shows that 15-20% of the

total near miss accidents involve housekeeping as a contributing factor. The rate in this construction area is likely to be higher than elsewhere if housekeeping is not improved.

– correct! Job assignments need to be specific and followed up if housekeeping is to improve and accident rates are to decline.

– wrong! Perhaps, but this is unlikely because the foreman needs to learn some basic supervisory skills in order to become more effective.

– correct! Bruce is not the only foreman who is responsible for this area.

Practical Exercise

Question # 6 – You decide you need more information and review

John’s personnel file and his accident record. – Here’s what you find:

• John has worked as a laborer for 4 years and has 6 reportable accidents in the last two years. Most of these are slipping or tripping and injuries to the hand.

• Interviews with John, his supervisors, and co-workers indicate that he is a good worker.

Practical Exercise

Question # 6 – What can you recommend for John, based not only on what

you find in his safety and health file, but also on your investigation of contributing factors? (hint: 5 correct, 1 incorrect) • An increase in the number of observations of John’s work

practices by you and Bruce may be necessary. • Special attention or training and review of accidents. • Discipline John. • A medical examination. • To provide John feedback that part of his job is to assess safety

hazards before performing tasks. • Remind John it is his responsibility to notify supervisors of

hazards and to correct those hazards under his control.

Practical Exercise

Question 6 answers. – correct! These observations may identify problems with tools,

equipment, work procedures or John’s failure to consider safety in performing tasks.

– correct! This training can start with John thinking about how he could have prevented those accidents and the type of thinking he must use in the responsibility for his own safety.

– wrong! Disciplining an employee after an accident may be counter productive. Monitoring and correcting work habits at the time will be more productive than disciplining in this case. Disciplinary actions may take place if John fails to improve in adopting safe work practices.

– correct! This might reveal a physical or medical condition which could have been a contributing factor in the accident.

– correct! If John is successful in this, it is a first step in helping him assume responsibility and prevent accidents to himself and others.

– correct! This would contribute to reducing John’s accident risk.

Practical Exercise

Question # 7 – Based upon your investigation, which of the following are

contributing factors to John’s accident? (Hint: This is a 2 part question with one incorrect answer). • a. The foremen and crews walked through the mud hole for a week. • Housekeeping was generally poor. • Bruce, the foreman, failed to give specific work instructions to John

concerning the moving of the sheet rock compound and correcting the hazard of the mud hole.

• John’s co-workers ignored the hazard. • No specific plan for housekeeping was in force on in this area. • John has a poor safety attitude. • Bruce, the foreman talked safety, but took little action. • John, the laborer, felt he had little personal responsibility for correcting

the mud hole.

Practical Exercise

Question 7 answers. – correct! Everyone tolerated this situation for a long time. – correct! Specific job assignments with good follow-up by the foreman

could improve this situation. – correct! The hazard should have been corrected earlier and the walkway

maintained. – correct! Any worker on this section on any shift could have easily fixed

the mud hole and prevented the accident. – correct! A good plan would include specific assignments. – wrong! Attitude is very difficult to measure. This is a judgment on your

part and is not factual. – correct! Although Bruce told his workers to “Be careful”, housekeeping

was poor, and the mud hole remained for a week. – correct! This attitude was self destructive and dangerous to John and his

co-workers.

Practical Exercise

Question # 8 – Based on your findings, which of the following recommendations would you make to

the superintendent? (This is a two part question with 2 incorrect answers). • Train the foreman to make safety a specific part of his work assignments and plans. • Remind the foreman of his responsibility to see that unsafe conditions are corrected before

employees begin work. • Have the construction site foreman tour the area with Bruce to identify and describe how to

correct unacceptable conditions. • John and Bruce should review the safe working procedures for this task. • Have the section foreman assign specific areas of responsibilities for housekeeping to each

employee and follow-up on assignments. • Discipline the foreman. • Plan and conduct an investigation for all lost time accidents. • Work the foreman weekends until he gets the message. • You, as the general site foreman, and the safety supervisor should visit the area more

frequently to assess housekeeping conditions and effectiveness of the area foreman. • This accident should be subject of discussion at a future safety meeting.

Practical Exercise

Question 8 answers – correct! The foreman should not assume the employees will automatically think about the safety

aspects of the job. He should instruct employees in recognizing and correcting hazards and monitor their performance.

– correct! Foremen must take action to eliminate unsafe conditions. – correct! This clearly teaches Bruce what to do so that his management and accident prevention skills

can improve. – correct! This is a good opportunity for them to make sure the procedures are current and up to date. – correct! This is a first step in improving housekeeping. Follow-up means checking frequently,

encouraging good performance, and correcting problems. – wrong! This should be used as a last resort to correct his work habits if other measures fail. Not

correcting hazards is not acceptable. – correct! A structured investigation for all lost time accidents is a good safety practice. – Incorrect! If you work him weekends, it would likely alienate him and could lead him to becoming

rebellious. This will not teach him the skills he needs. – correct! Good supervisors at all levels monitor performance and provide constructive feedback. – correct! This is a good opportunity to present a real issue to everyone else on the crew and site.

Practical Exercise

Conclusion – Taking the actions identified earlier we followed

the three basic steps; and • 1. Gathered Information, • 2. Analyzed the facts, and • 3. Identified and implemented solutions to prevent a re-

currence of the incident.

• Doing so you have accomplished your specified objective which was to:

– develop a strategy or plan to prevent future recurrences and accidents.

Crisis Management

Crisis Management • A Crisis can…

– Happen at anytime, anywhere. – All construction sites should be well prepared

for any potential crisis. – Crisis response is an important component of

an overall loss prevention, emergency action and response plan.

Crisis Management

What is a Crisis? • A crisis is an event …

– That occurs suddenly, often unexpectedly, and demands a quick response. A crisis interferes with normal routines and creates uncertainty and stress. A crisis can be a natural event, such as an earthquake or a hurricane, or it can be man-made, such as an explosion, a scandal, or a conflict. Ultimately, it can threaten the reputation of a top official and an organization. A well-managed crisis, however, can not only preserve reputations and credibility but can also enhance them.

Crisis Management

What is a Crisis? • Safety, health or environmental crises include:

– Explosions – Fires – Release and / or threatened release of hazardous

materials – Acts of workplace violence – Serious accidents / injuries – Fatalities and others

Crisis Management

What is a Crisis? • Other potential crises include:

– Civil lawsuits – Violations of the law – Reputational allegations – Activist group activity – Employee matters

Crisis Management

Crisis Stages • Three stages of crisis management:

– Prevention stage. – Preparedness stage. – Recovery stage.

Crisis Management

Crisis Prevention • First stage of good crisis management is

prevention. – Principle behind crisis prevention is that it will

help a company to identify a potential crisis and ward it off before it escalates into a full-scale disaster.

– The wise contractor will have a Crisis Management Plan developed by a Crisis Team.

Crisis Management

Crisis Management Plan • Elements of the Plan.

– Lists of emergency contacts, employees on site, crisis management team members.

– Identified spokespersons and pointers for them – Notification procedures (e.g. victims family) – Safety history / company recognition achievements /

achievements – Media list/Company fact sheet / key employee biographies – Contingency procedures – Training requirements and more.

Crisis Management

Crisis Management Team • Team members often include:

– Team leader – Spokesperson – Public relation person or firm – Project superintendents – Environmental Safety and Health Officer – Company / Project Mangers – Company representatives with responsibilities for

human resources, financial, legal, governmental liaison and security.

Crisis Management

Crisis Preparation • Second stage of crisis management is

preparation. – Being prepared is of utmost importance. – Crisis Management Plan designed to guide you. – How you handle a crisis can determine

whether your organization will survive.

Crisis Management

Recovery and Rebuilding • Third stage of crisis management is…

– Assessing damage and rebuilding – Going through a crisis is never a pleasant

experience, but it can produce some beneficial results.

– This is the time to assess the effectiveness of the plan and make any necessary updates or changes.

Crisis Management

Crisis Planning • Crisis planning should also include:

– Training for the key people in the necessary skills for dealing with and responding to a potential worksite crisis.

– Reference to company procedures. – Involvement of community agencies. – Provisions for the core team to meet regularly to

identify potential crises that pose a risk on the project.

Crisis Management

Crisis Planning • Effective planning / implementation reduces

chaos and trauma. – Plan must include contingency provisions.

• Evacuation and other procedures to protect the workforce and public.

• Identify safe areas for personnel to go in a crisis. • Effective, fool-proof communication system. • Designated roles and responsibilities to prevent

confusion. • Process for securing immediate external support.

Crisis Management

Aftermath of Crisis • Members of the crisis team should…

– Understand natural stress reactions. – Be familiar with how different individuals might

respond to death and loss, including religious beliefs, and cultural values.

– Professionals within community involved to assist individuals who are at risk for severe stress reactions.

Safety Tip Professionals within the greater community should be involved to assist individuals who are at risk for severe stress reactions.

Crisis Management

News Media • General tips for dealing with the news media.

– Have a company spokesperson who should: • Focus on what is being done to stabilize the situation. • Always tell the truth. • Never guess, exaggerate or draw unfounded

conclusions. • Communicate in clear, simple language. • Not get into a debate.

Crisis Management

News Media • General tips for dealing with the news media.

– Do not use “no comment” as a response. – Everything you say is “on the record”. – Do not provide your personal opinions. – Make sure you have all the facts before a detailed

discussion. – Do not speak for other agencies or organizations.

Safety Tip Remember: Getting the facts is a priority

Crisis Management

Crisis Stages • Three stages of crisis management. Can you

select the correct ones from this list? – Anticipation stage [wrong] – Prevention stage [correct] – Duck and run stage [wrong] – Preparedness stage [correct] – Media stage [wrong] – Recovery stage [correct]

Crisis Management

What’s OSHA’s Role? • OSHA’s role with respect to Crises.

– "assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women."

– OSHA has a key role in domestic preparedness and response activities.

– Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/guides/osha_role.html

Crisis Management

OSHA Safety and Health Guides • Blister Agents • Cold Stress • Critical Incident Stress • Earthquakes • Extended/Unusual Work Shifts • Floods • Heat Stress • Hurricanes and Tornados • Nerve Agents • Secondary Explosive Devices • Structural Collapse • Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) • Winter Storms

Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/guides/index.html

Crisis Management

Sources of Information • OSHA and its State Plan partners …

– Help set and implement national safety and health standards for emergency responders.

– Foremost among these standards is the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response standard of 29 CFR 1910.120(q).

– Specialty topics include: Chemical, Biological, Bioterrorism, Radiation, Personal Protective Equipment, Training and Education, Equipment.

Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/index.html

Crisis Management

Be Prepared • Be prepared with a plan. • More info available from:

– US Department of Labor (OSHA) – US Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA) – US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – US Environmental Protection Agency – Independent associations and qualified

consultants.

Final Words

Summary • To learn from past mistakes:

– Investigate All Accidents – Determine causal factors – Evaluate and implement corrective actions – Change procedures – Change attitudes – Communicate lessons learned

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