Example of an accident situation investigation
Liisa is walking down the stairs at the workplace when suddenly the lights go out. Liisa does not see that the distance between the stairs at the lowest stair is different from the rest. She stumbles and tries to catch the railing. The railing is loose and does not provide Liisa with adequate support, so she falls and hurts her hand.
Liisa discusses the accident with her supervisor. The health and safety representative and occupational health and safety officer also participate, as has been agreed. It was concluded that the sudden darkness caused the accident and the lamp had already been replaced as a corrective measure.
Are there other ways the accident could have been avoided?
- Why did the light suddenly go out? Later it was found out that the light had been blinking before but nobody had reported it and replacement had not been ordered.
- Why did the railing swing and contribute to the fall? The railing had been secured with the wrong kinds of brackets and, according to the safety observations made, the same problem had been detected in other staircases, too. Since railings are an important part of the safety of staircases, it was decided that the brackets of all railings would be replaced with better ones.
- Why is the distance between stairs different in one place? Was everyone aware of it? In practice, changing the structures is not possible in this case. That is why it is important to think of other ways to ensure safe passage also in exceptional situations, for example, with an emergency light during a power cut.
Other questions arising during the investigation include:
- Why did Liisa not hold on to the railing?
- Why was Liisa walking on the stairs?
- Was Liisa wearing appropriate footwear?
Main points to clarify in an investigation:
What happened?
- What was being done when the accident occurred? Was it normal operation or an incident, for example?
- The sequence of events should be described step by step
Why did it happen?
- What were the causes behind the event?
- Once you have found the immediate causes, ask a few times more why the causes were there and what enabled their causes? We can easily say that a person fell because there was no railing, but we often forget to find out why there was no railing.
- How can a similar situation be prevented in the future? What measures will be taken so that the causes which led to the accident can be removed?
Employee competence improves occupational safety
To make working at your company as smooth as possible, you need to be able to flexibly change practices in unexpected situations. Competence as well as proper induction and guidance are an essential part of your company’s safety and the development of the professional skills of your employees.
When the work is performed correctly using the appropriate auxiliary and protective equipment, the possibility of an accident is reduced. So remember to encourage your employees to always ask if something is unclear.
In addition to informing employees about their new work duties, remember to cover the following issues:
- Any hazards related to work or working conditions
- Appropriate and safe use of tools
- What to do in the event of an incident
- Any protective equipment required at work
- How to perform tasks safely
In addition to new employees, also pay attention to the induction of established employees, where necessary. Induction is needed, for example, when an employee returns to work after a long absence, the duties or work methods change or new tools are introduced.