Incident Investigation

The Joint Workplace Health and Safety Committee is to be involved in all investigations, and these will include incident/injury investigations, and similarly a Health and Safety Representative will be involved in all investigations, including incident/injury investigations.

The Co-chairs of the Workplace Committee will appoint the member or members of the Committee that shall participate in such investigations.

When involved in incident/injury investigations,an employee member of the Committee or a Health and Safety Representative should follow these steps and/or ensure that the following actions are followed:

  1. First Aid – Make sure that appropriate medical attention is given.
  2. Control of the Accident Scene – Erect barriers, shut down machinery, and follow established procedures.
  3. Witnesses – Locate and identify witnesses and find out what happened.
  4. Planning – Plan the investigation, who will assist you, and the priorities for activity.
  5. Interviews – Do the interviews as soon as possible in a place that is non-threatening for the interviewees.
  6. Physical Evidence – Take photographs, draw block diagrams, and decide whether materials or equipment needs to be tested.
  7. Analysis – Figure out what happened.
  8. Report – Complete and present your report to the Joint Workplace Health and Safety Committee, to the Union, to all who helped in the investigation, and to the member who had the accident/injury.
  9. Recommendations – Make recommendations and if immediate steps can be taken to improve conditions, push to have them initiated immediately.
  10. Follow-up – Establish a timetable for the implementation of your recommendations through the Committee or with the Employer (in the case of a Representative) and push to make sure it is followed.

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September 13, 2013