The Importance of Effective Incident Follow-Up

Workplace incidents and accidents can be extremely stressful, especially when they lead to serious injuries or fatalities. In these situations, it’s key that employees clearly understand the steps they need to take and the importance of follow-up actions. Although a well-implemented health and safety program can prevent many injuries and accidents, they can still occur. Being prepared and knowing exactly what to do is essential for everyone involved. 

The direct costs associated with a safety program vary by company and industry, typically encompassing workers' compensation premiums, safety-related wages, program development, training, hazard research, personal protective equipment costs, and Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) fines for noncompliance.  

The primary purpose of an incident investigation is to protect lives and implement measures that prevent future occurrences. 

Today, we will discuss the necessary steps for effective follow-up, with a focus on actions that help prevent further incidents. 

Recommend Corrective and Preventive Actions 

For each contributing factor, at least one recommendation should be identified. Sometimes, a broad recommendation can address multiple factors. Recommendations can be categorized as either corrective actions, aimed at fixing hazards, or preventive measures, designed to stop risks from occurring. 

The final step involves developing a set of well-considered recommendations to prevent similar incidents from recurring. Recommendations should: 

• Be specific 

• Be constructive 

• Identify root causes 

• Identify contributing factors 

Avoid the temptation to make only general recommendations for the sake of convenience. For instance, if a blind corner contributed to an incident, instead of simply recommending, "eliminate blind corners," a more effective suggestion would be: 

• Install mirrors at the northwest corner of building X (specific to this incident) 

• Install mirrors at blind corners throughout the worksite as needed (general) 

It is crucial not to recommend disciplinary actions against individuals who may have been at fault. Such actions would undermine the true purpose of the investigation and hinder open communication in future inquiries. Any disciplinary measures should follow standard personnel procedures. 

Investigators often face the challenge of avoiding blame. However, if a thorough investigation reveals that certain individuals were at fault, the goal should be to remedy the situation, not to punish anyone. Failing to acknowledge human errors that contributed to an incident can compromise the quality of the investigation and leave unresolved issues that may lead to future incidents. 

If you cannot determine the causes of an incident with complete certainty, it likely indicates weaknesses in the processes or management systems. In such cases, it is appropriate to make recommendations for correcting these deficiencies. 

Document and Communicate Findings 

Clearly define the expected outcomes for each recommendation and prioritize actions, identifying which should be completed before operations resume. Your final report should focus solely on recommendations directly related to the incident. 

Effectively communicating the gathered information, the lessons learned, and your recommended solutions is essential for preventing future incidents. There are two levels of formal communication in incident investigation: 

1. An official incident investigation report, distributed to safety representatives and management. 
2. A widely distributed document outlining the contributing factors and key lessons learned from the incident, which should be reviewed at all safety meetings and posted on the safety board. 

Do you have a health and safety program in place for your business or organization? If not, contact the Goal Zero team today, and let’s get started!