1Preserve/DocumentScene2CollectInformation3DetermineRootCauses4ImplementCorrectiveActionsUnitedStatesDepartmentofLaborOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministrationDecember2015iTABLEOFCONTENTSPURPOSEOFTHEGUIDE–WHYINVESTIGATE?...............................................................................................1PRINCIPLESOFINCIDENTINVESTIGATIONS.....................................................................................................1TheLanguageofIncidentInvestigations..................................................................................................1InvestigateAllIncidents,Including“CloseCalls”......................................................................................2InvestigatePrograms,NotBehaviors........................................................................................................3FocusontheRootCauses,NotBlameorFault.........................................................................................4ESTABLISHANINCIDENTINVESTIGATIONPROGRAM.........................................................................................4CONDUCTINCIDENTINVESTIGATIONS–AFOUR‐STEPSYSTEMSAPPROACH..........................................................6Step1.Preserve/DocumenttheScene.....................................................................................................7Step2.COLLECTINFORMATION......................................................................................................................8Step3.DETERMINEROOTCAUSES..................................................................................................................9Step4.IMPLEMENTCORRECTIVEACTIONS.....................................................................................................10RESOURCES...........................................................................................................................................12REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................14APPENDIXA:INCIDENTINVESTIGATIONFORM....................................................................................................A‐1APPENDIXB:INCIDENTINVESTIGATOR’SKIT.......................................................................................................B‐1APPENDIXC:TIPSFORVIDEO/PHOTODOCUMENTATION......................................................................................C‐1APPENDIXD:SKETCHTHESCENETECHNIQUES...................................................................................................D‐1APPENDIXE:COLLECTINFORMATIONCHECKLIST.................................................................................................E‐1APPENDIXF:SAMPLEQUESTIONSFORIDENTIFYINGINCIDENTROOTCAUSES...........................................................F‐1DISCLAIMER:ThisguidewasdevelopedbyOSHA'sDirectorateofTrainingandEducationandisintendedtoassistemployers,workers,andothersastheystrivetoimproveworkplacehealthandsafety.Thisguideisadvisoryinnatureandinformationalincontent.ItisnotanewstandardorregulationanddoesnotcreateanynewlegalobligationsoralterexistingobligationscreatedbyOSHAstandardsorregulationsortheOccupationalSafetyandHealthActof1970(OSHAct).PursuanttotheOSHAct,employersmustcomplywit...
