Accident Investigation in the Workplace

Accidents are a reality of life, and it is impossible to prevent all accidents. However, an investigation usually follows when an accident occurs in the workplace. The investigation aims to determine the cause of the accident and identify areas of improvement and ways to prevent similar misfortunes in the future.

Accident Investigations are a Legal Requirement
If an accident occurs at your place of work, you are legally required to investigate the incident. This is specifically done under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Employers must have a plan in place for investigations of accidents. They should select trained staff members and have instructions available to them. Safety representatives should also be present during these investigations. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Health and Safety Executive and local authorities can also check in your business and make sure everything is up to code.

In the event of an accident or near miss, employees should report the incident to their line managers. Managers will conduct investigations and ensure appropriate corrective measures are taken.

Investigation policies and management procedures should be produced and made known to all relevant staff. This will ensure that the company has a clear understanding of the consequences of a breach and that proper protocols are followed.

Importance of Safe Working to Prevent Accidents
A safe working environment is one where no one has to worry about a serious or fatal injury while doing their job. While this is ideal, safety can be hard to maintain if not given deliberate attention. The following are the reasons why workplace safety is paramount:

• Reduce the risk of accidents
  Accidents can cause injuries that require medical treatment, time off work, and even disability or death.
• Increases productivity
  Workers who are injured or sick have to take time off work. Additionally, their performance suffers when they return if their injury limits what tasks they can perform or how quickly they can do them.
• Improves employees’ morale
  Accidents are also detrimental to employee morale and may lead to poor performance or even high turnover rates if left unattended.
• Helps avoid legal issues
  Accidents can lead to legal proceedings against your company. This can cost thousands of pounds, which might put the company out of business altogether!

TSS adheres to all H&S legislation and best practice and has robust procedures in place to reduce the risk of accidents and, should an accident happen, investigate it thoroughly, implementing any necessary protocols to prevent reoccurrence.