HSE publishes new guidance on accident investigation

HSE Press Release: E094:04 - 8 July 2004

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published new guidance on how to investigate accidents and incidents, including near misses.

The guidance, which was prepared in consultation with industry, unions and health and safety professional bodies, is intended as a first step in introducing organisations to the benefits of carrying out investigations and the methods by which accidents should be recorded, investigated and the findings acted upon.

The guidance is aimed primarily at small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) where it is often difficult to build up an expertise in investigating, although larger organisations may also find it helpful.

No previous expertise is needed to use the workbook and guidance notes that take the user step-by-step through the investigating process from start to finish and includes worked examples and blank template forms for accident analysis.

The four steps featured in the guidance are:

• the gathering of information;
• the analysing of information;
• identifying risk control measures;
• and the action plan and its implementation.

Jonathan Russell of HSE's enforcement policy branch, said: "To have one accident is bad enough, but to have a further accident because lessons were not learnt is inexcusable. HSE believes that the best people to make workplaces safer are the staff and managers who work in them. By producing this guidance we aim to provide a tool for them to find out what went wrong, learn lessons and take action to reduce, or hopefully prevent, accidents in the future."

Copies of 'Investigating accidents and incidents - a workbook for employers, unions, safety representatives and safety professionals' (HSE Ref. HSG245) are available from HSE Books, ISBN 0 7176 2827 2, price £9.50.

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