Summary
Why report an accident or near miss? In the event of a near miss, no one was hurt so why create a fuss? If the injury is slight and just needs a plaster, why bother?
If you are at work, it is a legal requirement to report certain types of injuries to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE on-line reporting portal found here).
This is not always the case if you are a volunteer at your cricket club. Irrespective of your employee/volunteer status, the advantages of reporting incidents remain the same. Some may tell you cost is a factor, it is. Some may tell you the moral obligation is a factor, it is. The single and most overriding reason for reporting an incident is:
We want to prevent a recurrence.
Nothing can be more negligent than suffering a repeat incident. By reporting the incident an investigation can be conducted and corrective action taken to prevent someone else from getting hurt.
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Before we look at how we can do this let first look at some definitions:
Hazard: Something with the potential to cause harm. This could be an unsafe condition (a bypassed Operator Presence Control) or an unsafe act (Someone driving a tractor irresponsibly). Accident: An unwanted and unplanned event resulting in an injury. e.g., a tool falling from a scaffold hitting a person and causing an injury. Near Miss: An unwanted and unplanned event that did not result in an injury, but, if the circumstances were slightly different it could have. e.g., a tool falling from a scaffold narrowly missing a person, but if the person were stood slightly to one side it would have hit them. Root Cause: the fundamental reason for the occurrence of an incident. The reason an unsafe act or condition existed e.g., the tool fell from the scaffold because the person did not follow rules, because they were rushing, because they were not given enough time to do the job safely. In this case ‘time’ is the root cause.Â
Reporting and Recording
If we do not report accidents or near misses, then we will never learn from them. The reporting of an incident should also be the trigger for an investigation.
Put a process in place for reporting incidents. One way to do this is to secure the first aid box so only first aiders can access it. That way, if a plaster is needed the first aider issues it and can then record the incident details for investigation. Or place highly visible instructions on, or in the first aid box to ‘administer first aid, then ensure it is entered in the accident book.’
Also, it is good practice to foster the culture for reporting near misses, an incident that did not result in injury but very easily could have. Near misses should also be investigated.
Recording the incident will provide a written record for the injured person and also the responsible person should it be required later.
Incident records should be kept for at least 3 years (longer in some COSHH incidents) and must be kept in line with current GDPR legislation. Note if the incident involved a person under 18 years of age, then keep the report for 3 years after the person’s 18th birthdate.
It is recommended you have a GDPR compliant accident book, kept in a secured place with limited access.
Investigation
Only by investigating incidents, will you be able to identify the root cause and then apply relevant controls to prevent a recurrence.
There are many ways of doing this, perhaps the simplest method is to ask ‘Why?’ 5 times
5 Whys Example
Commonly, asking why five times can lead us to most root causes – but we could need as few as two or as many as fifty ‘Whys.’
Example:Â First, a member of our grounds management staff presents a problem: My arm hurts and I have a blister? This is our First WHY. First answer: Because I checked the oil on the ride on mower while the engine was hot.
Second why: Why was the engine hot?
Second answer: I just finished mowing the pitch.
Third why:Â Why did you not let it cool down? Third answer: Because I would normally let it cool over lunch, but I was in a rush to get on with my next job. Fourth why:Â Why were you in a rush? Fourth answer: Because I did not have time, to do all the jobs.
Fifth why:Â Why did you not have enough time?
Fifth answer: We are one person down due to sickness.
After these five questions, we discover that the root cause of the burn was most likely from a lack of workforce due to sickness. In the future, we could reduce the risk of this type of injury by making sure work is planned and we have sufficient cover for sickness and absence.
The 5 Whys serve as a way to avoid assumptions. By finding detailed responses to incremental questions, answers become clearer and more concise each time. Ideally, the last Why will lead to a process that failed, one which can then be fixed.
Think of each question as a domino, when you identify the domino you can affect, then stop asking why. Put your control in place and prevent dominos toppling to an undesirable conclusion.
Remember:
Investigating near misses is as important as investigating accidents. After all, if the conditions were slightly different, an injury could easily have been the outcome.
Also, when conducting an investigation, do not concentrate on the actual outcome, consider what the outcome would have been if the circumstances were slightly different.
Finally, ensure your investigation is proportionate to the potential injury.
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