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Task 7: Investigating Incidents

Question 7

You have decided that the recent accident, when a worker’s leg was broken, needs to be investigated.

Decide what level of investigation (minimal, low, medium, high) is appropriate in this case, clearly justifying each step you take
that leads to your decision.

Marks: 10

Note: You should reference the likelihood and consequence criteria described in HSG245. You should support your answer, where
applicable, using relevant information from the scenario.

As it is decided to carry out the investigation of a recent accident, now the level of the investigation has to be decided.

From Document HSG245 it is found that the level of investigation is based upon

1- Likelihood (Certain, Likely, Possible, Unlikely, Rare)

2- Possible Consequences (Minor, serious, Major, Fatal)

a) From the Likelihood criteria described in HSG as shown in figure below

In Recent cases; the likelihood for a similar incident to occur again falls into “certain” or “likely”
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As it is written
“certain: it will happen again and soon”
“likely: it will reoccur, but not as an everyday event;”

So there are two parts

1- It will happen again or It will Reoccur
2- It will happen soon or not as an everyday event

For the first part “it will happen again or It will reoccur” let’s decide

Now from the scenario, it is obvious that it is repeated and a similar incident has been occurred in past too.

Also from the scenario, it comes out that the labor inspector thinks that it is only a matter of time (this phrase is used when
something is certain to happen) before workers are more seriously injured or even killed in the warehouse.

Obviously, he shared his views on the basis of his observations in the workplace regarding the likelihood of the reoccurrence as it
is
also repeated.

Coming to the Second part that “ it will happen soon” or “not as an everyday event”

It is also evident from the scenario that workers told that such incidents and near misses happen frequently so it can be expected
soon from past incident history

but no one reported it as a daily routine and neither record is found so better to choose “it will
not as an everyday event”.

Conclusion: the likelihood of the reoccurrence is “Likely”

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b) Now moving towards second Part “Potential worse consequence of this event”
The recent incident resulted into
“major injury/ill health: (as defined in RIDDOR, Schedule 1), including fractures”

A leg has been broken from the incident.

But Inspector thinks that it may also result in Fatality in the future and that is very obvious too. So consequence can also lie in the
“Fatal” category on the basis of scenario.

But the question is related to deciding on the basis of the recent accident so potential
the outcome was a Major injury

Conclusion: Potential Consequence is Major Injury

So using HGC245 following decision has been taken

“Level of the investigation will Be HIGH”

Answer-  A A high level of investigation would be taken in this case

Likelihood of recurrence

Certain, Likely, Possible, Unlikely, Rare

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The potential worst consequence of the adverse event

Minor, Serious, Major, Fatal

Likelihood is very likely, since many such incidents have occurred in the past as given in the scenario.

Consequence is Major or can even be fatal, as collision with FLT broke his bone which required 6 weeks of medical care and there
are possibilities for more severe injury and even fatality.

A high-level investigation will involve a the team-based investigation, involving supervisors or line managers, health and safety
advisers, and employee representatives. It will be carried out under the supervision of senior management or directors and will look
for the immediate, underlying, and root causes.

A high the level investigation will help function as reactive monitoring and analyze trends. It will focus on root cause analysis and
prevent it in the future. It will also give an idea on what new control measures to implement, which in this case was to appoint an
external contractor to design the dedicated pathways. It will also help to find the costs behind the accident, to comply with legal
requirement considering the level of the accident, to initiate disciplinary actions against workers who were involved or in breach and
to process claim from an insurance agency