MODULE 5 LESSON: Prevention. Learning from Our Accidents Copy

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11151″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Now let’s look at an accident goal, which is making sure the same type of accident doesn’t happen again. Remember when it comes learning from accidents, there are four basic areas to look at.

• Policies
• Training
• Equipment
• Communication

Proper training is always a key element in preventing accidents. If problems have existed with certain types of activities or situations in the past, everyone should be made aware of potential hazards that are associated with those situations and be trained to handle them.

If a situation is hazardous enough your facility may have to put new policies into place or existing policies may have to be updated. This can often take a form of workplace rules or standard operating procedures that everyone must follow.

Many accidents are caused by faulty, or misused equipment

In these cases, the equipment may need to be repaired. If repairs are not possible or if the correct equipment isn’t being used, new equipment may have to be purchased which can also require additional training.

If an accident was the result of faulty communication, people may need to be aware of the factors that can make hearing what a co-worker is saying difficult and how to overcome this. In many cases, the solution to the problem can involved more than one of these four factors.

As you can see, investigating accidents can be an involved process. But the goal of an accident investigation is to determine a cause of an accident and prevent similar accidents again is worth the effort. Let’s review what you can do to help.

Report near misses, because they can teach us a lot about preventing accidents in the future. In the event of the accident remember People’s safety is the top priority. Cooperate with investigators, their goal is to prevent more accidents from occurring. Providing investigators with as much information about an accident as you can. Remember that a root cause analysis is an examination of the entire chain of events that led to an accident, so no detail is unimportant. If you are helping to investigate an accident, look at all four basic areas to look at:

• Policies
• Training
• Equipment
• Communication

A good accident investigation can solve the mystery behind any safety problem and give you a chance to help you and your co-workers stay safe on the job. Time for the next quiz and then on to the last module of this course![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]