Checklist For Incident Investigations: WWW - Reading.ac - Uk/safety
Checklist For Incident Investigations: WWW - Reading.ac - Uk/safety
Checklist For Incident Investigations: WWW - Reading.ac - Uk/safety
This Checklist is an abstract from University Safety Guide 9 – Incident Reporting and Investigation.
Further copies together with an Incident Investigation Report Form are available from the health
and safety website www.reading.ac.uk/safety ‘Forms’ Pages.
• Has anything similar happened before? Check the accident book, ask around
• Has the problem been mentioned before, when, by whom, what action was taken?
• Was this risk known and had a risk assessment been completed for this activity / substance /
these premises, is it suitable and sufficient?
• Were University or local guidelines, policies or rules being followed?
• What control measures and safety equipment were identified by the risk assessment – are they
still in place and effective (were the individuals doing the work aware of these)?
• Are any management or supervision failures evident?
• Was communication between the relevant parties adequate and effective?
4. Establish whether the initial management and emergency response was adequate
• Was the initial response to the incident by the University prompt and effective? Consider the
actions taken to make the situation safe, or to deal with any continuing risks
• Was the response to the incident by the Emergency Services or other external agencies, prompt
and effective?
• Was the fire fighting and first aid response suitable, were correct spillage procedures known and
followed?
• Was the incident promptly reported to the relevant parties (if not, why not)?
• How was the injured person treated and supported –was this adequate?
• Were the needs of witnesses adequately addressed (de-briefing, counselling etc)?
Remember:
• Always talk to the injured person and witnesses to get their account of events
• Verify the facts – do not make assumptions about what happened
• The most important thing is not to apportion blame, but to learn from our mistakes, so as to
continually improve health and safety standards.