Investigating an Accident

When an accident is investigated, an On-the-job Injury Report Form should be used. Report forms are available in each department from the department or the corporate office of the company. It is important to complete this investigation while facts are current. In addition to completing the injury report form, detailed notes should be taken asking open-ended questions to establish the who, what, why, when, where, and how of the accident. When practical, the worker should be taken to the scene of the accident and reconstruct what happened. Coworkers or witnesses, in private, would be asked about what happened. It is important to establish if the injured worker’s pre-existing medical conditions or off-the-job activities may have played a part in the accident.