Accident Prevention

ACCIDENT
PREVENTION

SAFETY THOUGHT
Preventable
accidents, if not
prevented due to
our negligence, is
nothing short of
a murder ”.
“Dr.S. Radhakrishnan

THE SIMPLEST
MEANING IS THE
PREVENTION OF
ACCIDENTS &
THE LOSSES
THEREAFTER.

What is safety
No

injuries
No accidents
No place for unplanned activity
All activities well defined
Every one knows his job well
Operating excellence
Every one takes pride in doing his job
well.

Safety:

Freedom from
Unacceptable risk of Harm is
safety

 Safety:



Hazard:

Source, Situation or Act having
potential to cause an injury


Risk:

Probability of an event (P) x
Consequences (C)

FUNDAMENTALS OF SAFETY

• Positive framework
responsibilities.

of

mind

for

safety

• Hazard is an inherent part of human existence;
however they are preventable at the first place.
• Ensuring integration of OHS requirements at
planning stage
• Accidents do not just happen; they are caused.
This is what an organization and an individual
must believe
• OHS Management is principally prevention of
unsafe conditions and prevention / control of
unsafe acts (Prevention makes strong
business sense)
(c) 1999 Eqms India (P) Limited, Delhi

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES - SYSTEMS
Engineer / Supervisor
 enforce

safety rules, safety work permit system,
exercise close supervision on workmen, ensure
competence and discipline
 take immediate corrective action on any unsafe acts
and/or unsafe conditions are noticed/reported
 explain in detail the specific hazard and safety
measures in case of jobs being assigned to workmen
and ensure safety
 ensure availability and use of appropriate PPE by the
workmen
 create a safety work culture among all the workmen
under his control
 impart proper and specific safety knowledge and
awareness and rules and regulations among
employees

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES - SYSTEMS
 ensure

that all hazards are eliminated, all passages,
stairways, entrances and exits are clear and safe in all
respects
 set himself, as an example of excellence in safety
observance for others to emulate
 ensure prompt reporting and a thorough investigation of
all accidents and near misses in the prescribed form and
suggest remedial measures to avoid recurrence
 ensure regular contact with persons working in isolated
places and ensure their safety and prompt attendance in
case of any mishap
 inspect regularly and ensure that all tools, equipment and
machinery are in sound and safe condition
 take immediate corrective measure on any lapse on the
observance of safety measures

Safety Excellence
It

occurs only when
supervisors, managers
and executives
demonstrate their value
through actions and
then, being credible,
ask workers to help
improve the system.

ACCIDENT
Unplanned

and unexpected event
giving rise to injury, ill health,
death and damage to property,
damage to environment or any
combination of these.
◦ Reportable accident
◦ Non reportable accident

UNFORESEEN & UNEXPECTED OCCURENCES THAT
INTERRUPT THE REGULAR WORK WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT
CAUSE INJURIES TO PERSONS OR DAMAGES TO PROPERTIES.

 ACCIDENTS DO NOT HAPPEN - THEY ARE
CAUSED
1. REPORTABLE ACCIDENTS - MORE THAN 48 HRS.
2. NON REPORTABLE ACCIDENTS - LESS THAN 48
HRS.

ACCIDENT vs. Injury
Accident

is an undesired incident which
may or may not result into injury.
Injury is always a result of some
Accident.
Our focus should be on eliminating
accidents, and in particular to avoid
injuries altogether.
Eliminating accidents 100% may not
be possible.
Eliminating injuries 100% is definitely
achievable.

ACCIDENTS
STATISTICS

ACCIDENTS
STATISTICS

Foundation of a lost time
injury
Deaths -No data
Lost work day cases
-1
{*}
Medical attention cases -10 {*}
First aid cases -100 {*}
Near miss cases
-1000
Unsafe behaviors or conditions
-10,000
{*}has been proved by extensive
research

Most process and
personal
incidents, injuries and
accidents are caused
by
unsafe acts and
behaviors,
& not merely by

76% injuries are only due to unsafe
acts.
20% due to unsafe acts and unsafe
conditions both.
4% are due to unsafe conditions.

Causes of injuries
Unsafe

◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

acts involving

Body position…………………..…30%
Tools and equipment…………..….28%
Actions of another………………...14%
Not using Protective Equipment.….12%
Procedures and Housekeeping…….12%

Total

from unsafe acts…………...96%
Total from other causes…………...4%

Examples
Behavior

◦ Walked down stairs without
using handrail;lost balance and
fell
Behavior and conditions
◦ Walked on water/oil covered
slippery ground, slipped and
fell, broke ankle and hand.
Conditions
◦ Food poisoning at a seminar.

Risk perception with time
Lack

of risk perception / reduction in risk
perception is responsible for accidents
resulting into severe injuries.

Risk

perception reduces with time if there
are no accidents/injuries.

Risk

perception is Safety Attitude.

Safety

norms are followed only if the risk is
perceived. Education/information is
important.

This

has to be developed and maintained in
the management as well as the employees.

Risk Perception

Serious
accident/incid
ent
Rules and
safeguards devised
here may be
violated, when risk
perceptions decay
with passage of
time

Time

COMMON ORGANIZATIONAL
PROBLEMS WHICH IMPEDE SAFETY

Management

interpretation that safety can be

hired.
Tolerance
Priority

of unsafe behavior by management.

to “business” over safety.

Enforcement

of rules – (different standards)

Responsibility/Accountability

is not defined

clearly/ demonstrated pro-actively
Champions

in safety initiatives lose interest.

Behavior improvement model
 Every
 No

one likes to be appreciated.

one has all the good things.

 Every

one has something good or bad.

 It

is very difficult to change behavior of
people. It is one of the most difficult jobs.

 To

change the behavior of people is a
challenge.

 This

can be achieved slowly but surely.

 Organized,

concerted and conscious efforts
from all management personnel is
required.

Look for safe behavior
Body

position, eyes on work, eyes on path,
lifting practice, holding practice,

Work

condition, selection of tools, use of
tools , labeling, proper tags, permits well
prepared, work area free of trip, slip
hazards, signs, barricading, lighting,
ventilation, fall protection,

PPE

condition, use of eye/face protection,
helmet, respirators, N2 blanketing, earthing.

Cause of Accident
Unsafe

Conditions

Unsafe

Actions

Personal

Causes

Proximate

Causes

Green Triangle
For Safety

HEINRICH THEORY
Analysis

of 75000

accidents
98%
were
preventable
10 % were due to
unsafe
physical
and
mechanical
conditions
88% were due to
unsafe acts

HEINRICH ANALYSIS
OF ACCIDENTS
1

ACCIDENT

29

NEAR ACCIDENT

300

INCEDENTS

HEINRICH ACCIDENT
PREVENTION

Ancestry &
Social
environment

Fault of
persons

Unsafe act
(or) unsafe
condition

Accident

Injury












UNSAFE CONDITIONS
Unsafe storage of materials
Defective Machines & Tools
Unsafe floors & passage
Unsafe Electrical wiring & fittings
Unsafe Lifting & Transport Machines
Unsafe Pressure Vessels
Working on Heights
Improper Personal Protective
Equipments
Unsafe House Keeping
Unsafe Waste disposal

UNSAFE ACTIONS











Disregard to Safety Rules &
Procedures
Working without authority
Unsafe speed of action
Making Safety Devices inoperative
Sleeping in the work place
Playing & Teasing in the work place
Quarreling with the co-workers &
supervisors
Smoking in work place
Eating in work place
Intoxication with Alcohol or Drugs

UNSAFE ACTIONS











Disregard to Hygiene & Cleanliness
Improper work Dress
Failure to use Personal Protective
Equipments
Using improper tools
Using tools improperly
Joy Ride on material handling machines
Working on roofs without Safety
Equipments
Improper handling of materials & machines
Unsafe use of electrical equipments & tools
Cleaning & Lubricating machines in motion

PERSONAL FACTORS







1. Good Physical condition
( Good Food, Sleep & Habits )
2. Good Mental condition
( Correct thinking, avoid anger,
envy, greed & worry )
3. Good Social Relationship
( Good Friends, Social Service etc.)

WHY TO PREVENT
ACCIDENTS?
Legal

responsibility
Moral responsibility
Loss of production
Avoid bad publicity
Economic losses

YOUR SAFETY - YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

USE YOUR PPE

YOUR HANDS ARE GODS GIFT
DO NOT LOSE THEM

© 2002 Eqms

EQMS India (P) Limited, Delhi.

DON’T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU
© 2002 Eqms

EQMS India (P) Limited, Delhi.

COST OF ACCIDENT
The

monetary
losses
associated
with
an
accident
or
incident. 
◦ Direct cost
◦ Indirect costs.

Cost of Accidents:
The Iceberg Effect
On average, the indirect
costs of accidents
exceed the direct
costs by a 4:1 ratio

DIRECT COST
Medical

cost
Compensation
cost

INDIRECT COST
Building

Damage
Tool and equipment damage
Product and material damage
Production delays and interruptions
Legal expenses
Expenditure on Emergency supplies
Interim equipment rental

INDIRECT COST
Investigation

time
Wages paid for lost time
Cost of hiring and/or training
replacements
Overtime
Extra supervisory time
Decreased output of injured worker
Loss of business and goodwill

Cost of the ACCIDENT
DIRECT COST

INDIRECT COST

SUFFERINGS

Medical Expense

Loss of production

Physical Suffering

Compensation

Damage to Machines

Mental Suffering

Unproductive wage

Loss of Materials

Family Suffering

-------------

Legal Expense

--------------

-------------

Loss of Morale

--------------

-------------

Loss of Reputation

--------------

20 %

80 %

Cannot be
Compensated

ARM SLEEVE

GLOVES

SAFETY SHOES

GOGGLES

APRON

CANISTER MASK

EAR PLUG

DUST MASK

HELMET

NITRILE GLOVES

DUST MASK

FACE SHIELD

ACCIDENT PREVENTION
PREREQUISITES

◦ Strong commitment from top
management.
◦ Good safety program.
◦ Established safety culture.
◦ Safety accountability in place

ACCIDENT PREVENTION
BENEFITS

◦
◦
◦
◦

Reduced injury claims
Improved employee job satisfaction
Lower insurance premiums
Improved quality

ACCIDENT PREVENTION
THREE

BASIC STEPS

◦ Hazard identification
◦ Elimination of unsafe act
◦ Elimination of unsafe condition

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
Checklist
Employee

observation
Safety audit

UNSAFE ACT
The

actions of a person in a
manner which vary from the
accepted
or
legislated
safe
practice and create a hazard to
either
themselves,
another
person, or equipment.

UNSAFE ACT

UNSAFE ACT

UNSAFE ACT

UNSAFE ACT

UNSAFE ACT

UNSAFE ACT

UNSAFE ACT

UNSAFE CONDITION
A

condition in which something
exists that varies from a normal
accepted safe condition and, if
not corrected, could cause injury,
death, or property damage.

UNSAFE CONDITION

UNSAFE CONDITION

ELIMINATE UNSAFE ACT
Personal

adjustments
Education and Training
Supervision
Discipline

ELIMINATE UNSAFE
CONDITION
Design
Guarding

/ Fencing
Control measures or isolation
Maintaining
safe
working
condition of
plant /
tool /
machine / work environment

SAFETY
PHILOSOPHY
All

injuries

are
preventable.

SAFETY
PHILOSOPHY
Management

has
the
responsibility
for
preventing
personal
injuries.

SAFETY
PHILOSOPHY
It

is
to

possible
safeguard
all operating
exposures
that
may
result
in
injuries.

SAFETY
PHILOSOPHY
It

necessary
train all
work safely.

is
to
to

SAFETY
PHILOSOPHY
It

is
good
business
to
prevent
personal
injuries on the
job and off the
job.

SAFETY
PHILOSOPHY
Safety

is a
condition of
employment.

Accident
Investigation

WHAT IS AN ACCIDENT?
• What is an accident?
o
o

Any unexpected event
Some may even be good

• Does an accident always involve an
injury?
• Does an injury always involve an
accident?

What Is An Accident?

Accidents
• Accident
o

Any unplanned event that results in
 Personal injury
 Property damage

Accidents
• Usual causes
o

Failure of people, equipment, supplies, or
surroundings to behave or react as
expected

WHY INVESTIGATE?
• Why investigate?
o

To PREVENT injuries

• Investigations should not be witch
hunts
If results show need for discipline, fine
But.....
o That is not the purpose
o

INVESTIGATIONS
• Include non injury accidents incidents
o
o

Proactive
Preventative

• Investigating only injuries
o

Reactive

INJURY PYRAMID
Fatality
Serious
Recordable

Recordable
1st Aid Cases
Non-injury Accidents

Incident Investigation Plan
• Establish parameters
• Be aware of other requirements
o

ADA, EEO, Union, etc.

• Establish procedures
• Develop forms
• Train employees

First Report
The “First Report of Injury”
sent to Workers’
Compensation Company is
NEITHER an accident report
NOR an investigation.

Incident Report
• Write an incident report
o

As soon as possible

• Start with a supervisor’s report based
on information provided by employees
o

“Employee said......”

Injury Potential
• Investigate based on POTENTIAL
FOR INJURY
• The greater the potential, the more
thorough the investigation

The Investigation
Avoid a “cold trail”

The Investigation
• Be methodical
• Gather as much information as
possible
o

Throw out irrelevant information during the
analysis step

The Investigation
• Beware of preconceived conclusions
• Beware of “jumping the gun”
o

Do not offer solutions before you find the
basic cause

The Investigation
•
•
•
•
•

ASK QUESTIONS
When you get an answer, ask “WHY”
Then ask “WHY” again
And AGAIN
And “who?”, “what?”, and ...”why?”

Basic
Causes

Indirect
Causes
Direct
Causes

Management Safety Policies & Decisions
Personal Factors Environmental Factors

Unsafe Act

Unsafe Condition

Unplanned Release of Energy
and/or Hazardous Material

Incident

The Investigation
• Investigate the scene
o
o
o
o

Take measurements
Take pictures
Evaluate equipment
Be imaginative

The Investigation
• Look for
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Guards off
Lack of PPE
Housekeeping issues
Poor work practices
Faulty equipment
Inadequate training
Poorly written procedures
Etc.

The 4 “Ps”
•
•
•
•

People
Position
Parts
Paper

Interviews
•
•
•
•

Interview employee involved
Interview witnesses
Interview other employees in area
Look for similar incidents

Interviews
• Explain the purpose of the investigation
o

•
•
•
•

Accident prevention

Put at ease
Let speak freely
Take notes without distracting
Only use a tape recorder with the
person’s knowledge and consent.
• Interview as soon as possible

Analysis Techniques
•
•
•
•
•
•

Change analysis
Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
Event and Causal Factors Analysis
Multi linear Events Sequencing (MES)
Project Evaluation Tree (PET)
Combination

Report of Investigation
• 1. Background
information
• 2. Detailed account
of the incident
• 3. Resolution
• 4. Corrective
actions

RESOLUTION
• Discuss ways of preventing future
incidents
• Solicit ideas from employees & others
• Be creative
• Make recommendations

Corrective Actions
• Corrective actions
o

Recommendations that are adopted

• Inform and train employees and
supervisors

Follow-Up
• Involve supervisors & employees
• Are solutions:
o
o

Used?
Effective?

• Solicit feedback

Trend Analysis
• Evaluate for incident, accident and
injury trends in order to focus efforts
• Use 300 forms, incident & accident
reports, first aid logs, inspection
reports, etc.
• Analyze by entity, facility, time, job, etc.
• Do at least a 3 year comparison

Resource
• Ask for help from your workers’
compensation carrier