TABLE OF CONTENTS This section discusses the process of developing the overall incident investigation program, as well as some issues that will affect all investigations. Topics include the following:
Program implementation process
Key considerations
Legal issues
Media concerns
Regulatory requirements and industry standards
Training guidelines
Management s influence on the program s success
Common investigation program problems and solutions
Figure 10.1 illustrates the overall incident investigation process.
Putting an incident investigation program in place should include the following five steps:
Design the program
Develop the program
Implement the program
Monitor the program s performance
Improve the program
The first step in designing an incident investigation program or revising an existing program is to establish the goals, roles, and responsibilities for the program. In other words, decisions need to be made about what the program will accomplish and how the program will be run.
First, decide on the scope of the program. Decide whether the program will cover all types of incidents or only a subset of these issues. Loss types to consider include:
Traditional occupational injuries and illnesses
Process safety issues
Equipment failures
Quality problems
Personnel safety concerns
Security problems
Reliability incidents
Public safety concerns
Environmental impact
Loss of revenue
Missed or late deliveries
Business interruption
Customer satisfaction
Loss of reputation
Motor vehicle accidents
Initially, the organization may...
