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Employee Forklift Training _ 1-800-277-2

Accident Investigations Root Cause Analysis

Warehouse rack runs into rack causing collapse

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

Accident investigations, when a forklift or other powered industrial truck accident occurs, is imperative to ensure proper and thorough investigations are completed to determine what factors or causes contributed to the occurrence of the accident. 

 

This is referred to as conducting a forklift accident root cause analysis or five-why analyses or fishbone analyses or in some, more advanced cases, a root cause map. 

 

Whichever tool is used, it's critical that you take the time to capture or "Freeze" the accident details in time so that they can be captured and properly documented to aid in the incident investigation. 

1-800-277-2267

On April 23, 2019, an employee was standing on a pallet that was sitting on the forks of a forklift. The employee was pouring a drum of soap mixture into a tank when he fell into the tank that had 110 gallons of soap mixture and 300 gallons of water heated to 80 degree Celsius.

 

The employee was taken to the hospital, where he later died due to burns to 97% of his body.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Forklift loading pallet onto a trailer

ARE 

YOU READY?

Are members of your leadership team trained in the correct method or process to use when it comes to accident investigations? 

 

Do they have the tools necessary to conduct the investigations?  Is there a company policy that calls out the process or requirement for an accident investigation? 

 

Far too frequently, employers will simply attribute the accident to, "Operator error". 

1-800-277-2267

Stand up forklift crashes off loading dock

PREVENT 

RECURRENCE

We can tell you definitively that there are always factors that point to a systemic or process issue that contributed to the accident.  OSHA's 29 CFR 191.178 does not call out investigation requirements for employers. 

 

However, on serious or fatal accidents that involve your employees, OSHA will be called out to the scene to take over and perform a complete investigation. 

 

Employee Forklift Training staff can help ensure your team is properly trained in the processes involved in accident investigations.  

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Your team freezes the accident scene, as much as possible, to prevent evidence from being disturbed.  Our investigative team will come to the site and begin an immediate investigation focusing on the following areas:

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  • Safety Committee Engagement

  • Employee Training Records Review;

  • Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Records;

  • Operator Interview;

  • Witness Interviews;

  • Accident Site Visit;

  • Accident Scene Re-creation;

  • Photos, Videos, Drawings, Sketches, Measurements, etc.;

  • Accident Incident Reports Review;

  • Video Surveillance Reviews;

  • Training Program Reviews and Evaluation;

  • Supervisor / Manager Equipment Operations Safety Management Assessments;

  • Truck Safety Equipment;

  • Employee Pedestrian Training Records;

  • OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178 Site Compliance;

  • Weather Evaluations;

  • Visibility Evaluations;

  • Facility Operations / Safety Policies;

  • Employee Disciplinary Action Records;

​

Post Investigation Results:

  • Root Cause Map Development;

  • Written Report Outlining Detailed Improvement Opportunities;

  • Report Debrief with Facility Leadership;

  • Training Assistance if Necessary

​

1-800-277-2267

Serious forklift accident causing injuries to operator
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