Accidents

Theory, Causes,
Reporting, Recording,
Investigation,
Prevention
 Meaning of Accident

Accidents are unplanned, unwanted and

improper occurrences involving motion of
persons, objects or substances which result
in injury, damage or loss.

Accidents are not just accidental but

avoidable
THEY ALL HAVE OUTCOMES FROM THE
ACCIDENT
 The Heinrich Theory of Chain of Injury
Occurrences
•An injury occurs only as a result of an accident
•An accident occurs only due to unsafe conditions or unsafe acts or

both
•Unsafe acts or unsafe conditions exist only because of human

faults
•Human faults are inherited or acquired from environment.

•Environment (reasons) that causes human faults comprise of

- Unsuitable anatomical, physiological or psychological

characteristics
- Improper mechanical or physical or social environment
- Lack of knowledge or skill
 Patterson’s Theory

- Accidents are caused due to human errors

- Human errors result from employee's own
conscious or unconscious decisions
- Conscious decisions are the decisions to err as a

result of overconfidence or perceiving low

probability of an accident
- Unconscious decisions are due to the influence of

stresses
between man-machine and the environment
Causes
Of

Accidents
 Accidents just ‘do not happen’
they are ‘caused’

Accidents take place when

employees tend to ignore safety rules

and managements ignore presence of

unsafe conditions
 Causes of Accidents

Immediate Causes
- Due to Unsafe Acts or unsafe conditions

Contributory Causes
- Due to mental & physical condition of the persons
- Supervisory safety performance
- Environmental forces
 Typical Unsafe Acts

 Ignoringrules
 Operating without authority

 Operating / working at unsafe speed

 Using unsafe equipment

 Improper handling of equipment

 Not wearing safety devices

 Typical Unsafe Acts (cont..)

 Making safety devices in-operative

 Taking unsafe positions / postures

 Working on moving equipment

 Wearing unsafe attire

 Unsafe lifting, pulling and pushing

 Distracting, startling, teasing

(Horseplay)
 Unsafe conditions
 Unguardedor inadequately
guarded equipment or moving
parts

 Unsafe design of the equipment

 Overloading of equipments
 Unsafe conditions (cont..)
 Hazardous arrangement of materials
 Ineffective safety devices

 Safety devices are not provided

 Poorly maintained and unsafe

equipment
 Inadequate illumination

 Inadequate ventilation
 Unsafe conditions (cont..)
 Unsafe processes
 Unsafe clothing

 Broken safety guards

 Slippery floors

 Bad arrangement of materials

 Poor Housekeeping
 Accident Reporting

Section 115 of the Maharashtra

Factories Rules, 1963 lays down the
responsibility for notification of the
accidents (or dangerous occurrences)
on the occupier
 Factories Act, 1948, Section 88
Maharashtra Factories Rules, 1985 Rule 115

 The Accidents of Serious nature require

to be notified within four hours of their
happening

 Fatal or one causing body injury disabling

the worker from his work 48 hours or
more
An accident of serious nature means
an accident resulting in

i) Immediate loss of any part of the body or

any limb or part thereof
ii) Crushed or serious injury injury to any
part of the body due to which loss of the
same is obvious or any injury which is likely
to prove fatal
iii) Unconsciousness
iv) Serious burns due to chemicals, steam
or an other cause
Following classes of dangerous occurrences,
whether or not they are accompanied by
personal injury or disablement

Bursting of a vessel used for containing steam under

pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, other than
plant which comes within the scope of Indian Boiler Act

Collapse or failure of a crane, derrick, winch hoist or

other appliances used in raising or lowering persons or
goods, or any part thereof, or overturning of a crane

Explosion, fir, bursting out, leakage or escape of any

molten metal, hot liquor, or gas causing bodily injury to
any person or damage to any part or portion of the
factory in which persons are employed or damage to any
plant machinery or material
Explosion of a receiver or container used in any
process, or for storage at a pressure greater than
atmospheric pressure, of any gas or any gases
(including air) or any liquid or any solid

Collapse or subsidence of any floor, gallery, roof,

bridge, tunnel, chimney, wall or building forming
part of a factory or within the compound or
cartilage of factory.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 Section 9

Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

Section 31

Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

Section 23

Discharge of Noxious or Polluting

matter into environment (Air/Water)
in excess of prescribed standards
Hazardous Wastes (Management & Handling)
Rules, 1989
 
Rule 10

Accidents at a Site or Facility where

hazardous Wastes are
collected/stored/treated etc.
 Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 Rule 136

Accident to a vehicle transporting

hazardous substances
 Petroleum Act, 1934 Section 27

Explosion/Fire resulting from ignition

of Petroleum or its vapor causing
human injury or property damage.
 Explosives Act, 1984 Rule 81
Gas Cylinder Rules, 1981 Rule 74
SMPV Rules, 1961 Rule 66

Discharge of Noxious or Polluting

matter into environment (Air/Water)
in excess of prescribed standards.
 Manufacture, Storage & Import of Hazardous
Chemicals Rules, 1989 Rule 5

 A major accident on a site where one

or more of the 179 chemicals and 3
groups of substances are handled in
quantities specified.
 Indian Boilers Act, 1923 Section 18

Accident to a Boiler or Steam Pipe

Authorities to be notified

 By telephone, special messenger or telegram to

the Inspector and Administrative Medical
Officer, Employee's State Insurance Scheme

 And where the accident is fatal, to the following

also
a) District Magistrate or Sub-divisional Magistrate
b) Officer-in-charge of the nearest police station
c) Nearest relatives of the injured or deceased
person
Confirmation of the notice
- by sending the written report in the case

of an accident in Form 24 / 24A or in

Form 16
- Within 12 hours of the taking place of any

accident or occurrence

Accident of minor character

- within 24 hours in Form 24 or Form 16
ACCIDENT RECORDS
 Accident analysis is to be done as per IS 3789
- 1983.

 The main broad categories under which an

Industrial Accident is classified are given
below
1. Agency 2. Unsafe Mechanical or
Physical Condition 3. Unsafe Acts 4. Unsafe
personal factors 5. Type of accident 6. Nature
of injury 7. Location of injury.
 SUPERVISOR’S ACCIDENT
REPORTING FORM

The basic aim of filling an Accident Reporting Form is

to make available all the necessary data for carrying
out a scientific analysis of the accident. The
supervisors who are supposed to fill up this form
have got to be trained in doing so, as this form is the
basis for analysis.
 Contents of Supervisor’s Accident
Report
Administrative Part:

 Name, Token No., Age, Department

 Length of total service,
 No. of years in Present job
 Nature of injury
 Name & function of Machine
 Contents of Supervisor’s Accident
Report
Description of the Accident:
1.What was the employee doing when
accident occurred?
2.How was the employee injured?
3.Did the accident occurred due to
unsafe act or unsafe condition?
- What was the unsafe act
- What was unsafe condition?
 Accident Report (cont..)
4.When did an accident causing similar
injuries occur in the past?
5.What steps were taken then to
prevent similar accident?
6.What safeguards should be used to
prevent such occurrences again?

Signatures: I) Departmental Supervisor

II) Safety Officer
 Accident Analysis
Accident analysis is done to determine
the preventive measures undertaken
to achieve objective of “zero accident”
The analysis may be carried out
 Function wise
 Operation wise
 Agency wise
 Injured part of the body wise
 ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION
 WHY ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION
1. To discover hazardous conditions and practices
i.e. to find out the ROOT CAUSE of the accident.
2. A part of the duties of the Safety Officers.
3. To prevent recurrence of accidents.
4. Satisfy Insurance Requirements

5. Defend a Position for Legal Argument

PRINCIPLES OF ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION

1. Common sense and clear thinking are must.

2. Investigator should be familiar with the
equipment, operations and processes.
3. Investigator should not be working under a
foreman or Supervisor of the department where
the accident had taken place.
4. Each clue should be investigated thoroughly.
5. Definite recommendation for corrective actions
should be made.
6. Investigation should be done as soon as possible
after the occurrence.
 WHO SHOULD INVESTIGATE?

 INVESTIGATION TEAM
 INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED
 SUPERVISOR

 SAFETY SUPERVISOR

 UPPER MANAGEMENT
 INVESTIGATION STRATEGY
 GATHER INFORMATION & ESTABLISH
FACTS

 ISOLATE ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTORY

FACTORS

 DETERMINE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

INVESTIGATION STRATEGY (cont..)

 BE IMPARTIAL & OBJECTIVE

 COMPILE PROCEDURES & RULES FOR
THE AREA
 GATHER MAINTENANCE RECORDS ON
EQUIPMENT INVOLVED
 OBTAIN FACTS NOT OPINIONS
 ISOLATE ACCIDENT SCENE
 PHOTOS & DIAGRAMS
 DO NOT DISCARD OR DESTROY ANYTHING
 OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM
 INJURED
 WITNESSES

 SUPERVISORS

 OTHER PERSONNEL

 MAKE IT CLEAR THE OBJECT OF THE

INVESTIGATION IS TO AVOID RECURRENCE,
NOT TO APPORTION BLAME
 BENEFITS OF ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION
 PREVENTING RECURRENCE
 IDENTIFYING OUT-MODED
PROCEDURES
 IMPROVEMENTS TO WORK
ENVIRONMENT
 INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY
 IMPROVEMENT OF OPERATIONAL &
SAFETY PROCEDURES
 RAISES SAFETY AWARENESS LEVEL
BENEFITS OF ACC. INVESTIGATION
(cont..)

WHEN AN ORGANIZATION REACTS

SWIFTLY AND POSTIVELY TO
ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES, ITS
ACTIONS REAFFIRM ITS
COMMITMENT TO THE SAFETY AND
WELL-BEING OF ITS EMPLOYEES
ACCIDENT PREVENTION
 Preventing unsafe acts

1. Corrective action by supervisory staff

2. Compulsory use of protective-
equipment
3. General awareness of bad habits
4. Counseling
5. Help from unions
 Implementation of following
measures
 Plant safety inspections
 Job safety analysis
 Accident investigation
 Safety education & training
 Good housekeeping
 Use of safety equipment
 Safety while working around machines
 Instructing all new employees
 Safety through supervision
 Systematic maintenance of plant
 Persuasion / appeal, counseling
 Safety committees
 Safety meetings
 Involvement of unions
 Safety goals for safety standards
 Encouragement through exhibitions,
seminars, competitions, prizes