Investigation of accidents at work - What incidents should be investigated?

In general, everything related to incidents at work must be monitored by the administration of a company. However, there are several events of a different nature that, due to their possible impact on the normal development of the organization's activities, should be the subject of an investigation. Within this framework, a large part of the country's legislation provides for the investigation of at least those events whose impact or severity is relevant.

For example, when a death occurs in the workplace or accidents that cause severe damage to the health of workers occur, especially if they are recurring, investigation processes are surely required, which is required by the competent authorities in matters of occupational health and safety.

Generally, the competent authorities require a formal investigation and reports in this regard, in the following cases:

• Any accident with severe damage to the health of workers or death, incidents involving the collapse of structures and situations involving the use of hazardous substances.
• Incidents that result in workers requiring medical treatment.

Incidents that could have generated catastrophic damage, but did not. In this context, companies can establish standards that help determine the cases in which an incident should be the subject of a formal investigation (these standards must minimally comply with the requirements of the labor authorities). In this way, the occupational health and program of a company could establish, for example, the following criteria to activate an investigation and the corresponding report to the authorities:

• Any event that causes physical harm to workers, including those that require medical help, or causes prolonged interruptions of normal activities;
• Any event that requires recurring medical treatment;
• Any incident that goes against the company's accident prevention policy;
• Any event that has had the potential to cause physical damage to workers;
• Any event of serious damage to company property;
• Any event of poisoning by chemical substances;
• Any event that has generated a flood in the work environments;
• Any event that has generated a fire or explosion.