Accident Investigation Assessment with eAuditor Audits & Inspections

https://eauditor.app/2025/05/21/accident-investigation-checklist/

Perform Accident Investigation Assessment using eAuditor
Accident Investigation is a systematic process of analyzing the causes and contributing factors of an accident or incident in the workplace or other environments. The goal is to determine what went wrong, why it happened, and how it can be prevented in the future. By identifying root causes, implementing corrective actions, and improving safety protocols, accident investigations aim to reduce the likelihood of recurrence and ensure a safer working environment.

Accident Investigation Checklist

Performing Accident Investigation Assessment using eAuditor ensures a structured, efficient, and compliant evaluation of workplace accidents or incidents. The platform helps to document findings, analyze root causes, track corrective actions, and generate reports, all within a streamlined digital environment. This process ensures safety improvements and regulatory compliance are achieved effectively.

Setting Up the Accident Investigation Assessment Process in eAuditor
Create a Customized Accident Investigation Checklist
Design a detailed checklist within eAuditor that aligns with your organization’s accident investigation procedures. The checklist should cover:

Incident Description: Location, time, and nature of the accident
Involved Parties: Names and roles of people involved, witnesses
Incident Causes: Immediate causes and contributing factors
Root Cause Analysis: Methods such as the “5 Whys” or the Fishbone diagram
Evidence Collection: Photos, diagrams, witness statements
Corrective Actions: Recommendations for Preventing Future Occurrences
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure alignment with OSHA or local regulations
Each section can have predefined options (e.g., “Direct Cause,” “Human Error,” “Equipment Failure”) and custom fields to add specific details.

Embed Reference Materials
Attach relevant safety protocols, policies, and procedures, as well as industry regulations (e.g., OSHA guidelines), for easy reference during investigations.

Set Investigation Schedules and Assign Roles
Using eAuditor’s scheduling feature, set timelines for conducting the investigation and assign responsible individuals (e.g., safety officers, team leads) to carry out each phase of the assessment.

Conducting the Accident Investigation with eAuditor
Accident Investigation Checklist

Incident Scene and Evidence Collection
Secure the Scene: Document the initial state of the accident scene, capturing photos and videos through eAuditor’s mobile interface.
Gather Evidence: Collect witness statements, incident reports, and equipment data. eAuditor allows for audio recordings or uploaded documents as part of the evidence.
Identify Direct and Contributing Causes

1. Accident Investigation Assessment
Assessment with eAuditor
Accident investigation is a systematic process of analyzing the causes and contributing factors
contributing factors of workplace incidents. The goal is to determine what went wrong, why it
wrong, why it happened, and how it can be prevented in the future.
Using eAuditor ensures a structured, efficient, and compliant evaluation of workplace
accidents. The platform helps document findings, analyze root causes, track corrective actions,
and generate reports within a streamlined digital environment.

2. Setting Up Your Investigation Process
Customized Checklist
Design detailed checklists covering incident
incident description, involved parties, causes,
causes, root cause analysis, evidence collection,
collection, and corrective actions aligned with
with OSHA regulations.
Reference Materials
Embed safety protocols, policies, procedures,
procedures, and industry regulations for easy
easy reference during investigations.
Schedule & Assign
Set investigation timelines and assign
responsible individuals like safety officers and
team leads to carry out each assessment
phase.

3. Evidence Collection & Scene Documentation
Secure the Scene
Document the initial state of the accident scene by capturing photos and videos through
through eAuditor's mobile interface. This ensures critical evidence is preserved immediately.
immediately.
Gather Comprehensive Evidence
Collect witness statements, incident reports, and equipment data. eAuditor allows for audio
for audio recordings and uploaded documents as part of the evidence collection process,
process, creating a complete digital record.

4. Identifying Causes & Root Analysis
01
Immediate Causes
Assess direct causes such as faulty equipment, slip-and-fall hazards, or improper
or improper safety procedures using eAuditor's comprehensive checklist.
checklist.
02
Contributing Factors
Examine environmental, procedural, or human factors like inadequate training,
training, poor lighting, or unsafe work practices that contributed to the incident.
the incident.
03
Root Cause Analysis
Use tools like the 5 Whys or Fishbone diagram to explore underlying factors. Ask
factors. Ask "Why" repeatedly to dig deeper, or categorize causes into people,
people, equipment, processes, and environment.
04
Witness Interviews
Conduct interviews with involved parties directly within the app, using notes
notes sections and voice memos for accurate documentation.

5. Root Cause Analysis Methods
5 Whys Fishbone
People
Why 5: Root cause
Why 4: Systemic issues
Why 3: Contributing factors
Why 2: Why did that occur?
Why 1: What happened?
These proven methodologies help investigators systematically uncover the underlying systemic issues that led to the accident, moving beyond surface-
level symptoms to address fundamental problems.
level symptoms to

6. Developing Corrective Actions
Equipment Maintenance
Repair or replace faulty equipment identified during the investigation. Set priorities and due dates for
each maintenance task.
Training Programs
Schedule refresher courses or new safety training for staff to address knowledge gaps and reinforce
proper procedures.
Procedural Changes
Update safety protocols, hazard communications, or emergency response procedures based on
investigation findings.
Environmental Adjustments
Improve lighting, ventilation, or eliminate physical hazards identified as contributing factors to the
to the incident.
eAuditor's Action Dashboard provides a clear overview of all corrective actions, tracking status from "Pending"
from "Pending" to "In Progress" to "Completed" to ensure timely resolution.

7. Reporting & Documentation
Automated Report Generation
eAuditor automatically compiles findings, photos, corrective actions, and root cause
analysis into detailed PDF reports. Reports include incident details, causes,
corrective actions with assigned personnel and deadlines, and all collected evidence.
Audit-Ready Documentation
All incident records, actions, and reports are stored in the cloud for easy access
during future audits. Reports can be customized to match organizational branding
and shared directly with stakeholders, HR, safety teams, and regulatory bodies.

8. Continuous Improvement & Monitoring
Monitor Implementation
Schedule follow-up inspections to ensure
corrective actions are properly implemented and
effective.
Assess Effectiveness
Use eAuditor's Analytics Dashboard to monitor
monitor the impact on overall safety
performance and track accident trends.
Share Findings
Distribute accident reports and corrective actions
actions across the organization to create safety
safety awareness programs.
Improve Protocols
Integrate investigation insights into safety
protocols and training programs to strengthen
strengthen overall safety measures.
By leveraging eAuditor's comprehensive digital platform, organizations achieve thorough investigations that support continuous safety improvements and ensure
improvements and ensure regulatory compliance, creating safer workplaces for everyone.