the witness but from the person
who is asking the questions. If
witnesses are shadowed by the
wrong presumption, then the
whole witness interview process
will be misleading. Investigators
should always ask opened-ended
questions.
All the witnesses involved
should be identified as soon as the
first incident notification is received.
Witness details should be recorded
such as full name, identification
card, phone number, and address
for the purpose of re-contacting for
Crawler Crane Toppled Incident in Construction Site
an interview if further information
is needed. The witness’s testimony
is crucial while the incident is still fresh in the techniques of conducting effective investigations.
memory, before they forget, or their evidence is Small or large scale incidents are opportunities
distorted by discussion with others. Eyewitness that should not be overlooked by an investigator
statements are very important to ensure the as they provide opportunities to acquire the right
accuracy of the fact. It is important to note that techniques and skills in getting at the facts from
any statement recorded from a witness should an incident and building an understanding of
be valid observations and not just assumptions. examples of defective risk management in the
In some cases, when there is no eyewitness, a workplace. Incident investigation is an important
witness who knows about the process or activity element in risk management as well as effective
related to the incident should be interviewed and occupational safety and health management.
other alternative sources like CCTV records (if More severe conditions may arise in the future if
the cause of an incident is not resolved properly.
available) used to identify credential evidence.
Immediate action to call for an investigation and
taking the necessary corrective actions, will result
Report Writing and Incident Analysis
Once investigations are complete, the investigator in a preventive workplace culture.
should immediately prepare an incident report
and carry out an incident analysis based on facts
extracted from the place of incident (photographs,
sketches, witness statements and documents)
to determine the cause of the incident either
in parallel with the original hypothesis or if new
findings have been established, to proceed or
stop further investigation. This is to ensure the
investigation has been satisfactorily completed
and adequate evidence has been gathered to
discover the root cause of incident.
CONCLUSION
Good investigative skills cannot be obtained only
by attending training programmes; it requires
lots of practice before someone can master the
REFERENCE
Investigation of Occupational accidents and
Diseases: A Practical Guide for Labour Inspectors,
International Labour Organisation.
Investigating Accidents and Incidents: A workbook
for employers, unions, safety representatives and
safety professionals, Health and Safety Executive
UK, 2004.
www.crime-scene-investigator.net
The right way to tag and label evidence - www.
superiorbag.com
Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994
(Act 514)
Evidence Act 1950
Criminal Procedure Code (Act 593)
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