Investigation of Occupational Accidents and Diseases

Investigation of occupational accidents and diseases: A practical guide for labor inspectors
International Labour Office. – Geneva: ILO, 2014
ISBN: 978-92-2-129419-1 (print)
ISBN: 978-92-2-129420-7 (web pdf)

This guide is designed to equip labor inspectors with the necessary skills to conduct effective investigations into occupational accidents, occupational diseases, and other undesired events (such as dangerous occurrences and near-miss/incidents) that could have led to personal injuries affecting workers or members of the public. It should be borne in mind that occupational accidents, diseases, and other undesired events are preventable.
Conducting an effective investigation will identify not only causal factors but actions that would have prevented the event from occurring.

The guide provides inspectors with information on the importance of, and a suggested methodology for, conducting effective investigations and compiling reports.

While the ILO understands that other methodologies for conducting investigations are available, it believes that following the methodology presented below will help inspectors to identify all the immediate and root causes of the event under investigation. This, in turn, will enable inspectors to help employers, enterprises and worker representatives to identify appropriate prevention/risk control measures to prevent a recurrence of the actions
that led to the event under investigation, thereby improving occupational safety and health (OSH) management.