HS 484 - Accident Investigation and Prevention

Outcomes

  1. Define and apply the terms used for accident prevention, investigation, record keeping, analysis, and evaluation.
  2. Systematically investigate industrial accidents.
    1. Identify the basic facts and/or equipment needed to investigate industrial accidents.
    2. Properly record and use the accident information in the appropriate forms.
    3. Reconstruct the events that lead to the occurrence of an industrial accident.
  3. Employ strategies to prevent industrial accidents.
    1. Calculate accident frequency and severity rates.
    2. Statistically analyze and interpret recorded data in order to develop corrective measures to prevent similar accidents.

Description

This course teaches students the fundamentals of investigating accidents in the workplace in accordance with OSHA standards. The first five weeks of the course rely heavily on students learning the lawful procedures for classifying and recording different types of accidents, primarily focused on government regulations administered by OSHA. The remainder of the course is a series of case studies in which students simulate the work of an organizational safety officer in managing investigation of accidents, interviewing witnesses, compiling reports, and providing photographs.

Learning Model Architecture

This course employs all aspects of the BYU-Idaho Learning Model, namely Prepare, Teach One Another, and Ponder and Prove. The way these various activities are employed include group discussions, quizzes over the readings, case studies, and group projects.

Prepare

Every week you will prepare by completing the lesson reading and taking a quiz based on that content.

Teach One Another

Teach One Another activities will be completed in the form of weekly class discussions. There is also a group project that will culminate with your classmates providing you a report on a specific form of accident analysis and a corresponding group discussion administered by that same group of your peers.

Ponder and Prove

This course is back-loaded with many case studies that will require you to apply what you learn in a manner that simulates the work of an organizational safety officer.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Required Materials

Accident Investigation Techniques, 2nd Edition by Jeffery S. Oakley, Ph.D., CSP, ISBN 978-1-885581-62-4

A microphone to record your narration of your topic presentation. This can be an external mic, or one built into a laptop.

Grading Policies

You will be graded on a points system, which is broken down as follows:

Reading Quizzes: 120 Points

Other Quizzes/Assignments: 210 Points

Topic Presentation: 100 Points

Class Discussions: 120 Points

Group Project: 30 Points

Case Studies: 81 Points

Final Scenario: 100 Points

The instructor reserves the right to change any part of this syllabus at any time during the semester in order to adapt to changing course needs. You will be notified prior to any changes that may take place.