Accident investigation procedures

Yes. Under 1960.29(a), all accidents — including those that involve only property damage — should be investigated, and the depth of the investigation should match how serious the accident is.

• For minor property-only incidents, a short fact-finding (what happened, why, immediate corrective action) may be enough.
• For more serious incidents (injuries, repeated failures, large property loss), the investigation should be more detailed: scene documentation, interviews, measurements, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions.

See 1960.29(a) for the requirement that the extent of investigation be reflective of seriousness.

Any accident that results in a fatality or the hospitalization of three or more employees must be investigated to determine the causal factors involved, as required by 1960.29(b).

• Preserve the scene: Except to the extent necessary to protect employees and the public, evidence at the scene should be left untouched until inspectors can examine it.
• Treat these investigations as comprehensive fact-finding efforts focused on cause identification and prevention (scene documentation, witness interviews, equipment review).

Reference: 1960.29(b).

Yes — but only when necessary to protect employees or the public. 1960.29(b) allows evidence at the scene to be disturbed to the extent necessary to protect people.

• If moving evidence is required for emergency medical care, firefighting, or to prevent further harm, do so and document what was moved and why.
• Otherwise, leave the scene intact so inspectors can examine it.

See 1960.29(b).

The investigative report must include appropriate documentation of: date, time, location, description of operations, description of the accident, photographs, interviews of employees and witnesses, measurements, and other pertinent information, per 1960.29(d).

• Include: timeline, sequence of events, injured parties, equipment involved, environmental conditions, safety devices in use or not, training records if relevant, and corrective actions.
• Photographs and measurements are explicitly required where appropriate to support findings.

Reference: 1960.29(d).

A copy of the investigative report must be forwarded to the official in charge of the workplace, the appropriate safety and health committee, and the exclusive employee representative, if any, as required by 1960.29(d).

• If there is no committee or representative, send to the person or office designated to receive safety reports.
• Keep a record of when and to whom the report was provided.

See 1960.29(d).

Yes. The investigative report shall be made available to the Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representative on request, according to 1960.29(d).

• Maintain organized records so reports can be produced promptly if requested.
• Include supporting materials (photos, interview notes, measurements) with the report when requested.

Reference: 1960.29(d).

Such information or evidence should be promptly transmitted to the Secretary, as required by 1960.29(c).

• Document the finding clearly, explain why it may inform a standard, and include relevant data (measurements, photos, injury descriptions).
• Use formal channels designated by your agency for submitting technical or regulatory recommendations to the Secretary.

See 1960.29(c).

Witness interviews should be detailed enough to explain what each witness observed, the witness's location and role, the time of observation, and any actions taken — and these interviews should be summarized or quoted in the report per 1960.29(d).

• Record interviewer name, date/time of interview, witnesses' contact information, and whether the interview was written or verbal.
• Capture statements about sequence of events, perceived causes, and corrective ideas; include interviews as attachments if practical.

Reference: 1960.29(d).

Photographs are required as appropriate and should document the scene, equipment, relevant measurements, positions of victims or witnesses, and any damaged safety devices, according to 1960.29(d).

• Take wide-angle shots to show context and close-ups to show details (labels, damage, control positions).
• Record the date, time, photographer, and photo orientation; include captions in the report.

See 1960.29(d).

Measurements should include any physical data needed to reconstruct the event — such as distances, angles, dimensions, equipment settings, force, pressures, temperatures, or environmental readings — and these should be recorded in the report per 1960.29(d).

• Take precise measurements that affect causal analysis (e.g., guard clearances, trip distances, exposure levels).
• Record instruments used, calibration status, who took the measurements, and the time taken.

Reference: 1960.29(d).

The standard requires investigation and reporting but does not prescribe a specific title; the employer or agency should assign qualified personnel (competent investigators) to conduct the investigation and prepare the report consistent with 1960.29(a) and (d).

• Choose investigators with technical knowledge of the operation, incident investigation training, and authority to gather evidence.
• If specialized analysis is needed (engineering, medical, toxicology), involve subject-matter experts and document their contributions.

See 1960.29(a) and 1960.29(d).

Immediately after such an event the employer must ensure the accident is investigated to determine causal factors and preserve the scene — leaving evidence untouched except as necessary to protect employees or the public — in line with 1960.29(b).

• Secure the area, provide emergency care, and document who had access.
• Notify appropriate officials and preserve physical evidence until inspectors can examine it, unless moving evidence is necessary for safety.

Reference: 1960.29(b).

The report should include necessary factual information from interviews and medical facts relevant to the investigation, but you must balance that with privacy considerations; 1960.29(d) requires interviews and documentation but does not change obligations under privacy or medical confidentiality rules.

• Avoid including unnecessary personal medical details; summarize medical outcomes and causes without sharing sensitive health records unless required.
• Share full interview or medical materials only with those who have a need to know and in accordance with privacy laws and agency policies.

See 1960.29(d).

Forwarding the report to the official in charge is required by 1960.29(d), and the intent of the investigation is to identify causal factors so that appropriate corrective actions can be taken; while 1960.29 does not list enforcement steps, agencies are expected to address hazards found.

• Use the report to prioritize corrective actions, document completion, and follow up to prevent recurrence.
• Track corrective measures and ensure responsibility and timelines are assigned.

Reference: 1960.29(d).

Yes. Investigations should determine causal factors, which includes looking beyond immediate human error to systemic issues (procedures, training, equipment design, supervision) as part of a thorough causal analysis under 1960.29(b) and (d).

• Include review of policies, maintenance records, training, supervision, work organization, and safety culture.
• Report findings with recommended systemic corrective actions to reduce recurrence.

See 1960.29(b) and 1960.29(d).

'Appropriate documentation' means the report should include the elements listed in 1960.29(d) (date/time/location/description/photos/interviews/measurements) in a clear, retrievable format so it can be forwarded and made available to the Secretary upon request.

• Keep originals and supporting materials (photos, interview notes, measurements) in a secure file; retain per agency recordkeeping policy or until instructed otherwise.
• Use a standardized report template to ensure completeness and ease of retrieval.

Reference: 1960.29(d).

While 1960.29(d) requires that a copy of the investigative report be forwarded to the appropriate safety and health committee and the exclusive employee representative, it does not mandate their active involvement in every investigation — but involving them early can improve transparency and corrective action uptake.

• At minimum, provide the committee and representative with the report promptly.
• Consider including employee representatives in interviews or corrective-action planning when appropriate and allowed by policy.

See 1960.29(d).

The standard requires that evidence at a scene be left untouched except as necessary to protect employees and the public (1960.29(b)); it does not prescribe notification procedures, but employers should coordinate with responsible authorities to secure the scene and manage public access.

• If scene security affects the public, notify building management, law enforcement, or other authorities as appropriate and document communications.
• Ensure safety measures taken to protect the public are recorded in the investigative report.

Reference: 1960.29(b).

Label measurements and photographs with date, time, location, description, scale (for photos), instrument used and operator, and photographer/recorder name so they are clearly linked to the facts in the report as required by 1960.29(d).

• Use captions and reference numbers and include a photo log and measurement log as attachments.
• Note calibration status of measuring instruments where accuracy matters.

See 1960.29(d).

Yes. The standard requires that investigative reports include specified documentation and be forwarded to designated parties (1960.29(d)), and electronic records that contain the required elements are acceptable provided they are accessible and secure.

• Ensure recipients can open and read files, and maintain backups.
• Keep metadata (date/time stamps) intact to support authenticity.

Reference: 1960.29(d).

The standard applies broadly to workplace accidents; 1960.29(a) indicates all accidents should be investigated with the extent based on seriousness. If the incident arises from work activities or occurs in the workplace, it should be investigated and documented.

• For off-site incidents caused by work duties (travel, job site work), include them in your accident-investigation program and prepare reports per 1960.29(d).

See 1960.29(a) and 1960.29(d).

The standard specifically requires forwarding to the official in charge of the workplace, the safety committee, and the exclusive employee representative (1960.29(d)); it does not mandate sending the report to higher agency leadership, but agencies should follow internal policies that may require broader distribution.

• Follow agency procedures for escalations of serious incidents (fatalities, large hospitalizations) and document distribution.

Reference: 1960.29(d).

Photographs, interviews, and measurements provide objective evidence to reconstruct events and support conclusions about causal factors, and 1960.29(d) requires these elements as appropriate in the investigative report.

• Photographs document scene and equipment condition; interviews provide human observations and sequence; measurements quantify physical variables.
• Combining these elements strengthens the validity of root-cause findings and corrective recommendations.

See 1960.29(d).

If new evidence is discovered, update the investigative report and distribute the revised report to the official in charge, the safety and health committee, and the exclusive employee representative as required by 1960.29(d).

• Document the new evidence, explain how it changes findings or corrective actions, and keep versioned records.
• Notify any parties who received the original report about the update and the reasons for revision.

Reference: 1960.29(d).

Document corrective actions in the investigative report or a linked action-tracking record, showing what was done, who is responsible, and completion dates; this follows the intent of 1960.29(d) to include "other pertinent information."

• Include: description of the corrective measure, priority, assigned owner, target completion date, and verification of completion.
• Keep evidence of completed actions (photos, purchase orders, training records) attached to the report.

See 1960.29(d).

Yes. 1960.29(c) requires that any information or evidence uncovered during accident investigations that would help develop a new OSHA standard or modify or revoke an existing one should be promptly transmitted to the Secretary.

• Prepare a concise technical summary explaining how the evidence relates to a potential regulatory change and include relevant data and documentation.
• Use agency channels for formal transmittal to the Secretary.

Reference: 1960.29(c).

Handle physical samples carefully, preserve chain of custody, document who collected them and why, and include them in the investigative record as "other pertinent information" required by 1960.29(d).

• Label samples with date/time/location/collector; store them securely; note storage conditions and any testing performed.
• If samples may be examined by inspectors or used for standard-setting, be ready to forward them or results to the Secretary per 1960.29(c).

See 1960.29(d).

If a previously unknown hazard is found, document it in the investigative report with supporting evidence and forward the report to the official in charge, the safety and health committee, and the exclusive employee representative per 1960.29(d); if the hazard may inform standards, promptly transmit the information to the Secretary under 1960.29(c).

• Implement interim controls immediately to protect employees and document those actions.
• Track corrective action completion and reassess to confirm hazard elimination or control.

References: 1960.29(c) and 1960.29(d).

The standard does not set a fixed time limit; it requires that investigations be performed with depth appropriate to the incident and that evidence be preserved until inspectors can examine it (1960.29(a),(b),(d)). Prompt investigations are best practice because evidence and memories degrade over time.

• Start fact-gathering immediately, secure the scene, and document actions that may alter conditions.
• If delays occur, note reasons and any steps taken to preserve evidence and witness statements.

See 1960.29(a), 1960.29(b), and 1960.29(d).