Original Date: 02/28/2000
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Crane Army Ammunition Activity formed an Accident Review Board to process accidents involving personal injury to a worker or an occupational illness suffered by a worker resulting in at least one day lost from work. The Accident Review Board ensures recommended corrective actions are appropriate and being implemented, and that everything is done to prevent a similar accident.

Whenever an accident involves personal injury to a worker, or an occupational illness is suffered by a worker that results in at least one day lost from work, an Accident Review Board is formed to ensure recommended corrective actions are appropriate and being implemented, and everything is being done to prevent a similar accident. A Lost Workday Case is defined as any lost workday resulting from personal injury or occupational illness. In the past, the Safety Office assigned one of two Safety Engineers/Safety Specialists to investigate all Lost Workday Cases, usually averaging approximately eight such cases per year. During the investigation, the supervisor and employee were heavily involved and usually contributed to the recommendations and corrective actions, but future involvement and follow-up fell short, often because workload dictated reassignments of both to other areas and programs. There was no formal follow-up to prevent a similar accident from recurring, which was one of the primary goals of the Safety Office. Along with this, Command involvement was not formal. During weekly Command meetings and monthly safety meetings, accidents were discussed, but not much became of these discussions. The immediate supervisor and the injured employee were not present, and many of the details were unavailable.

In early 1998, the Safety Office added a formalized Accident Review Board to add more emphasis in helping review Lost Workday Cases and preventing similar accidents. Unchanged was the detailed investigation by the Safety Office and the corrective action process. But now with an Accident Review Board added to the process, each accident is given priority attention and follow-up. The make-up of the Accident Review Board is specific for each accident and determined by the Safety Office. The Board always consists of the Commander and the Chief of the Safety Office, the Director of the Directorate where the accident occurred, the supervisor of the injured employee, and the employee. Other employees at any level may be invited to be on the Board if it is determined that they can contribute to the prevention of the accident in the future. The Board meets only after the investigation is complete and corrective action is determined. The meetings are not inquisitions, but a formalized approach to ensure that the best is being done to protect the safety of the employees against future accidents that are similar in nature. The Board ensures that a complete investigation is accomplished, discusses the status of corrective actions, and that inputs by everyone are taken into account. The frequency and number of meetings depend on the uniqueness of each case reviewed and continue until the preventive measures taken no longer require follow-up.

Since the addition of the Accident Review Board, four cases have been processed to the satisfaction of all involved, especially the employees. Repeat accidents are also receiving much needed attention. Since implementation of the Accident Review Board, the number of Lost Workday Cases is down from 11 to four per year, and the number of Lost Days has dropped from 113 to 45 days.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.