Accidents & Incidents Investigations

Road Transport experience incidents that range from major accidents to near misses(or more appropriately,near hits). Why should these incidents be investigated? If one can prevent recurrence and reduce the likelihood of other incidents with the same root causes, then costs (human,environment and property) associated with incidents cab be eliminated.

We through a team of consultants can;

• Investigate all accidents involving your company vehicles

• Prepare independent reports to assist your insurance companies, this includes attendance at the scene of serious collisions

• Obtain witness statements and physical evidence on your behalf

Scale Plans

Part of a thorough investigation (the only type we do!) is scale plan of the scene. Sometimes the police provide these. However, we can produce accurate scene plans, whether a road, junction or site. These plans are used in training and explaining, display lines of sight which is very important and often viewed from the eyes of a car driver-not those of a lorry or coach driver.

Vehicle Examinations

• Examine vehicle for defects, damage pattern analysis

• Examine third party vehicles and evidence for authenticity and weaknesses

• Examine tachograph charts, provide forensic evidence of any fraudulent claim and provide route for traces

• This applies not only to commercial vehicles but to all types of vehicles

Accident Reporting

We generate concise report that summarizes the results and findings of an investigation. The report includes key data (such as when the incident occurred, when the investigation began, what happened, and how and why the conditions leading to the incident came to be), root causes and learning points.

Root Cause Analysis

• What is the problem?

• When did it happen?

• Where did it happen?

• This applies not only to commercial vehicles but to all types of vehicles

Recommendations

After having determined the what, how, and why of an incident/accident, the important task of developing recommendations to prevent a recurrence is undertaken. We provide recommendations based on conclusions founded on the facts established during data analysis, using the following four levels of recommendations:

• We address the causal factor

• We address the causes of this particular event at the root cause level

• We Address other similar, existing situations at the root cause level

• We Address the management system that created the causal factors (the root causes)

By addressing each of the levels, the organization gets the greatest Return For the Investment made in the investigation.

We investigate accidents, incidents, injuries and near misses in regards to workplace situations and public places. The situations we investigate internally for organizations are intended to identify why the incident occurred and what needs to be done to prevent similar situations occurring in the future.The accident reports we prepare for legal practitioners can assist in establishing negligence or defending a negligence action, we also prepare reports that can be used as part of the defense for prosecutions under the Workplace Health & Safety Act or Regulations.

Investigative

In investigating incidents internally for organisations we aim to identify the factors that contributed to the incident and detail controls measures needed to prevent a recurrence at some later time. Our analysis identifies the range of factors that contributed to the incident; the type of factors we examine are;

• Person factors - training, experience, activities, supervision and more

• Equipment factors - suitability, condition, design among others

• Environmental factors - weather, work conditions, temperature, lighting, etc.

• Procedural factors - instructions, work practices, systems of work and more

We also train persons within the organization on how to investigate incidents objectively to reduce the possibility of similar incidents occurring again.

Expert Witness Reports

We investigate a range of injuries for both Defendant and Plaintiff matters in regard to personal injury matters. The reports we prepare have been used in establishing liability or helping bring the matters to settlement. The types of injuries handled include;

• Slips / trips / falls on surfaces and stairs

• Inhalation of hazardous fumes

• Violent attacks at work

• Repetitive strain injuries ( now referred to as Occupational Overuse Syndrome)

• Falls from heights

• Electrocutions

• Entrapment in machinery

• Struck-by tools and equipment

• Playground equipment injuries

OHS Inspection Service

MARTS Consultants can tailor and provide an inspection service relevant to your needs to identify situations which could injure employees or members of the public. We can provide a range of inspection services as follows:

• Inspections to identify deficiencies in workplaces.

• Regular inspection service to provide an external and independent review of the workplace.

• Specific purpose inspections to complement activities within an organisation such as;
  1. Office safety surveys
  2. Ergonomic & workstation surveys
  3. Manual handling risk surveys
  4. Access provision surveys
  5. Slip, trip and fall surveys
  6. Workshop hazards surveys
  7. Construction site surveys

The inspections that we conduct cover a broad range of workplaces and associated environments, if you want to know more please contact us