Occupational accidents and near misses as a source of prevention information

There are some 150,000 occupational accidents in the private sector in Belgium every year. Making the workplace a safe environment must therefore be a top priority for Belgian employers. Investing in a well-developed well-being policy is crucial in this regard. With a rock-solid risk analysis, you can avoid many accidents, but a lot of valuable information can also be gained from the accident analysis afterwards – which can then be incorporated into the risk analysis.

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How to learn from occupational accidents

Chances are that occupational accidents or near misses happen in your organisations too.
In addition to proper follow-up of the incident itself, learning from the incident is crucial to prevent a similar accident.

  1. Take precautionary measures straight away

Do not wait for the results of the accident investigation before taking action. Immediately after the workplace accident, take the necessary precautionary measures to restore safety, avoid further harm and prevent the same incident from happening again.

This might include, for example, temporarily taking a machine out of service, cordoning off a hazardous area or temporarily halting certain work activities. The measures required will depend on the incident and the risks in the workplace.

Please note: Precautionary measures are temporary. They remain in place whilst you investigate the causes of the accident and until you have implemented the necessary structural, corrective measures.

2. The investigation is the next step. Identify all factors that had an impact on the accident:

Therefore, retrospectively map all factors that had an impact on the accident:

  • What are the direct and underlying material (technical), organisational, and/or behavioural causes?

  • Could those causes have been avoided? Why or why not?

  • Was it documented why a preventive action was not carried out?

  • What additional preventive measures or other actions can be implemented to avoid similar incidents in the future?

  • Are all actions to be taken clearly and specifically formulated?

  • Is there a research report and does it fully reflect the facts?

Also consider the procedure surrounding a (near) occupational accident:

  • Are there instructions to report accidents and near misses?

  • Is there a reporting form for accidents and near misses?

  • Do you have a record of all accidents and near misses?

  • Is there an investigation report for all accidents and near misses?

  • Are staff informed about the accident and the measures (to be) taken?

You bundle all this info into the accident analysis. However, it does not stop there. Include the conclusions of the accident analysis in your overall risk analysis as well. Define concrete implementation actions in the Annual Action Plan and/or Global Prevention Plan.

You will find forms and information documents that can help you with this procedure on MyMensura.

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Occupational accident analysis vs risk analysis

An occupational accident analysis and a risk analysis are closely linked, and both play an important role in creating a safe working environment. Both analyses are related and complementary.

  • An occupational accident analysis focuses on investigating accidents that have already occurred. The aim is to identify the causes of the accident and prevent similar accidents from happening again.

  • Thus, an occupational accident analysis is done after the fact (reactive) while a risk analysis is a proactive approach aimed at identifying, evaluating, and controlling hazards and risks before accidents happen.

The results of occupational accident analyses can be used as input for risk analyses. The risk analysis can be refined by analysing which incidents occurred in the past, what direct and indirect causes they had, and what corrective actions were taken. This will help you avoid a repeat accident. Conversely, a well-executed risk analysis helps identify hazards and risks that can prevent occupational accidents. So both analyses affect each other.

Read the frequently asked questions around risk analysis here.

The results of occupational accident analyses can be used as input for risk analyses. The risk analysis can be refined by analysing which incidents occurred in the past, what direct and indirect causes they had, and what corrective actions were taken. This will help you avoid a repeat accident. Conversely, a well-executed risk analysis helps identify hazards and risks that can prevent occupational accidents. So both analyses affect each other.

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