CSS Accident Investigation and Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which accident causation model uses the concept of 'energy transfer' to explain how injuries occur?
- Domino Theory
- Haddon Matrix (Correct answer)
- Swiss Cheese Model
- MORT Analysis
Correct answer: Haddon Matrix
The Haddon Matrix analyzes accidents in terms of energy transfer between a host, agent, and environment across pre-event, event, and post-event phases.
Question 2: When should a post-incident critique (after-action review) be conducted following a serious workplace accident?
- Only after OSHA completes its investigation
- Within 6 months when all facts are documented
- As soon as all immediate hazards are controlled and key personnel are available (Correct answer)
- After the injured employee returns to work
Correct answer: As soon as all immediate hazards are controlled and key personnel are available
Post-incident critiques should occur as soon as practicable after the immediate hazards are controlled to capture accurate recollections while they are fresh.
Question 3: In root cause analysis, a 'latent failure' is best described as:
- An active error committed by a frontline worker
- A hidden systemic weakness that becomes active when triggered by local conditions (Correct answer)
- A mechanical failure that occurs without warning
- A violation of a written safety procedure
Correct answer: A hidden systemic weakness that becomes active when triggered by local conditions
Latent failures are dormant organizational or design weaknesses that lie undetected until combined with other conditions to produce an accident.
Question 4: The primary purpose of photographing an accident scene is to:
- Satisfy OSHA documentation requirements only
- Provide visual evidence that preserves the scene as found before it is altered (Correct answer)
- Replace the need for written incident reports
- Identify liable parties for legal proceedings
Correct answer: Provide visual evidence that preserves the scene as found before it is altered
Photographs preserve the original state of the scene as objective evidence before cleanup, repair, or other changes occur.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of an 'indirect cause' of a workplace accident?
- An unguarded rotating shaft that contacted a worker's sleeve
- Oil spilled on a floor that caused a slip
- A management system that failed to enforce lockout/tagout procedures (Correct answer)
- Debris left in a walking path
Correct answer: A management system that failed to enforce lockout/tagout procedures
Indirect (or underlying) causes are management system failures, such as inadequate policy enforcement, that allow direct hazards to exist.
Question 6: A 'near-miss' event should be investigated with the same rigor as an injury-producing accident primarily because:
- OSHA mandates equal investigation depth for all incidents
- Near-misses share the same causal factors and represent missed prevention opportunities (Correct answer)
- Insurance carriers require near-miss reports for policy compliance
- Near-misses are more common and easier to analyze than injuries
Correct answer: Near-misses share the same causal factors and represent missed prevention opportunities
Near-misses have the same causal chain as injury accidents; investigating them prevents the same scenario from causing future harm.
Question 7: The '5 Whys' technique is most effective at identifying which type of accident cause?
- Surface-level unsafe acts
- Root causes embedded in systems or management practices (Correct answer)
- Human error percentages across departments
- Equipment failure rates over time
Correct answer: Root causes embedded in systems or management practices
Repeating 'why' iteratively drills past immediate causes to expose deeper systemic or management root causes.
CSS Accident Investigation and Analysis 2
Which accident causation model uses the concept of 'energy transfer' to explain how injuries occur?