What is a workplace investigation?  

A workplace investigation is a:  

• Fact-finding process of uncovering the cause of a particular incident 

• Critical, objective and systematic examination of all components of an incident 

• Tool to find workplace acts, conditions and procedures that require improvement 

• Component of an incident reporting process  

• Tool to prevent similar events from occurring  

• Reactive part of an injury prevention process 

Roles and Responsibilities for Investigations: 

While the employer has the ultimate responsibility for health and safety in a workplace, joint occupational health and safety committee play a vital role in: 

• Ensuring that investigations are carried out as required  

• Providing meaningful investigation participation 

• Reviewing Employer Incident Investigation Reports (EIIR) 

• Advising the employer on workplace safety changes or health and safety concerns 

• Supporting corrective actions and ensuring that action items are completed 

• Evaluating the effectiveness of the committee’s work  

What do we investigate? 

• Incidents, near misses, injuries, and time loss claims 

• Equipment/machine failures 

• Structural or property damage 

• Release of a hazardous substance 

• Health and safety concerns received from a worker  

• Concerns from regulatory bodies 

Investigations evaluate all workplace elements related to the incident, such as:  

• People  

• Tools, Equipment, Machines 

• Processes  

• Procedures 

• Conditions  

• Environment