Document 3Np6Onbog4LpY40zZw7j5N2Xa

Because this chapter discusses reporting and recording accidents and injuries accord ing to ASI Standard Z16 1, the discussion is limited to disabling injuries It should be kept in mind, however, that much can be learned from reports of accidents which re sult in minor injuries, or only m property damage An investigation of these minor injuries and accidents will, in many cases, prevent a recurrence with more senous con sequences Accident Records Records of accidents are essential to effi cient and successful safety work just as rec ords of production, costs, sales, and profits and losses are essential to efficient and suc cessful operation of a business Records supply the information necessary to transform haphazard, costly, ineffective safety work into a planned safety program that controls the specific conditions and acts that cause acci dents Records are the foundation of a scientific approach to accident prevention The basis for such records is contained in two ASI standards Z16 1, ASI Standard Method ofRecording and Measuring Work In jury Experience, and Z16 2, ASI Standard Method of Recording Baste Facts Relating to the Nature and Occurrence of Work Injuries (Copies of the Standards may be obtained from the American Standards Institute) ASI Standard Z16 1 presents the standard method for classifying and recording injuries and for computing injury rates ASI Stand ard Z16 2 provides a standard method for re cording and classifying the key facts in work injuries and a recommended procedure for analyzing accidents on this basis The discussion on injury rates in this chapter interprets the provisions of Standard Z16 1 Details on how rates are calculated are given later in this chapter under "Formulas for Rates " The procedure recommended in Standard Z16 2 is discussed and illustrated in Chapter 12, "Accident Investigation, Analysis, and Costs " Use of records When kept in accordance with the standard method, records (a) provide the safety direc tor with the means for an objective evaluation of his safety program, (b) identify high-rate plants or departments, and (c) provide infor mation on the accident causes which contrib ute most to high injury rates More specifically, the records may be used to 1 Create interest in safety among super visors by furnishing them with information about the accident experience of their departments 2 Determine the principal accident sources and provide supervisors and safety com mittees with information about the most frequent unsafe practices and unsafe con ditions so that their efforts may be concen trated where the largest reductions m accidents can be effected 3 Judge the effectiveness of the safety pro gram by showing whether the accident experience is getting better or worse, and by providing comparisons with the ex perience of similar organizations Steps In record keeping There are five important steps m develop ing adequate information about employee accident experience 1 Obtain a report on every injury, including medical treatment cases 2 Classify and record each injury according to Standard Z16 1 3 Prepare a monthly or other periodic sum mary report showing injury rates and the circumstances and causes of the accidents which resulted m the injuries 4 Analyze periodically the circumstances and causes of the accidents 5 Make an annual report to the National Safety Council on forms provided by the Council, for comparison with the records of similar organizations Nearly all states require that reports be prepared for work injuries The types of reports and the tvpes of injuries reported vary, depending on the laws and rulings in the different states It must be emphasized, This chapter was revised by the Statistics and lndustnal Department Staffs, based upon reviews by selected members ofthe National Safety Council 243