Accident Reporting

Accident Reporting at SMU

RMEH&S Safety FairRMEH&S Safety FairJuly 18, 2003July 18, 2003

Agenda:

Accidents Do Happen Accident Reporting

Accident InvestigationWORKSHOP

What is an Accident? DEFINITION:

 For the purpose of this procedure, an accident is defined as "any unplanned event that causes, or has the potential to cause, an injury or illness and/or damage to person, buildings, or the natural environment." Incidents range from serious incidents and emergencies to near-miss incidents where there is no actual injury or damage.

 Auto

General Liability

Property Loss

Workers’ Compensation

Types of Accidents

Auto Accidents

Auto Accident

Bodily injury or property damage caused by a land motor vehicle designed and registered

for use on public roads.

General Liability

Any injuries or damages to persons or property that are

directly or indirectly attributable to the design, formulation,

manufacture, distribution, use, operation, maintenance or repair of an entity; or the failure to warn

of any such conditions

General Liability Accident

Property Loss or DamageFire – Fraternity House,

Mechanical Room

Fire – Selecman Hall, Kitchen

Flood – Residence Hall

Property Damage

Property damage means physical injury to or destruction of tangible property including

loss of use if the loss or use results from the physical injury or destruction of the property.

Workers’ Compensation

Any injury or contracted disease arising out of and in the course

and scope of employment.

It’s time to playIt’s time to play

Question:Question:Which of the following Which of the following incident types results in incident types results in the largest number of the largest number of PROPERTY LOSS claims?PROPERTY LOSS claims?

Trash Can Fires

Car Fires

Unattended cooking

Popcorn in microwave

Arson 4%

30%

23%

13%

8%

* * These are based on estimated statisticsThese are based on estimated statistics

All accidents that arise out of, or in the course of any University sponsored activity must be reported. The immediate

supervisor is responsible for ensuring the correct procedures are followed. Incidents that occur on the way to or

from work, during lunch or recreational breaks, or on University field activities must also be reported.

Accident Reporting

Stay calm.Bodily Injury? – Secure medical attention for the injured party(ies). Call campus police (on campus) or local police, as necessary. Employees should report all accidents involving bodily injury immediately to supervisor, campus police (on campus incident), OR local police, AND to RMEH&S within 24 hours.As applies, obtain police officers name, police report number. Auto accident? Exchange driver’s licenses, vehicle data & insurance information.Obtain the name(s) and contact information of any witnesses present at the scene. Assist police and RMEH&S with Accident Investigation.Complete Accident Report Form and forward to RMEH&S.

Reporting Procedures

Accident Report Form

Accident Report Form

AUTO ACCIDENT REPORT Driver's Name: ___ __________________________________________ ___ DOB: _________

Last Name, First Name MI M/D/Y SSN: _ _ _ - _ _ - _ _ _ _ Driver's License No. _ _ _____________ State: __________ Your Department: _ ______________________________ Address: _____________________ Telephone Number, where you may be reached: Office ___________ Home : _______________ Rental Vehicle: __ Yes _ _ No If, yes, Rental Company/ Agency: _______________________ Vehicle Identification Number: _____________ _______________ Lic Plate Number: ________ Year: ___________________ Make: _________________________ Model: ______________ Description of Injuries, if any: ________________________________ ___________________ Damages to Your Vehicle: ________________________________ _______________________ Were Police/ DPS Notified _ __ Yes ___ No Were Pictures Taken: _ __ Yes _ __ No If yes, Officer's Name: ___________________________ Report or File Number: __ ________________ Date of Accident: _________________ LOCATION OF ACCIDENT: ____________________ _ ___________ ____________________ ________________ ______________

OTHER PERSON(S) INVOLVED

Name: ________________________________________________ DOB: ______________ Address: _______________________________ Driver's License Number: ________________ How may we contact you: Work: __________ Home ___________ Other: _____________ VEHICLE INVOLVED Vehicle Identification Number: _____________ _______________ Lic Plate Number: ________ Year: ___________________ Make: _________________________ Model: ______________ Insurance Carrier: _ ___ ___________________ ________ Policy Number: ________________ Description of Injuries, if any: ________________________________ ___________________ Damages to Your Vehicle: ________________________________ _______________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ____________ NARRATIVE REPORT/ SUMMARY OF ACCIDENT: ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

If you have any questions, please contact Linda Oliver at (214) 768-2807, Risk Management Office Box 750231, Dallas TX 75275-0231

Auto Accident Report Form

Accident Reporting-Student• In the event of an injury occurring to a student who is employed on a casual basis, it must be established whether the person was performing an activity as a student (i.e. in pursuit of study) or as an employee (i.e. on a paid basis) at the time. • If a student was in fact an employee at the time of the incident, a Work Comp First Report of Injury must be completed and forwarded to RMEH&S. (Police reports should also be forwarded to RMEH&S).• If a student was involved as a student and incurred an injury or illness the accident should be reported on the general Accident/Incident Report Form.

•Never argue with a third party who is involved in, or witness to, an accident.

•Never admit liability, or say that SMU will pay for any damages…rather, show compassion without an admission of responsibility. You may also tell them an investigation will be performed by the Police and/or Risk Management, and responsibility assigned.

What Not to Do –

* Prevents early medical intervention

* Results in higher total claim costs

* Has a much greater probability of being denied coverage

Late Reporting of Claims:

$$ WC Claims not reported within the business day following an injury will COST YOUR

DEPARTMENT $1,000 of the claim cost $$

It’s time to playIt’s time to play

Question:Question:What is the most common What is the most common type of OCCUPATIONAL type of OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENT that occurs on ACCIDENT that occurs on campus?campus?

Caught On/In/Between

Struck Against

Overexertion

Struck By

Slip/Trip - Fall 26%

23%

22%

13%

8%

Accident Investigation

The purpose of accident investigations is to find the underlying causes of an injury, illness, or “near miss” and to take corrective actions. Employees should understand that accident investigations are not intended to assign blame.

Conduct the investigation immediately after the accident.

In separate interviews, ask the primary person involved (i.e. employee, student, visitor) in the accident, and any witnesses, to tell you in their own words exactly what happened.

Repeat the primary person and witnesses’ descriptions of the event to allow them to make corrections or additions.

Review the completed form with each person involved to make certain that the report is accurate.

Accident Investigation Tips

Accident Investigation - Risk Management’s Focus

Understanding accidents - direct and indirect causes

Establishing a framework Getting to the root cause Preparing and delivering findings In collaboration with appropriate

departments, initiating corrective actions to prevent recurrence if threats to health & safety are identified.

Accident Reporting – Workshop

The campus garbage truck is out on campus performing routine pickups.. There are three employees assigned to the vehicle; a driver and two attendants.  It’s been threatening to rain all morning. There have already been a few sprinkles and the skies are dark. All of a sudden the dam breaks loose…it starts raining hard. The two attendants on the back run and get in the cab. They have only one pick up left and they are at the location. They decide between them that they will back up to the spot and “real quick” dash out of the cab and put the garbage in the bin. This location usually doesn’t have much garbage anyway. They are backing up, with very little visibility, when a student on a skateboard comes around the wall to their side and is hit by the rear of the truck. The occupants in the cab are unaware of the student until they feel the bump of the vehicle driving over something. It is the student’s skateboard and legs. They get out to see what they hit and discover the injured person.

Accident Scenario #1

What should happen from here?What sort of claim is this? Auto or General Liability?

Sharon King has been employed at the University for two months. She is very energetic and dedicated to her job. Today, she has worked continuously on several projects that her supervisor has requested by 2:00. After she has completed this tedious task, she breaks for lunch. Realizing that it’s 4:00 she decides to eat popcorn as a snack since she has to meet her husband at Houston’s Restaurant for dinner. She places the popcorn into the microwave, unknowingly sets the timer at 20 minutes instead of the 2 minutes required. She walks down the hall to rest room and pauses for a conversation with one of her co-workers. When she returns she finds the popcorn is burning and has ignited cabinets in the kitchen. What should she do?

How could she have avoided this fire?

Accident Scenario #2

Accident Scenario #3

On Tuesday morning SMU employee Peruna reported to work to start his day. Peruna has worked as a carpenter on campus for 31 years. (Peruna always wears his safety glasses and follows safety procedures) On Tuesday Morning about 9:30 am Peruna mentioned to his supervisor Car Rag Phelps (better known as CRP) that his left eye was sore. He said some wood dust may have gotten in it while cutting boards to build the stables for the SMU polo horses. CRP told him to go check it out in the mirror. While Peruna was looking in the mirror he could see a small amount of wood shavings in his eye. Peruna went to the eye wash station and rinsed out his eye. After about 15 minutes he reported back to CRP and finished the days work. The supervisor filed a quick accident report and did not give the situation much more thought.

Later that night Peruna woke up about 2:00am and went to look in the mirror. He had trouble opening his left eye and when he did get it open it was completely red and looked infected. His wife, Wilma Caustic (WC) immediately took him to the emergency room. While at the hospital the doctors used a special dye and found a large amount of wood shavings that needed to be removed. After the doctors removed the shavings WC took Peruna home but he did have to wear a patch over his left eye for a week while it healed.

What should happen from here?What do you think is the root cause of this incident?

QUESTIONS?

Thanks for Coming!