Accident Reporting and Investigation 3-56.1

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Regulation 3-56.1

BUSINESS AND NONINSTRUCTIONAL OPERATIONS

Accident Reporting and Investigation

1. Objective

   The purpose of this policy is to provide accident reporting and investigation guidelines.

2. Policy

   It is the responsibility of each school division employee to report all accidents, near miss accidents, and occupational illnesses as the resulting accident investigations can produce information that leads to countermeasures preventing or reducing the number of accidents and illnesses.

3. Definitions
   1. Accident: an unplanned or unintended occurrence (usually sudden and unexpected) that causes an injury, illness, and/or damage to school property.
   2. Occupational Illness: an abnormal condition or a disorder caused by exposure by inhalation, absorption, ingestion or direct contact to environmental factors or hazards associated with employment.
   3. Near Miss Accident: an unplanned occurrence that could have caused an injury, illness and/or damage to school property.
4. Accident Reporting

   When an employee is injured while performing job-related duties for the division, he/she may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. In order to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, the following procedures must be followed:

   1. The employee must immediately notify his supervisor of the injury, explaining the nature of the injury and detailing how and when the injury was sustained. The employee must also complete the Employee Injury Report and Investigation Form (See Appendix 1 of this policy). This form must be filled out properly and turned in to your supervisor within 24 hours of the accident
   2. Once notified of the injury by the employee, the supervisor shall provide the employee with the Employee Injury Report and Investigation Form. Depending on the severity of the injury, the employee is required to complete the top portion of the form at the time of the incident, while his/her supervisor completes the bottom portion. Only the injured employee should fill out the top portion of the form. If the employee is unable to complete the form at the time of the injury, due to the severity of the injury, the form should be filled out when the employee is capable of completing the form.
   3. At the time a supervisor is advised of an accident involving an employee, the supervisor must provide the employee with the division’s Workers’ Compensation Physician Panel List Form. The supervisor shall make certain the employee knows that they must select a doctor from the panel should they require medical attention as a result of their accident.
   4. After selecting a physician, the employee should sign the Workers’ Compensation Panel List Form. If the employee requires no medical attention at the time of the accident, check the line, which reads: "Please check if medical treatment is NOT desired at this time." Bills for medical services provided by doctors not on the panel shall be paid by the employee.
   5. Prior to sending an employee to the panel physician he/she has selected, the employee’s supervisor shall issue the employee a properly completed Workers’ Compensation Program Injury Status Report and the employee shall present this form to the attending physician. The attending physician will complete the bottom portion of the form. The employee shall then return this form to his/her supervisor immediately after seeing the doctor. It is the responsibility of the employee’s supervisor to ensure this form is returned to them.
   6. A designated representative from the employing department or school shall complete the Employer’s First Report of Accident Form. This form shall be forwarded to the Workers’ Compensation Program Administrator within twenty-four (24) hours of the accident.
   7. In a serious or life threatening situation, emergency assistance should be requested and the employee should be transported to the nearest hospital emergency room. If this occurs the Workers’ Compensation Program Administrator will provide the injured employee with the necessary forms to be completed. Treatment for this injury after the employee leaves the hospital must be from a panel physician selected by the employee.
   8. All forms listed in this section shall be provided by the VBCPS Workers’ Compensation Program Administrator.
   9. If as the result of a work-related injury, the employee is unable to return to work for more than seven (7) calendar days, the employee may be eligible to receive compensation in accordance with in the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Act.
5. Accident Investigation
   1. The accurate, conscientious completion of an accident or near miss accident investigation will aid in the prevention of accidents by:
      1. Discovering and removing accident causing conditions;
      2. Discovering and correcting accident causing actions;
      3. Discovering deficiencies in management and/or supervisory control;
      4. Discovering deficiencies and voids in safe work rules and processes, and/or failures in employee compliance or lack or enforcement;
      5. Clarifying training or retraining needs; and
      6. Identifying inefficient methods of operation.
   2. It is the responsibility of each supervisor to conduct all accident investigations according to the procedures defined in this policy, including:
      1. Investigating the accident accurately, thoroughly and completing it within 24 hours of the accident;
      2. Identifying specifically all causes of an accident and documenting them on the Employee Injury Report and Investigation Form.
6. Accident Investigation Responsibilities
   1. Employee Responsibilities
      1. All situations or occurrences classified as accidents or near miss accidents must be reported immediately by the affected employee to their immediate supervisor. If the employee is unable to report the occurrence, that responsibility shall belong to the nearest co-worker or witness.
      2. It is the responsibility of all employees to report all unsafe conditions or unsafe acts to their supervisor immediately.
      3. Any employee involved with an accident or near miss accident shall cooperate fully with the investigation to help identify and eliminate the accident causes.
      4. Complete the specified sections on the Employee Injury Report and Investigation Form and submit it to your supervisor.
   2. Supervisor Responsibilities
      1. Conduct a thorough, extensive investigation of all situations or occurrences that are classified as accidents or near miss accidents immediately upon becoming aware of them. Inspect the scene of the accident personally. Question other employees who may have seen the accident. This investigation should be conducted within twenty-four (24) hours of the accident.
      2. Ensure that effective corrective actions are implemented for all accident causes, by seeking assistance from the VBCPS Occupational Safety / Loss Control Specialist and any other employee with the required expertise.
      3. Complete the specified sections on the Employee Injury Report and Investigation Form entirely and forward the report to the Office of Environmental Services. A copy of the form will be kept in the Office of Business Services and a copy will be returned to the department or school where the accident occurred, to be used for follow-up.
      4. Monitor to ensure that implemented corrections remain effective.
      5. Correct all observed unsafe acts, or unsafe conditions immediately and investigate the causes of the unsafe act or condition.
      6. Investigate accidents or near miss accidents, which involve property damage, or the potential for property damage.
   3. Witness Responsibilities
      1. Report all accidents and near miss accidents to a supervisor immediately, particularly where the employee(s) directly involved is unable to do so.
      2. Cooperate with any accident investigation.
   4. Occupational Safety / Loss Control Specialist Responsibilities
      1. Aid in an accident or near miss accident investigation as necessary.
      2. Review and follow-up on all submitted investigations which may include:
         1. Visiting the location of the accident or near miss accident and reviewing the report with the supervisor in instances where either injury or the potential for major injury existed;
         2. Assuring the thoroughness and accuracy of an investigation.
         3. Reviewing possible corrections and providing consultation as required;
         4. Ensuring that prescribed corrections are effective;
         5. Assisting in prioritizing the implementation or corrections of hazards and accident causes;
         6. Assimilating and reviewing data produced from an investigation, in order to ascertain the locations, occupations, tasks, employees, accident causes, accident types, injury causes, and injury types most frequently resulting in accidents.
         7. Provide training in accident reporting and investigation to supervisors on an as needed basis.
7. Employee Injury Report and Investigation Form
   1. Any and all accidents or near miss accidents as defined in Section III, as well as any observed unsafe conditions or acts, must be investigated immediately and this form accurately completed with 24 hours of the accident
   2. A supervisor is required to investigate every accident and near miss accident occurring in their department. They are responsible for obtaining all facts concerning an accident and for completing the form.
   3. When reporting a near miss accident the supervisor should check the “Near Miss” box in the upper right hand corner of the form so it can be distinguished from an actual accident.
   4. Every accident is the result of an unsafe act or unsafe condition. On the backside of the form is an Accident Cause Chart, this chart will assist the supervisor in completing the form properly (See Appendix 2 of this policy).
   5. After completing the form, it should be forwarded to the Office of Environmental Services.

Adopted by Superintendent: March 15, 2000