Accident Investigation Techniques

This new edition covers all aspects of accident investigation from theory to organizing, gathering and analyzing data, to reporting, recommendations and follow-up. Special features include in-depth descriptions of analytical techniques in order to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each technique. New chapters include “What is an Accident,” “Cause and Effect Analysis,” and “Learning from Accidents.” The book is divided into four parts: Part I is an introduction to the accident sequence. Part II describes the organization of accident investigations: starting the investigation, gaining knowledge about the accident, collecting evidence and data, and using appropriate investigative techniques. It includes instructions for gathering information, interviewing, documenting, preserving evidence, retrieving data, and analytically processing this information to determine exactly what happened. Part III provides thorough explanations of analytical techniques that are useful in investigating accidents. Numerous examples and worksheets are included, and the benefits, weaknesses, and appropriateness of each technique are discussed. Four chapters of Part III are devoted to specific techniques, and a fifth chapter covers other specialized and computerized techniques. After you use analytical techniques to determine what happened, the next step is to use that information to prevent future accidents. Part IV covers accident documentation and follow-up activities, and tells how to develop recommendations and corrective actions.