Introduction

Workplace accident causes and prevention need a detailed examination. An OEM factory worker suffered third-degree burns and limb loss from an overturned container of practically red-hot forgings (Kelloway et al., 2025). As firm president and primary investor, you must ensure a comprehensive investigation. This investigation will establish direct and systemic accident causes.

The investigation involves securing the area, contacting stakeholders, collecting data, identifying fundamental issues, and drafting a detailed report with solutions. Interviews with workers, supervisors, and machine operators will reveal the event. To detect safety process problems, maintenance logs, training records, and incident reports will be evaluated. The findings will advise identifying dangers, training, and hiring a safety expert to improve the safety and health program.

Summary of Report

While summarizing the report, in an OEM industrial disaster, an overturned hot forgings container caused third-degree burns and limb loss. The president and primary investor must investigate urgent and systemic reasons. Scene security, stakeholder notification, data collection, and root because analysis were investigated. Check inspection records, training documents, and safety audits for maintenance concerns, poor training, and missing safety measures. The paper suggests engaging a safety expert, conducting danger assessments, and altering training programs. These actions increase safety, avoid recurrence, and demonstrate the company’s employee care. Filling safety system gaps boosts productivity, lowers legal risk, and enhances safety.

Incident Investigation: Steps and Methods

Incident investigation must identify and avoid workplace accidents. An OEM worker’s significant injury from an overturned hot forgings container necessitates a thorough reaction. This research will evaluate the accident’s direct causes, contributing factors, and workplace safety improvements. Investigation methods are below.

1. Immediate Response and Preservation of the Incident Scene

First, secure and preserve the scene in every occurrence inquiry. The scene includes critical evidence that may be tainted or changed. Avoid accidents by marking the area around the hot forgings container. Turn off and isolate the machine to minimize risks. A good investigation needs evidence preservation (Yildizel, 2021). Photograph and capture any physical evidence before moving or damaging it. A quick investigation of the area is essential to find any potential risks that might cause further incidents. Leaking fluids, exposed cables, and unstable equipment are examples. Secure the place so the investigators may investigate the accident without interference.

2. Notification of Relevant Stakeholders

Report the situation to company stakeholders promptly. Senior management, safety officials (if available), first responders, and local emergency services are stakeholders. Superintendents oversee safety without a specialist. Tell the president and other key management people immediately. The company can respond rapidly and handle the incident following prompt notification. First aid teams, ambulances, and fire departments are called at this point. Since the worker was seriously hurt, first responders should be called immediately to treat and transport him to hospital (Maeda et al., 2022).

3. Initial Incident Report

Prepare an initial incident report after resolving urgent safety problems. The first responder—usually a supervisor or senior employee—should compose this report. The report must cover these key points:

This report forms the basis for the study, offering first findings and setting the ground for a further look.

4. Investigation Team Formation

A team must investigate to comprehend the situation. The team will interview witnesses, acquire evidence, and analyze data to discover the incident’s causes. Process expertise and plant operators should join the team. For objectivity, use outside safety experts. Since the firm lacks a safety expert, the team may include:

A diverse group with various viewpoints may help the investigative team understand the event.

5. Root Cause Analysis

Cause is the focus of event inquiry. Root cause analysis (RCA) determines the incident’s immediate and systemic causes (Knop, 2022). Five Whys analyzes underlying causes effectively. This strategy asks “why” to uncover the cause.

For example:

These inquiries and event sequences assist researchers uncover immediate and systemic causes. This is key to effective remediation.

6. Data Collection

The next research step is gathering all relevant data. Photos, videos, witness evidence, and maintenance and inspection papers are required.

7. Analysis of Contributing Factors

Investigating the occurrence should include determining its immediate cause and any related variables. These considerations may include:

These contributing elements may help the inquiry determine the accident’s causes.

8. Report Generation and Recommendations

The investigation team should prepare a detailed report after gathering and analyzing data. Include in report:

A summary of the incident, including the sequence of events.
The root causes of the incident, both immediate and systemic.
An analysis of the contributing factors.
Possible safety system, training, or equipment maintenance modifications to prevent accidents.

The report should be clear and concise, offering actionable insights that can be used to make improvements in the workplace.

9. Follow-Up and Implementation of Corrective Actions

After filing the investigative report, corrective actions must be taken. This may include:

After remediation, monitoring and auditing should continue to enhance safety and avoid repeat accidents. Incident investigations assist prevent workplace accidents by identifying their causes. A systematic investigation, involving securing the area, contacting stakeholders, root cause analysis, and corrective procedures, may improve safety and reduce future incidents.

Stakeholders to Interview and Sample Questions

Records/Documents to Reference

Checking many essential documents and papers is necessary to properly examine. The statistics disclose the incident’s causes, systemic issues, and help prevent future accidents. Following records are pertinent to the investigation.

1. Incident Reports and Investigation Records

First, check incident and investigation reports. These papers chronicle past plant occurrences, exposing recurring risks or operating issues. These articles may reveal patterns and trends that caused the occurrence to the investigating team. Repeated equipment failures may indicate an unaddressing issue with the machinery or operations (Koopman, 2024). Reviewing prior investigations may help the team determine whether earlier ideas were taken and if they enhanced safety. Failure to follow up on corrective efforts may suggest systemic safety management system shortcomings that need to be addressed to prevent future incidents.

2. Maintenance and Inspection Logs

Maintenance and inspection records help assess incident equipment. These drop forging machine and equipment inspection, repair, and maintenance documents document previous work. The investigating team may use this data to establish whether equipment was properly maintained and if defects or wear were ignored. Unresolved drop forge machine difficulties may indicate maintenance failure or a lack of repair resources. Maintain regular inspections and manufacturer-recommended maintenance. Equipment failure and case studies might result from maintenance errors.

3. Safety Training Records

Safety training records show whether incident workers were appropriately educated on equipment and procedures. These papers indicate staff safety training, certifications, and refreshers. Analyzing the staff’s training history may reveal whether they were properly instructed on safe work practises, PPE use, and emergency procedures (Hagen, & Andersen, 2024). If employees are undertrained or unaware of safety rules, the company’s safety program may be weak. Safety training is essential, especially for high-risk equipment workers.

4. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Records

PPE records are crucial for determining accident worker protection. These data track gloves, safety goggles, protection clothing, and face shields, which avoid high-risk occupational injuries. The investigation would be affected if the worker was not supplied the correct PPE if it was defective or badly maintained. The team may verify PPE records to determine whether safety gear was delivered, fulfilled requirements, and was used properly during the event. If PPE supply or usage gaps are found, stronger PPE may be advised.

5. Safety Audit Reports

Independent audits evaluate the plant’s safety management system. Safety professionals examine policies, procedures, and controls routinely. Investigators may find issues management overlooked by reviewing audit reports. Previous audits found no improvements in equipment maintenance, personnel training, or danger identification. The examination may explain why and how these issues were ignored. Safety audits may identify and avoid concerns, increasing plant safety culture (Yildizel, 2021). An accident investigation must evaluate several papers to discover its causes. Investigation reports, incident reports, and maintenance and inspection files highlight equipment failures and reoccurring difficulties. Safety and PPE records validate worker training and gear. Exterior safety audits assess safety measures. The investigative team may utilize this data to determine the incident’s causes and enhance plant safety to avoid repeat mishaps.

Recommendations to Improve Safety and Health Program

Recommendation	Objective	Action	Outcome
1. Hire a Dedicated Safety Specialist	To ensure that safety is given the attention it requires, especially in an environment with complex operations.	Immediately hire or contract a full-time safety specialist to perform regular hazard assessments, provide expert advice, and conduct safety training for all employees.	The safety specialist will oversee the creation of a more structured safety program, address hazards proactively, and improve overall safety performance.
2. Implement Regular Hazard Assessments and Inspections	To ensure that all plant equipment is safe and functioning correctly to avoid accidents.	Establish a rigorous hazard assessment program, including daily safety checks and regular inspections of equipment. Involve workers and management in identifying potential hazards before incidents occur.	Timely identification and correction of hazards, leading to a safer work environment and reduced risk of accidents.
3. Revise Training and Safety Awareness Programs	To address the gap in worker knowledge and ensure that everyone is aware of safety procedures.	Develop a comprehensive safety training program for all workers, including hands-on training, emergency response procedures, and equipment-specific safety protocols. Conduct regular refresher courses.	A well-trained workforce will be more capable of handling potential hazards, reducing the likelihood of human error leading to incidents.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the OEM plant incident shows safety program danger detection, maintenance, and training gaps. Incident analysis reveals the need for proactive safety and coordinated safety management. Through stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and structural changes, the company can establish the accident’s causes and prevent future mishaps. Hire a safety expert, do periodic risk assessments, and improve worker training to make the workplace safer. Proactive safety culture minimizes risks, enhances morale, absenteeism, and productivity. Safety concerns and remediation may protect the company from legal and financial damages from workplace accidents. Prioritizing safety and providing workers with information and services indicates the company’s commitment to employee well-being. Long-term, a robust safety program will boost efficiency, productivity, and legality.

Reference

Hagen, A., & Andersen, T. M. (2024). Asset management, condition monitoring and digital twins: Damage detection and virtual inspection on a reinforced concrete bridge. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2404.10341 arXiv

Kelloway, E. K., Francis, L., & Gatien, B. (2025). Management of Occupational Health and Safety (8th ed.). Nelson Education.

Knop, K. (2022). Using Six Sigma DMAIC cycle to improve workplace safety in the company from automotive branch: A case study. Manufacturing Technology, 22(3), 297-305. https://doi.org/10.21062/mft.2022.040 journalmt.com

Koopman, P. (2024). Anatomy of a robotaxi crash: Lessons from the Cruise pedestrian dragging mishap. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2402.06046 arXiv

Maeda, Y., Suzuki, Y., & Yamamoto, S. (2022). The importance of incident investigation in improving workplace safety. Safety Management. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjb.2023.98 Todd Jerome Jenkins | Safety Consultant

Samarasinghe, H., & Heenatigala, S. (2024). Insights from the field: A comprehensive analysis of industrial accidents in plants and strategies for enhanced workplace safety. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2403.05539 arXiv

Yildizel, S. A. (2021). Investigation of scaffolding accident in a construction site: A case study analysis. Engineering Failure Analysis, 120, 105108. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENGFAILANAL.2020.105108 Academia+1ScienceDirect+1