COSS Accident Investigation Principles 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which analysis technique uses a tree diagram to trace the logical combination of events and conditions that led to an accident?
- Fishbone diagram
- Fault tree analysis (Correct answer)
- FMEA
- Job hazard analysis
Correct answer: Fault tree analysis
Fault tree analysis (FTA) uses a top-down tree diagram to map the logical combinations of failures, errors, and conditions that can result in an accident.
Question 2: When should the accident scene be altered or cleaned up after a serious workplace injury?
- As soon as emergency responders clear the scene
- Only after OSHA has been notified and, if required, granted permission (Correct answer)
- Within 8 hours to minimize business disruption
- Immediately after photographing the scene
Correct answer: Only after OSHA has been notified and, if required, granted permission
For fatalities and hospitalizations, OSHA regulations require employers to notify OSHA and generally preserve the scene until OSHA inspects or grants permission to proceed.
Question 3: Which of the following BEST describes a 'proximate cause' in accident investigation?
- The management system failure that allowed hazards to exist
- The immediate event or condition that directly produced the injury (Correct answer)
- A contributing factor that is distant from the accident in time
- The failure to provide adequate personal protective equipment
Correct answer: The immediate event or condition that directly produced the injury
The proximate (or direct) cause is the immediate event or condition that directly resulted in the accident or injury.
Question 4: A safety investigator reviews maintenance records, training logs, and inspection reports during an accident investigation. This phase is best described as:
- Scene mapping
- Document review and records analysis (Correct answer)
- Corrective action planning
- Witness debriefing
Correct answer: Document review and records analysis
Reviewing maintenance records, training logs, and inspection reports is a document review and records analysis phase that helps identify management system failures.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of re-enacting or reconstructing an accident during an investigation?
- To assign blame to responsible employees
- To train new employees on hazard avoidance
- To verify witness accounts and identify physical cause factors (Correct answer)
- To satisfy insurance documentation requirements
Correct answer: To verify witness accounts and identify physical cause factors
Accident reconstruction helps investigators verify witness statements and identify physical and environmental factors that contributed to the event.
Question 6: Which interview technique is most effective when questioning an accident witness who appears reluctant to share information?
- Confrontational questioning to overcome resistance
- Building rapport and using open-ended, non-threatening questions (Correct answer)
- Asking only yes/no questions to get clear answers
- Having supervisors present to ensure accountability
Correct answer: Building rapport and using open-ended, non-threatening questions
Building rapport and using open-ended, non-threatening questions encourages reluctant witnesses to share information without fear of blame.
Question 7: In the context of accident investigation, a 'near miss' is significant because it:
- Does not need to be reported since no injury occurred
- Represents a free lesson that reveals system weaknesses before harm results (Correct answer)
- Only needs investigation if equipment was damaged
- Should be kept confidential to avoid employee concern
Correct answer: Represents a free lesson that reveals system weaknesses before harm results
Near misses are valuable because they expose hazards and system failures that, if corrected, can prevent future accidents before injury or death occurs.
COSS Accident Investigation Principles 2
Which analysis technique uses a tree diagram to trace the logical combination of events and conditions that led to an accident?