After completing this topic, you should be able to
[Topic title: Problem-solving Techniques for Investigations.] As humans, when things go wrong for us, we tend to ask, "Why did this happen to me?" Similarly, when something goes awry in a workplace, investigators ask, "Why did this incident happen?"
Now, we already know how important it is to get witness statements while investigating an incident. But, while witness statements are essential in finding out what happened, they don't always immediately answer, "Why?"
To uncover that answer, investigators may make use of several procedures to analyze collected information. These procedures help to determine root causes of incidents. Two of the most common procedures are change analysis and job safety analysis.
Let's discuss change analysis first. Change analysis involves analyzing changes or differences in a process or procedure to determine the cause of a problem. To solve a problem using this procedure, you look for deviations from the norm and then consider all problems resulting from the unanticipated change.
The change analysis technique has seven steps. The first step is to define the problem by describing what happened. Then you establish the norm by clarifying what should have happened. Once you establish these "should haves," you identify, locate, and describe the nature, location, timing, and extent of the change. In the fourth step, you specify what was and what wasn't affected. Then you identify the distinctive features of the change and list its possible causes. In the final step, you select the most likely cause.
This brings us to the second common procedure – job safety analysis. This technique is used in many existing incident prevention programs to determine the events and conditions that led to an incident.
Using job safety analysis, you first divide a job into basic steps. Then, you identify the hazards and controls associated with each step.
Essentially, job safety analysis is a chart that lists these steps, hazards, and controls. This chart should be reviewed during an incident investigation if an analysis has been conducted for the job.
These commonly used problem-solving techniques play a significant role in helping to uncover root causes of incidents.
Now it's time to take a short break for a practice question. We'll pick up here when you're done.
Match each problem-solving technique with the actions appropriate for that technique. Each technique will match to more than one action.
Options:
Targets:
Among the steps for change analysis are defining the problem, establishing the "should haves," and specifying what was affected by the change. Among the steps for job safety analysis are breaking work into basic steps, identifying hazards, and charting controls that are in place.
Establishing what should have happened is the second step in the change analysis technique.
Defining the problem is the first step in the change analysis technique.
Specifying what was and wasn't affected by the difference is the fourth step in the change analysis technique.
The second step in the job safety analysis technique is to identify the hazards and controls associated with each step.
Breaking work into basic steps is the first step in the job safety analysis technique.
Once work is broken into basic steps, and hazards are identified, the third step in the job safety analysis technique is to chart the controls that are in place.
Correct answer(s):
Target 1 = Option A
Target 2 = Option A
Target 3 = Option A
Target 4 = Option B
Target 5 = Option B
Target 6 = Option B
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