• An OSHA standard mandates that employers investigate each incident that involved, or could have involved, a catastrophic release of highly hazardous chemical in the workplace.

Incident investigation is required under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard at 1910.119. Employers covered by the standard must investigate each incident that resulted in, or could reasonably have resulted in, a catastrophic release of highly hazardous chemical in the workplace. The regulation requires employers to start an incident investigation as promptly as possible, but no later than 48 hours after the incident.

Employers must:

• Put together an investigation team,
• Prepare a report after the incident and keep it for five years, and
• Create a system to address recommendations and document corrective actions.

Form an incident investigation team

The incident investigation team must be made up of at least one person who understands the process involved in the incident. This person may be a contract employee if he or she is the person with the appropriate knowledge and experience to thoroughly investigate and analyze the incident.

Write a report

OSHA requires PSM-covered facilities to prepare a report at the conclusion of the investigation with the following information:

• Date of the incident,
• Date the investigation began,
• A description of the incident,
• The factors that contributed to the incident, and
• Recommendations resulting from the investigation.

Review the report with all employees whose job tasks are relevant to the incident findings, including contract employees where applicable.

Establish a system to address the hazards

After the investigation, the employer must implement a system to promptly address and resolve the incident report findings and recommendations. Resolutions and corrective actions must be documented.

Retain reports and other documentation for five years.