Evidence gathering Witnesses

Evidence gathered through personal interviews is both insightful and fragile. People s ability to recollect facts accurately declines exponentially. A rule of thumb is that people typically forget 50—80% of the details of an event within 24 hours. They are also likely to have their mind swayed by other people as time progresses. Therefore, witnesses should be located and interviewed as soon as possible. 

Gather important information the agent used was it aerosol, liquid, gas, powder or vapor location method of delivery do you have the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to deal with the hazard, or have you called for assistance by a specialized team are you sure that anyone who enters a contaminated area has the proper PPE and is trained in its use be sure to establish control — keep all victims, non-victims and bystanders at the crime scene (if there is any suspicion of an attack) until it is determined who among them may be a terrorist or a witness perform decontamination, triage if necessary, isolation, quarantine, search and locate evidence, maintain chain of control, and collect samples. 

In 1980, Ellis Horwood Ltd (with John Wiley Sons, Ltd) were the publishers of a book entitled Metal and Metalloid Amides, by M. L. Lappert, P. P. Power, A. R. Sanger and R. C. Srivastava. This comprehensive treatise, which gathered together for the first time information on this important subject, is still occasionally referenced for example, there have been more than 10 citations per annum in the major American Chemical Society journals during 2003-2007. However, the intervening three decades (from 1980) have witnessed a massive interest in the area, as evident in the more than 3000 papers and to bring the subject up to date was a substantial undertaking. 

But it also has a big problem. I have seen the consequences of accidents that have stopped men working for weeks and months. I have had to collect the witness statements and take the photographs of the locations when accidents have occurred. I have had to gather the evidence that they had been inducted and read their method statements for the task they were performing at the time. I have donated to collections to try to keep a family going as no income will be forthcoming for the next few months whilst an injury heals and bills still have to be paid. 

Synthesize the information gathered from the witnesses interviewed and evidence collected to determine the accident cause... 

The site visit will set the tone for the remainder of the investigation. It will probably generate as many questions as are answered by the site visit. However, the site visit and its documentation are necessary in order to effectively analyze the causes of the accident as well as being an aid in the completion of your final report. Once all the physical evidence has been gathered, it is time to interview any witnesses or victims. 

Gather evidence from many sources during an investigation. Get information from witnesses and reports and observation. Get copies of all reports (documents containing normal operating procedures, flow diagrams, etc., maintenance charts, or reports of difficulties or abnormalities). Keep complete and accurate notes. Record pre-incident conditions, the incident sequence, and post-incident conditions. In addition, document the location of employee, witnesses, equipment, energy sources, and hazardous materials. 

One important element is to establish if the witness saw the incident. Be sure to gather facts, as distinguished from speculation and conjecture on what might have happened. Circumstantial evidence is also important. If a witness saw the incident site immediately before the incident, this evidence may be of value. 

Step 2 Gathering evidence and information. Studying accident evidence and interviewing witnesses is the primary mode of gathering information. 

Teach the team how to do the investigation (especially interview protocols) before they go out and gather evidence and interview witnesses. There is a correct way to interview witnesses showing respect, not use leading questions or making accusations, etc. 

Information obtained during investigations is given verbally, or provided in writing. Written documentation should be gathered to provide evidence of policy or practice followed on site, and witnesses should be talked to as soon as possible after the accident. The injured person should also be seen promptly and interviewed. 

A complete listing of the chain of command, including who will be in charge of the investigation, gather physical evidence, take notes and photographs, interview witnesses and victims, prepare the final report, and receive copies of the final report. 

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