Dear Mahesh BM,
If the accident occurred in the company, then please order the inquiry to investigate the causes of the accident. Let the matter be investigated impartially. Please note that the focus of the inquiry should not be on the person, but on the incident. The Investigation Officer (IO) should investigate what preventive measures were taken to prevent the accident, whether safety training was imparted to the employee(s) involved in the accident, what was the role of the Supervisor or Manager in the accident, the cause of the accident, was it due to unsafe practice or unsafe working conditions, and so on. The IO should investigate the role of the Safety Officer (SO) also. Did the SO raise alarms, but nobody heeded them?
By conducting the investigation, we understand the loopholes in the system. If we focus on the person, then an investigation may start with prejudice, and we may not come to know the real cause. A prejudiced mind may even vitiate the investigation. We should not allow this to happen.
If the culpability of the employee(s) is established in the investigation, then the management can order the domestic inquiry. Based on the recommendations of the Enquiry Officer (EO), the management may initiate suitable disciplinary action.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar