Final answer:
The main purpose of a mishap investigation is B. to identify root causes of incidents to prevent future occurrences, typically performed by the safety officer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of a mishap investigation is not to assign blame, but rather to identify root causes of an incident in order to prevent similar occurrences in the future. According to the options provided in the question, the correct answer would be option B: To identify root causes; Safety officer. The safety officer or a designated person is typically responsible for conducting the investigation. This aligns with what safety engineers and OSHA prioritize, which is workplace safety, understanding causes of accidents, and enforcing regulations to prevent them from recurring.
When a safety engineer, such as the one in the example provided, investigates accidents, it is not to place blame on employees but to understand why an accident occurred and how similar incidents can be avoided. By analyzing accident reports and identifying the necessity for employees to follow instructions, the safety engineer can help to enhance safety protocols and training, thereby reducing the number of future accidents. The investigation's goal is to examine a problem comprehensively, with the possibility of recommending both general and specific solutions to improve safety standards.
The process includes examining the problem thoroughly and could involve cause-and-effect analysis, classification and division of potential safety issues, and ultimately, the proposition of effective solutions. For instance, the expectation to find a report with an accident caused by an employee not following instructions would be calculated based on the probability of such accidents, estimated by the safety engineer to be 35%. Therefore, recent and relevant data including incident reports and OSHA inspection priorities become critical in guiding the investigation and potential preventative measures.