Preserving an Incident Scene

After a serious injury or death at work, the scene holds the evidence that explains what happened. If equipment is moved, cleaned up or repaired too soon, the cause may never be known, and the same incident can happen again. Preserving the scene doesn’t come before saving lives. It comes right after.

• Supervisors
• Employers
• Safety Managers

Priorities, in order

1. People first. Call 911, give first aid and rescue anyone in danger. Nothing about preserving a scene should delay care. See Calling 911 from a Jobsite and First Aid Basics.
2. Make the area safe. Stop work, shut down equipment, control hazards such as fire, gas, power lines and unstable structures. Keep others out. See Lockout/Tagout.
3. Preserve the scene. Keep it as it was, as far as is safe, until investigators have seen it.
4. Report the incident as required. OSHA must be told of a death within 8 hours and a hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours. See Recordkeeping & Reporting and How OSHA Investigates Fatalities.
5. Investigate and learn. See Incident Investigation.

What you may move or change

• You may move or alter things to rescue someone, give medical care, prevent further injury or death, or remove an immediate hazard.
• If you must change something, record how it was first: take photos or notes before you move it, if you can do so safely and quickly, and tell investigators what you did.
• Do not move other things, and don’t clean, repair, restart or put equipment back into service, until the investigation allows.

Protecting the scene

• Secure the area with barricades, tape, cones or guards. Post someone at the entrance who keeps unauthorized people out and records who comes in and out.
• Leave equipment as it is. Don’t reset breakers, controls or machines. Shut down and lock out in a way that keeps the position and condition. Tag the equipment “Do not touch” or “Out of service.”
• Keep materials and tools where they are. Protect items that could be lost, such as the injured person’s PPE, tools, harness, lanyards, fall protection and anything broken.
• Protect from weather and tampering. Cover items that rain or wind could damage if that can be done without moving them.
• Hold on to records: work permits, JHAs, inspection forms, training records, logs, plans and instructions. See Training Records.
• Secure electronic data, such as video, telematics, equipment data recorders, phone footage and radio logs. Don’t overwrite or delete them. See Dash Cams & Telematics.

Document the scene

• Take photos and video from many angles, wide and close, before anything is moved. Include the whole area, equipment, tools, controls, signs, labels, floor conditions and weather. Add a scale reference like a tape measure if you can. Note the date and time.
• Make a sketch or notes: positions of the people, equipment, materials and hazards, with measurements where possible.
• Record the time, location, weather, lighting and working conditions. List who was on site, who was nearby and what each person was doing.
• Identify witnesses and get their names and contact information right away. Ask each to write down what they saw while it is fresh, in their own words, without discussing it first. Don’t coach or pressure witnesses.
• Collect physical items only if you must, and then label them, note where they were and who handled them, and keep them secure (this is called a chain of custody).
• Keep notes factual: write what you saw, not guesses or blame.

Working with OSHA and other investigators

• OSHA investigates after fatalities and many serious injuries. Investigators may ask to see the scene, equipment, records and witnesses. See OSHA Inspections.
• Be honest and cooperative. Don’t hide, move or destroy evidence. Doing so can bring severe penalties and criminal charges.
• Employees have the right to speak with investigators privately, and an employee representative may accompany an inspection. See Walkaround Representatives.
• Other agencies may be involved: police, fire, the medical examiner, state OSHA, the Chemical Safety Board, FAA, FMCSA, or insurers, depending on the incident. Cooperate with each, and keep records of who took what.
• Employers may wish to consult a lawyer, but must not interfere with an investigation or retaliate against workers who talk. See Whistleblower Protection.
• When an investigator releases the scene, they will tell you. Don’t restart work before that.

Do’s and don’ts

• Don’t clean up, wash down, repair, scrap or put equipment back in service until it is released.
• Don’t let workers post photos or videos on social media. See Social Media & Your Job.
• Don’t take souvenirs, or let anyone remove items.
• Don’t discuss cause or blame in public or with the media.
• Don’t pressure witnesses to change their stories.

• Do be respectful of the injured and their family. Handle information with care, and tell families before the news gets out. See Trauma & Stress After a Serious Incident.
• Do communicate with workers about what is happening, and what is allowed.
• Do plan this in advance, in your emergency action plan. See Emergency Action Plans.

After the scene is released

• Do a thorough, fair investigation to find root causes, not just the first mistake. See Incident Investigation.
• Fix the hazards, change procedures and training, and share lessons with all workers. See Reporting Incidents.
• Keep records as the law requires, such as OSHA logs. See Recordkeeping & Reporting.

Scene preservation checklist

• The injured have care, and the area is safe
• The scene is barricaded, with someone logging who enters
• Equipment, tools and materials are left in place, locked out and tagged
• Photos, video, notes and sketches taken before anything changed
• Witness names recorded and statements written separately
• Records and electronic data secured; OSHA and others notified as required

Last updated: October 4, 2026