Unit 7: Communication Skills
Witness Interviewing Techniques
1. Plan the witness investigation and determine:
a. Whether or not it is necessary to interview witnesses.
b. Which employees are to be interviewed.
c. Identity of potential witnesses from sources such as local law enforcement authorities, spectators at the site, rescue personnel, employees.
d. First group of witnesses to be interviewed.
e. Location where interview can be conducted.
f. How to initiate the witness interview under various circumstances.
2. Initiate the witness interview by:
a. Contacting the witness, introducing self, explain procedure, determine readiness (i.e., physical and mental condition of individual to be interviewed).
b. Get idea of what the individual has to offer; his proximity to the accident.
c. Making preliminary determination of whether or not further interviewing would be profitable, and arrange for meeting or call back.
3. Interview the witness in consideration of the following facts:
a. Establish rapport under various circumstances (i.e., busy businessman, timid witness, uncooperative witness, or injured employee).
b. Establish credibility of the witness:
(1) Accident status (employee, supervisor, employer).
(2) Personal information, including name, address, phone number, occupation, quality of eyesight (wear glasses), hearing (use of hearing aid), was he wearing or using the glasses or aid, date/time of interview, time elapsed since accident, his experience concerning occupation, etc.
c. Establish and document:
(1) Where witness was located and the environment in relation to the accident, direction, distance, time of day, visibility factors, weather factors, relative movement of witness.
(2) Where witness was located-by using pictures, sketches, maps, and seating diagrams.
d. Elicit oral description of what the witness observed:
(1) Ask witness what he observed.
(2) Use non-directive questions or requests.
(3) Keep the witness talking on the subject.
(4) Use pictures, sketches, maps, charts, or seating diagrams to aid the witness in furnishing a complete and understandable statement.
(5) Intervene to:
(a) Increase the scope of his description.
(b) Obtain more detail.
(c) Obtain time relationship
(6) Listen effectively and make a written summary of the major points.
(7) Determine when he has completed his statement.
4. Obtain a written statement from the witness:
a. Request it by stating why it’s needed.
b. Review the statement for completeness and request additional information which as mentioned in the oral statement but not included in the written statement.
5. Conclude the interview:
a. Obtain witness’s signature.
b. Thank him for his time and cooperation in increasing safety in industry.
6. Evaluate the witness as a potential formal hearing participant:
a. Describe in writing physical and other aspects of the witness to help remember who he was. Possibly take a photo of him.
b. Note the characteristics of the witnesses’ (i.e., cooperative, reliable, logical, incoherent, dragged the information from him, observations are significant or insignificant).
7. Analyze and correlate witness information with other witness’s information and with other facts, conditions, and circumstances developed in the investigation.
a. Chart location, movement, and activity of witnesses.
b. Analyze apparent discrepancies in witnesses’ statements.
c. Make a flow chart of accident from witness statements and from other facts, conditions, and circumstances developed in the investigation.
8. Describe the facts, conditions, and circumstances by written word, sketches, photographs, and references related to the, witness phase of the investigation.
9. Evaluate the accuracy and reliability of:
a. Witnesses’ observations and descriptions.
b. The various witness’s motivations and reactions associated with providing a statement, i.e., ego, fear, personal prejudices, etc.
10. Overcome objectionable motivations and reactions of witnesses.