DAFI 91-204: SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS AND REPORTS

DAFI 91-204 — index record

Number	DAFI 91-204
Title	SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS AND REPORTS
Published	March 10, 2021
Certified current	March 10, 2021
Office of primary responsibility	AF/SE
Issued by	Headquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the index	Current
Source index	Air Force e-Publishing
Index last read	October 20, 2026

Copied from Air Force e-Publishing (index). The publication itself is the authority; this page does not summarize or interpret it. Verify the current edition on the index before acting.

From the publication itself

Text below is lifted mechanically from the official PDF (94 pages, read October 20, 2026) with no editing or interpretation. Quote the document, not this page.

Purpose, in the publication’s words

of Investigations and Reports. Safety investigations are conducted, and safety reports are written, to prevent future mishaps. Legal investigations and boards are conducted for all other purposes. Commanders may not use safety reports to determine whether or not to conduct a legal investigation. (T-1) If initiated, criminal investigations take precedence over safety investigations until criminal activity has been ruled out as possible causes of damage, injury, or death (for criminal investigations, see paragraph 5.11.2).

Summary of changes, as printed

This document has been substantially revised and must be completely reviewed. Major changes include revisions to align guidance with the new investigating reporting requirements in the AF Safety Automated System (AFSAS) (https://afsas.safety.af.mil). Common core investigation requirements have been revised. All references to the terms “formal report(s), formal safety report(s), and safety investigation report(s)” have been replaced with the term “safety report(s)”. The use of “tab(s)” in safety investigation reporting have been replaced with “exhibit(s)”.

Chapter 1—PURPOSE AND OVERVIEWp. 6
Chapter 2—ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 16
Chapter 3—GENERAL INFORMATIONp. 26
Chapter 4—PRIVILEGED SAFETY INFORMATIONp. 31
Chapter 5—DETERMINING INVESTIGATIVE RESPONSIBILITYp. 43
Chapter 6—SAFETY INVESTIGATIONSp. 48
Chapter 7—INTERIM SAFETY BOARDp. 52
Chapter 8—SAFETY INVESTIGATION BOARDp. 59
Chapter 9—SAFETY MESSAGES AND REPORTSp. 81
Chapter 10—QUALITY CONTROL, OUT-BRIEFS, AND NOTIFYING CAUSAL PARTICIPANTSp. 84
Chapter 11—FOLLOW-UP ACTIONSp. 88
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 95
Attachment 2—ORGANIZATION CONTACT INFORMATIONp. 108

All 101 contents entries

Chapter 1—PURPOSE AND OVERVIEWp. 6
1.1. Purpose of Investigations and Reportsp. 6
1.2. Overviewp. 6
1.3. Types of Safety Investigationsp. 6
1.4. Mishapsp. 6
1.5. Nuclear Suretyp. 11
1.6. Incidentp. 11
1.7. Hazardp. 11
1.8. Safety Studyp. 12
1.9. On-Duty and Off-Duty Mishap Determinationp. 12
1.10. Exceptions to mandatory reporting requirements for this DAFIp. 14
Chapter 2—ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 16
2.1. General Informationp. 16
2.2. The AF/SE will:p. 16
2.3. MAJCOM/FC Commanders will:p. 16
2.5. The Convening Authority chosen in accordance with Paragraph 5.2 will:p. 17
2.6. The Commander of the Regular AF installation nearest a mishapp. 18
2.7. The ISB President or Investigating Officer will:p. 22
2.8. The ISB will:p. 22
2.9. The SIB President or SIO will:p. 22
2.10. The SIB will:p. 23
2.11. The Commander of the mishap unitp. 23
2.12. Director/Chief of Safety or Equivalent at all levels will:p. 23
2.13. Deployed Unit Safety Officep. 24
2.14. The Responsible Contracting Office will:p. 24
2.15. The Program Offices will:p. 24
2.16. The Installation Fire Chief will:p. 24
2.17. The Security Forces Commander or AF Office of Special Investigations will:p. 24
2.18. The Installation Medical Commander will:p. 24
Chapter 3—GENERAL INFORMATIONp. 26
3.1. Accounting for Losses and Occupational Illness/Injuryp. 26
3.2. Mishap Costsp. 26
3.3. Recording Occupational Injuries and Illnessesp. 28
3.4. Obtaining and Using Health Informationp. 29
Chapter 4—PRIVILEGED SAFETY INFORMATIONp. 31
4.1. General Informationp. 31
4.2. Reports that Contain Safety Privilegep. 31
4.3. Identifying Privileged Safety Informationp. 31
4.4. Prohibited Uses of Privileged Safety Reports and Informationp. 32
4.5. Promise of Confidentialityp. 33
4.6. Marking and Documenting Safety Informationp. 34
4.7. Transmitting Safety Informationp. 34
4.8. Authorized Use and Release of Privileged Safety Reports and Informationp. 35
4.9. Authorized Use and Release of Non-Privileged Safety Reports and Informationp. 40
4.10. Accessing, Handling, & Distributing the Safety Reportp. 41
4.12. Technical Orders and Time Compliance Technical Ordersp. 41
4.13. Actual or Potential Compromise of Privileged Safety Informationp. 42
4.14. Protection of Privileged Safety Information from Use in Court Proceedingsp. 42
Chapter 5—DETERMINING INVESTIGATIVE RESPONSIBILITYp. 43
5.1. General Informationp. 43
5.2. Convening Authority Determinationp. 43
5.3. Events Involving Multiple Commandsp. 43
5.4. Events Involving Multiple Servicesp. 44
5.5. Events Involving ARC Assetsp. 44
5.6. Events Involving NATO Systems or Personnelp. 44
5.9. Mishaps Involving Contractorsp. 45
5.10. Civilian Occupational Eventsp. 46
5.11. Special Circumstancesp. 46
Chapter 6—SAFETY INVESTIGATIONSp. 48
6.1. General Informationp. 48
6.2. Investigation Fundingp. 48
6.3. SIB Membershipp. 49
6.4. Releasing Investigative Information During an Active Safety Investigationp. 50
Chapter 7—INTERIM SAFETY BOARDp. 52
7.1. ISB Dutiesp. 52
7.2. Evidence Collection and Preservationp. 52
7.3. Written and Verbal Testimonyp. 55
7.4. ISB Handover to SIBp. 57
Chapter 8—SAFETY INVESTIGATION BOARDp. 59
8.1. SIB Dutiesp. 59
8.2. Evidence Collection and Preservationp. 59
8.3. Written and Verbal Testimonyp. 61
8.4. Obtaining and Using Technical Assistance and Laboratory Analysisp. 63
8.5. Determining and Documenting Factorsp. 64
8.6. Determining and Documenting Causesp. 66
8.7. Determining and Documenting Findingsp. 67
8.8. Causal Findingsp. 68
8.9. Determining and Documenting Recommendationsp. 69
8.10. Other Findings of Significance and Other Recommendations of Significancep. 72
8.11. Safety Reportsp. 72
8.12. Safety Messagesp. 78
8.13. Quality Control, Out-briefs, and Notifying Causal Participantsp. 78
8.14. Transferring and Disposing of Evidencep. 78
Chapter 9—SAFETY MESSAGES AND REPORTSp. 81
9.1. General Informationp. 81
9.2. Safety Messagesp. 81
9.3. Reporting Schedulep. 82
9.4. Classified Reportingp. 83
Chapter 10—QUALITY CONTROL, OUT-BRIEFS, AND NOTIFYING CAUSAL PARTICIPANTSp. 84
10.1. General Informationp. 84
10.2. Convening Authority Quality Control Reviewp. 84
10.3. AFSEC Quality Control Reviewp. 84
10.4. Briefing the Convening Authorityp. 84
10.5. Convening Authority Optionsp. 86
10.6. Notifying Individual(s) Found Causalp. 86
Chapter 11—FOLLOW-UP ACTIONSp. 88
11.1. General Informationp. 88
11.2. Memorandum of Final Evaluation Messagep. 88
11.3. Managing Recommendationsp. 90
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 95
Attachment 2—ORGANIZATION CONTACT INFORMATIONp. 108

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DAFI 91-204

DAFI 91-204 — index record

From the publication itself

Purpose, in the publication’s words

Summary of changes, as printed

Contents

Other DAFI publications nearby in the series