Advanced Accident Investigation Analysis and Reporting Course

Course Overview:

The course advances the already acquired knowledge and equips the practitioners with good skills for investigating and reporting on accidents. People at the event will be taught to understand the reasons behind accidents and to take steps to avoid them in the future.

The course sets out to train the participants in a logical investigation procedure of six stages, examination of the accident scene and collection of evidence, and how to conduct interviews. 

Additionally, it provides detailed information about how to build and promote a safety culture and how to conduct investigations according to legal norms and corporate policies. 

Participants will practice how to write reports in the workshop that includes presentation of practical cases and HSE studies, and all previous parts of this course. 

This part will benefit HSE officers, supervisors, auditors and team leaders willing to improve the workplace conditions and level of compliance.

Course Objectives:

At the end of this training course, you will learn to:

• Develop the knowledge and skills required to investigate all adverse events.
• Understand the causes of accidents and ill-health.
• Understand the elements that combine to form an accident.
• Develop confidence & professionalism in investigating, interviewing & reporting
• Ensure all employees & contractors are aware of the SMS and ‘Safety Culture’
• Apply the legal requirements and company procedures

Who Should Attend?

This Advanced Accident Investigation & Reporting training course is suitable for those officers who may become involved in these investigations as well as Managers wishing to have a deeper knowledge of this process and crucially how it affects the interpretation of the law, regulations, and company procedures. This course is suitable for a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

• HSE Officers
• Supervisors
• Inspectors
• Advisors
• Auditors
• Team Leaders/Managers

Course Outlines:

Incident and Accident Theories

• Incident & Accident Analysis Overview, exploring Accident Theory
• Identify accident and incident causation factors
• What are the necessary conditions for an accident to happen?
• Unsafe Acts V. Unsafe Conditions: Avoiding the “Blame Game”
• Role of the HSE Team Leader and a trained and prepared workforce during an Investigation
• Links between Risk Assessment and Incident Investigation
• Factors that contribute to establishing a good safety culture?
• Case Studies – organizations who survived and those who failed

Investigation Methodology

• The six-step accident investigation process
• Scene Protection and Examination - Who should be involved at this stage
• Listen and Learn, and Learn to Look and Listen More
• The importance of Note Taking v. reliance on memory
• Scene Photographs (+video) and Sketching – equipment required
• Case Studies

Root Cause Analysis

• What is the “Root Cause” and why is it important
• Basic v. Root Cause: Getting from “effect” to “cause”
• What questions to ask to confirm “Root Cause”
• From Root Cause to Prevention
• Consider the Human Error issues
• Help to establish and maintain regulatory due diligence
• The role of policies, equipment, and training on accident prevention
• Case Studies

Interviewing Techniques, Facts, Evidence & Witness Statements

• Purpose and preparation for the Interview
• Who conducts the interview?
• Where to conduct an interview
• Building Rapport with the witness
• Obtaining Witness Statements
• Forms and Format
• Inculpatory and Exculpatory statements
• Group Exercise (Obtaining Statements)

Report Writing & Practical Exercises

• Forms, format, and structure
• Effective Writing Skills – simple, self-explanatory, and straightforward
• Writing the Report – the aim is to persuade and seek action
• Help to prevent recurrence – cost savings (human and financial)
• Class exercise - Accident Investigation based on case study
• Class exercise - Produce the outline of a suitable report from the above