Introduction
In spite of all our best efforts, accidents and incidents occasionally occur. These unplanned or undesired events can adversely affect a company’s work operations and may include work-related injuries, occupational illnesses, property damage, spills and fires. Critically all incidents should therefore be thoroughly investigated demonstrating a proven company-wide process of efficiency and effectiveness linked to the Safety Management System (SMS). The more serious the incident the more extensive the investigation.
However, even a minor incident or near-miss incident also requires a thorough investigation as this may reveal significant potential for a serious future incident should the conditions be left uncorrected. While incidents seem to happen for obvious reasons, there may be things that contribute to an accident which are not always immediately apparent. Attendance on this training seminar will provide you with the confidence and necessary professionalism to enable a thorough Accident Investigation as soon as practicable after the event.
This training seminar will highlight:
- Why and who conducts an investigation?
- Investigation methodology, the essential six-step process
- Characteristics of an effective incident/accident analysis programme
- The two major components that contribute to the cause of an incident
- Why investigations must be constructive, professional, credible and timely
- Safety Management Systems on promoting a pro-active Safety Culture
Objectives
At the end of this training seminar, 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
Training Methodology
Participants to this Training Seminar will receive a copy of a comprehensive manual, copy of all slides and handout material with a thorough explanation of all the related subjects covered by the seminar outline with the presenter utilizing a variety of proven learning teaching and facilitation techniques. Student participation, is encouraged with syndicate work, DVD material, case studies and assessments.
This training course is designed to enable Safety Officers and others to understand the concepts of Advanced Accident Investigation & Reporting, how to successfully and professionally perform an effective investigation and to report recommendations to management to elicit improvements in HSE and therefore prevent re-occurrence.
- All incidents (including near misses) are thoroughly and professionally investigated by a trained and confident team
- Corrective action/s are determined that identify the root cause
- Corrective actions are tracked until they are completed
- Trends are reviewed, gaps are identified and improvement plans are developed to prevent future occurrences
- How to measure the strengths and weaknesses in your Safety Culture
- Report writing techniques which will ‘persuade’ and ‘empower’ actions
Organizational Impact
This Advanced Course will provide solutions for the organisation’s workforce to adopt a systematic approach to determining why an accident or incident has occurred and the steps you need to take to make sure it does not happen again.
- Confident and professional team able to conduct a thorough Accident Investigation as soon as practicable after the event
- Strategies for reducing Human Error
- Building a safer organisation by considering all causal factors, both direct and indirect
- A clear understanding of how and why things went wrong
- Identify any deficiencies in your Risk Control Management System
Personal Impact
Attendance at this seminar will enable participants to confidently answer the statement “what happened, and what can we do to prevent this from happening again?”
- Provide you with the tools necessary to properly complete Advanced Accident Investigations
- Identify the complete range of benefits of Accident Investigations
- Fully understanding the six steps of Accident Investigations and Reporting
- How to establish rapport with witnesses and obtain factual statements
- How to produce and present a professional Final Accident Report
Who Should Attend?
This training seminar is suitable for those officers who may become involved in these investigation 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 to a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:
- HSE Officers
- Supervisors
- Inspectors
- Advisors
- Auditors
- Team Leaders/Managers
SEMINAR OUTLINE
DAY 1
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 towards establishing a good safety culture?
- Case Studies – organisations who survived and those who failed
DAY 2
Investigation Methodology
- 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
DAY 3
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
DAY 4
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)
DAY 5
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
