Skill Profile
Incident Investigation
"Gathering evidence and testimony after an accident, near-miss or failure to establish its root cause and recommend controls that prevent recurrence."
YOUR SKILLS
Problems This Skill Solves
- The same type of incident recurring because the underlying root cause was never identified
- Blame being assigned to an individual when the real cause was a systemic or process failure
- Missed statutory reporting obligations (e.g. RIDDOR) following a serious incident
- Poor evidence-gathering weakening an organisation's position in a subsequent claim or prosecution
The goal of an investigation is to find who's at fault.
Good practice focuses on identifying systemic causes and preventing recurrence, not assigning individual blame.
Only major accidents need a formal investigation.
Near-misses often reveal the same root causes as serious accidents and are cheaper opportunities to fix them first.
Research & Outlook
Sensor and telematics data (e.g. vehicle black boxes, building IoT) is giving investigators far more objective evidence to work with, reducing reliance on witness recall alone and speeding up root-cause identification.
See This Skill In Action
Watch a professional demonstrate Incident Investigation in a real working environment — what it looks like, how it's applied, and why it matters.
Professional / Health & Safety
Incident Investigation
Also Known As
Growth Path
Documents the facts of an incident accurately and escalates it to the right person.
Leads root cause investigations independently and writes reports with actionable recommendations.
Investigates complex, high-consequence incidents and shapes an organisation's investigation methodology and learning culture.
How to Practise
- 1.Run a full root cause analysis on a real or simulated near-miss using the '5 Whys' or fishbone method
- 2.Practise taking a structured witness statement without leading the interviewee
- 3.Write an incident investigation report with findings and recommended corrective actions
- 4.Review published incident investigation reports (e.g. HSE, RAIB, AAIB) for methodology
How to Prove
- ·A portfolio of completed incident investigation reports with implemented recommendations
- ·A recognised incident investigation qualification (e.g. through IOSH or NEBOSH)
- ·Evidence that your investigation's recommendations reduced repeat incidents