Qualification details
Accident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis develops the practical skills needed to investigate workplace incidents systematically and turn findings into effective preventive action.
Who this qualification is for
This qualification is suitable for supervisors, managers, health and safety practitioners, incident investigators, and anyone responsible for reviewing accidents, near misses, or unsafe events.
What learners will develop
- Plan an investigation and protect the incident scene.
- Gather reliable evidence through observation, records, photographs, and interviews.
- Separate immediate, underlying, and root causes.
- Use structured root-cause analysis methods without assigning premature blame.
- Write clear investigation reports supported by evidence.
- Recommend corrective and preventive actions and monitor them through completion.
Key learning areas
- Purpose and principles of incident investigation
- Initial response, scene control, and evidence preservation
- Witness interviewing and information gathering
- Event timelines and causal analysis
- Human, organisational, and task-related factors
- Corrective-action planning and follow-up
- Reporting findings and communicating lessons learned
Delivery and assessment
Learners should apply the investigation process to realistic workplace scenarios and demonstrate that they can reach evidence-based conclusions. Approved OSA – Occupational Safety Academy institutes will confirm the current delivery format, assessment activities, and course schedule before enrolment.