All too often, participants in the investigation of a safety incident feel like the image shown with this post – that they are the focus of a negative, hostile process and targeted for blame.
The incident investigation needn’t (and shouldn’t) be like this.
There is an unprecedented opportunity for learning and organisational improvement through the incident investigation process, whether it relates to an event which occurred within the organisation, or one relating to a sub-contractor or supplier.
A frank and fearless examination of the details of an incident facilitates both organisational and individual learning and improvement. This can occur either through identification of the underlying causes and contributory factors of the incident, and consideration of why existing systems and controls were not effective; or through the realisation that the incident was not anticipated by previous risk identification processes, and therefore there were no controls in place. Either way these outcomes should prompt system improvements and the implementation / enhancement of controls to manage the identified risks factors.
The post-incident communication process is critical to structuring systems improvements and building a positive appreciation of the “lessons learnt” process.
As outlined in our article in issue 43 of Insight, “Preventing recurrence of WHS incidents”, a systematic approach to the analysis of an incident should result in management system improvements, and the reduction of risk to your workplace incidents.
Please contact QRMC for more information.
