Incident Investigation of Work-Related Injuries and Diseases Course
                                      (Root Cause Analysis)
Course Content
Module 1: Introduction
- Incident Investigation overview, purpose, applicable definitions and terminology
Module 2: Enforcement authorities, negligent acts or omissions by employees and mandataries
- Negligent acts or omissions by employees and mandataries
- Enforcement authorities, powers and rights of inspectors
Module 3: Incident Investigation history, theories and principles
- Types of workplace incidents
- Various safety triangles, incident ratio’s and incident probability explained
- Incident cost, calculation and interpretation of injury and illness rates (lost time injuries and frequency rates, lost time injury incidence and ill-health prevalence rates)
- Various domino model theories and principles
- Workplace injury and illness reduction and prevention
Module 4: Incident investigation preparedness
- Requirements for the appointment of OHS investigators for the workplace
- Gathering of facts, and key investigation questions
- Preparing for investigations
Module 5: Conducting workplace investigations for occupational injuries and diseases
Investigation steps:
Step 1: Reporting duties
- Reporting duty requirements and procedures for occupational injuries and diseases
Step 2: Record-keeping duties
- Record keeping prescriptions for work-related injuries and diseases
Step 3: Initial response at the scene of an incident
- Initial response at the scene of an incident, first aid, preserving and securing the scene
Step 4: Investigation of the incident
- The investigation team and prescribed time frame for a formal investigation
- Collecting the facts, physical evidence and eyewitness accounts
- Conducting interviews
- Developing the narrative (sequence of events)
Step 5: Causes of workplace incidents and prevention
- Causes of workplace incidents, infection reduction and prevention (contributing factors)
- Determining the causes (direct-, indirect- and root causes)
- Root cause analysis models and techniques
Step 6: Report writing
- Report requirements
- How to analyse the facts and write an incident report
- Discussion and practical examples include:
- OHS Act – GAR 9 / Annexure 1
- Investigation register for effective root cause analysis
Step 7: Recommendations for corrective action
- How to identify, review and implement corrective actions
Step 8: Communication of the investigation findings and recommendations
- How to effectively communicate the investigation findings and recommendations
Step 9: Implementation
- How to implement the incident recommendations
Step 10: Evaluate the effectiveness
- How to do a follow-up of the corrective measures
Step 11: Ensure continuous improvement
- How to make changes for continuous improvement
Module 6: Incident Investigation Flow Chart
- Example of an Investigation flow chart
Module 7: Practical case study
The course material also includes:
Examples of various incident flow charts, legal registers, incident reporting and investigation templates, etc.
Purpose of the course:
The recording, reporting and investigation of work-related injuries and diseases, is a legal requirement and forms a vital part of an effective occupational health and safety system.
Accidents don’t just happen, they are caused. The purpose of an incident investigation is to identify the root cause(s) of incidents in order to take corrective action(s) and implement the necessary controls to prevent further occurrences of such events.
By attending this course delegates will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to be able to effectively record, report and investigate work-related incidents and diseases.
The course will be useful for:
- Appointed incident investigators
- Health and safety practitioners
- Directors – Section 16(2) appointees
- Compliance officers and security officers
- Human resource managers
- Managers and supervisors
- Health and safety representatives and committee members
- Union representatives
- Persons involved with the day-to-day activities of health and safety
Registration fee:
- Price per delegate for the interactive online presentation
- Includes course material and certificates. (Certificates will only be shipped within South African borders)
Course material will only be made available to paid participants.
Seats are limited. Early booking is essential