Accident Investigation

Accident Investigation

This Accident Investigation Training course is for employers and managers who are responsible for investigating accidents. It covers legal responsibilities, the benefits of investigations, how to determine the scale of different investigations, and how to carry them out.

On average, over 35 million working days are lost through work-related injuries and ill health every year

Learning outcomes

• Understand what an accident investigation is and why it’s so important
• Know how to determine the scale of investigation that’s needed
• Know how to carry out an accident investigation

Course contents

This training course is broken down into 2 sections

1. The Basics of Accident Investigation
2. The Investigation Process

About this course

Employers are legally responsible for making sure that control measures are in place to reduce the chances of an accident happening at work.

If an accident does happen, it could be a sign that control measures need improving to reduce the chances of it happening again. Accidents need to be avoided as far as reasonably practicable, but it’s key to learn from them if they do happen, so you can adapt and improve workplace safety. This is what makes accident investigation so important.

In this course, we define what a workplace accident is and we explore how to discover the root cause of accidents, we discuss your legal responsibilities and what to do immediately after an accident, and we explore how to carry out an effective accident investigation, including how to determine the scale of the investigation.

Why is this training important?

Business benefits

As an employer or manager, you’re responsible for making sure that your organisation is working within the law. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations say that you must plan, organise, control, monitor, and review your health and safety practices regularly. Conducting investigations is a big part of making sure you’re correctly fulfilling your obligations.

In some cases, workers affected by an adverse event might want to take legal action, and you have a responsibility to be open and share all details about the adverse event with them. You might be concerned that investigating could lead to more legal trouble, but by thoroughly investigating and implementing measures to stop it from happening again, you’re proving to a court that you’re serious about safety. Also, whatever you find out during your investigation can be useful for your insurers if there is a claim brought against your organisation.

Available in 40 languages