Help get a solid understanding of how to conduct a thorough incident investigation with the first in this four-part training series. You'll see the purpose and importance of the investigation and why it is imperative in helping to maintain a safer work environment. You'll hear about your role and responsibilities in investigating incidents and find out the eight steps in the incident investigation process.

Why Investigate:
Your priority is people and the reason for investigating is that you care about them and it's not acceptable for anyone to get hurt.

Benefits:
The biggest benefit is protecting and saving lives. By helping to prevent future incidents, you'll prevent disruptions to operations and productivity. You'll also avoid the significant costs of another incident.

Roles and Responsibilities:
Take responsibility and conduct a positive investigation aimed at protecting people and learning as much as possible from the incident.

Incident Investigation 8-Step Process:
One…make the initial response and complete an initial report.
Two…form an investigation team.
Three…determine the facts.
Four…determine all contributing factors.
Five…determine systems to be strengthened.
Six…recommend corrective and preventive actions.
Seven…document and communicate findings.
Eight…follow up.

Step 1: Make Initial Response and Report
Step 1 is a simple, but significant step. Swift response to the incident is vital - remember, people are your priority and taking care of them is number one.

Summary:
Incident investigation is not rocket science, but it does take some training, planning, and most importantly, an emphasis on people – protecting and caring for them.