Introduction

Accidents and incidents in marine, industrial, and operational environments can have significant consequences on safety, operations, reputation, and financial performance. Effective investigation is essential not only to determine what happened, but more importantly, to understand why it happened and how to prevent recurrence.

This program, developed by Global Horizon Training Center, provides participants with a structured and practical approach to accident and incident investigation. It focuses on identifying root causes, analyzing risks, and implementing corrective and preventive actions aligned with international best practices.

Participants will gain the knowledge and tools required to conduct professional investigations, support organizational learning, and strengthen safety and risk management systems.

Course Objectives

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Understand the principles of accident and incident investigation
• Differentiate between immediate, underlying, and root causes
• Apply structured investigation methodologies
• Collect and analyze evidence effectively
• Use root cause analysis tools (RCA, 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagram)
• Identify risk factors and system failures
• Develop corrective and preventive action plans
• Improve safety performance and organizational learning

Target Audience

This program is designed for:

• Safety and HSE Professionals
• Marine and Offshore Supervisors
• Operations and Risk Management Personnel
• Incident Investigation Teams
• Compliance and Audit Professionals
• Managers responsible for safety and operational performance

 Outline

Day 1: Fundamentals of Incident Investigation

• Introduction to accidents and incidents
• Importance of investigation and reporting
• Types of incidents and classifications
• Legal and organizational requirements
• Roles and responsibilities of investigators

Day 2: Evidence Collection and Investigation Techniques

• Investigation planning and preparation
• Data collection methods (interviews, observations, documents)
• Preserving evidence and scene management
• Interviewing techniques and questioning skills
• Documentation and reporting

Day 3: Root Cause Analysis Techniques

• Understanding causation models
• Immediate vs. underlying vs. root causes
• Root cause analysis tools (5 Whys, Fishbone, Fault Tree)
• Identifying system failures and human factors
• Case studies and practical exercises

Day 4: Risk Assessment and Preventive Measures

• Linking investigation findings to risk management
• Risk assessment techniques
• Developing corrective and preventive actions
• Monitoring effectiveness of actions
• Lessons learned and knowledge sharing

Day 5: Reporting, Communication, and Continuous Improvement

• Writing effective investigation reports
• Communicating findings to stakeholders
• Building a learning organization
• Continuous improvement and safety culture
• Final workshop: Conducting a full investigation case study