info@globalosha.us
Verify a Certificate Become an ATC
General Industry Standards

Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis

Home / Qualifications / General Industry Standards
CourseGeneral Industry Standards
LevelCertificate
Topics20 topics
DeliveryApproved Training Centres

Course Overview

The Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis (IIRCA) program is designed to equip safety professionals with a deep understanding of accident investigation fundamentals and advanced root cause analysis techniques. This course focuses on developing capabilities to accurately determine what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent recurrence—ultimately reinforcing organizational safety culture and systems.

  1. Purpose & Principles of Incident Investigation
  2. Fact-Finding vs. Fault-Finding: Establishing the right mindset
  3. Securing & Documenting the Incident Scene
  4. Interviewing Witnesses & Gathering Evidence
  5. Developing and Sequencing Events
  6. Injury Analysis: Understanding event mechanics
  7. Surface Cause Analysis: Identifying unsafe conditions and behaviours
  8. Root Cause Analysis Techniques: System-level weaknesses
  9. 5-Why Analysis and Other Tools
  10. OSH Academy methodology for SMS evaluation
  11. OSHA systems approach to root causes
  12. OSHA/EPA perspective on root cause and systemic failures
  13. Root Cause Analysis Tools: Logic trees, timelines, brainstorming
  14. Developing Effective Corrective Actions
  15. Corrective & Preventive Action planning
  16. Writing a Clear, Persuasive Incident Report
  17. Incident Analysis Methods
  18. Train-the-Trainer in Incident Investigation & RCA
  19. Supervision-Level RCA, Reporting, and Documentation
  20. Advanced RCA advanced Diplomas

This program is suitable for a wide range of professionals working in general industry settings, including but not limited to:

  • Safety Managers and Coordinators
  • Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Professionals
  • Incident Investigation Team Leaders
  • Safety Auditors and Consultants
  • Supervisors and Team Leaders overseeing safety processes
  • Trainers and Educators (TtT participants)
  • Process Safety/Process Safety Engineers (e.g., oil & gas, chemicals)
  • Compliance and Risk Management Professionals
  • HR Personnel responsible for incident reporting systems
  • Safety Culture Change Agents and Continuous Improvement Leaders

For Individuals

  • Master structured incident investigation methodologies—from evidence gathering to RCA decision-making.
  • Acquire proven tools (e.g., 5-Why, logic trees, timelines) for in-depth root cause analysis and safety system evaluation.
  • Improve documentation and reporting skills to enhance compliance and clarity in investigation outputs.
  • Develop the ability to design effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to prevent recurrence.
  • Gain credibility and leadership in safety culture advocacy and RCA training delivery

For Organizations

  • Establish a rigorous, systems-based investigation process that reduces incident recurrence and liability.
  • Improve safety management systems by identifying and arresting systemic weaknesses.
  • Enhance overall reliability, risk reduction, and compliance by implementing actionable RCA outcomes and preventive strategies.
  • Build internal trainer capacity to sustain continuous safety improvement and embed investigative competencies.
  • Reinforce a proactive, accountable safety culture focused on learning—not blame.

Assessment methods for the course include written exams, practical safety audits, case studies, and a comprehensive project, all designed to evaluate participants' proficiency in occupational safety and health. After studying the course material and passing module quizzes, students will take the course exam. The exam, consisting of multiple-choice questions from a broad question bank, assesses how well students understand the material.

General Industry Standards

Related Qualifications

All General Industry Standards Qualifications