Incident and Accident Investigation Training
In–person or virtual training – tailored to your needs
Our Accident and Incident Investigation Training provides participants with the skills and confidence to uncover the root causes of workplace incidents to prevent them from happening again.
With around 600,000 non-fatal workplace injuries reported in Great Britain each year, learning how to investigate accidents properly is essential for protecting people and complying with legal duties under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013.
The course provides a clear framework for turning investigation findings into preventative actions, helping organisations reduce risks, safeguard employees and strengthen resilience.
With the choice of virtual classroom or face-to-face delivery, you can complete the training in the way that works best for you and your organisation.
Want to find out more information on our ‘Incident and Accident Investigation Training’ course?
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Virtual Classroom date with our team.
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our Face-to-Face (in-person) training.
Ways to study
Virtual Classroom
Combines the benefits of face-to-face and online learning, led by our experienced trainers.
In-person
If you would like to deliver training to a group, a trainer can visit your workplace or a location that suits you.
Our virtual classroom combines the advantages of in-person training with the flexibility of online learning.
- Experienced trainers. Delivered by a qualified, specialist health and safety trainer.
- Interactive. Learners can ask questions in real-time and receive immediate feedback from trainers, enhancing their understanding.
- Bespoke. Courses can be customised to meet an organisation’s specific requirements, so participants can apply what they have learned most effectively.
Virtual Classroom
Face-to-Face
Learning in-person in a collaborative environment equips your team with the knowledge and skills they need to ensure workplace safety and compliance.
- Expert trainers. Delivered by a qualified, specialist health and safety trainer.
- Flexible. Choose a location convenient for your team, whether at your premises or a designated training facility.
- Tailored. Course content can be customised to align with your organisation’s specific requirements, ensuring knowledge can be applied effectively to your workplace.
- Supportive. Learners engage in discussions, share knowledge, and collaborate to learn from each other’s perspectives and experiences as well as from the trainer.
- Interactive. Sessions are interactive to encourage active engagement which enhances understanding and helps learners to retain knowledge. Learning is through questions, feedback, discussions, and instructor-led presentations.
What our clients say
From national pub chains to global insurance, our clients value our expertise and service.
By the end of Incident and Accident Investigation Training, participants will be able to:
- Identify common causes of harm and distinguish immediate, underlying and root causes.
- Summarise key lessons from famous cases and translate those lessons into practical controls for your own workplace.
- Describe duties under HSWA 1974 (HASAWA), MHSWR 1999 and RIDDOR 2013, including when and how to make a RIDDOR report.
- Use investigation techniques such as Root Cause Analysis and the 5 ‘whys’ to establish causes and preventative actions.
- Explain how human behaviour contributes to incidents and suggest ways to reduce error and violations.
- Complete reporting and investigation processes in line with organisational policy and legal requirements.
Introduction
- Why incident and accident investigation is essential for preventing recurrence,
- Building a positive safety culture,
- Ensuring legal and organisational compliance.
Figures and statistics
- Key HSE statistics on work-related illness, injury, fatalities, and costs.
- Includes sector-specific detail to show the scale of workplace harm and why robust investigations are necessary.
Common causes of incidents
- Looking at unsafe acts, conditions, human error, and management failures, with reflection on workplace examples like slips, trips, cuts, and head injuries.
Case Studies
- Review of major incidents such as the Flixborough explosion and Ken Woodward accident,
- Analysis of evidence gathering, witness interviews, scene preservation, and identifying risks and prevention measures.
Legal requirements
- Looking at key legislation including HASAWA 1974, MHSR 1999, and RIDDOR 2013,
- Highlighting reporting duties, enforcement, and consequences of non-compliance.
Safe practices to identify concerns
- Guidance on proactive measures such as near-miss reporting, inspections, workplace housekeeping, equipment maintenance, and trend analysis to identify hazards early and prevent incidents.
Management techniques
- Introduction to root cause analysis, the Why Principle, and fault tree analysis,
- Guidance on using structured tools to identify immediate and underlying causes.
Document review
- Familiarisation with workplace documents such as emergency plans, reporting processes, and investigation procedures,
- Guidance on applying company-specific policies in practice.
Accidents and human behaviour
- Examination of HSG48 principles,
- Types of human error and violations, and their contribution to incidents,
- How investigations should consider behaviour and decision-making.
HSG48 Principles
- Exploration of routine and deliberate violations,
- Exploration of rule-, skill-, and knowledge-based errors,
- Reflection on workplace application and mitigation.
Responding to an incident
- Step-by-step guidance on managing incidents from minor first aid to fatalities, including scene preservation, evidence collection, escalation, and protection of individuals.
Workshop
- Scenario-based exercises on incidents such as entanglement, burns, and chemical exposure,
- Practice in reporting, evidence collection, root cause analysis, action planning,
- Reflection on roles and training needs.
At the end of the course, you will undertake a short assessment to assess competence. The pass mark for this is 80%. If you fail a first attempt, you will be given support on retaking the test. On successful completion of this, you will receive a certificate which will be provided to you through your organisational admin team.
Who should take this course?
This accident and incident investigation training is ideal for managers, supervisors, safety representatives, and anyone responsible for investigating workplace incidents.
Course duration
Face-to-face and virtual classroom training takes 1 day (typically 6-7 hours including breaks).
Certificate
At the end of training, you will receive a certificate of course completion for your CPD and compliance records.
Is this accident and incident investigation training recognised?
Yes. The course is designed and delivered by qualified health and safety specialists and is aligned with UK legislation and HSE guidance, giving you confidence that it meets professional and legal standards.
What if I don’t have previous health and safety training?
No prior knowledge is required. The course starts with the essentials and builds up to more advanced techniques, making it suitable for both beginners and those with existing safety responsibilities.
Can the training be tailored to my organisation’s needs?
Yes. Whether delivered in-person or virtually, the content can be customised with examples, scenarios and documents relevant to your workplace, ensuring the learning is directly applicable.
How practical is the course?
Very. Alongside the core knowledge, you will take part in case studies, scenarios, and exercises that mirror real-life investigations, so you leave with skills you can apply straight away.
What happens if I fail the assessment?
You will have the opportunity to review your learning and re-take the assessment. Support is available to help ensure you achieve a successful outcome.
Does this accident investigation course count towards CPD?
Yes. On successful completion you will receive a CPD-accredited certificate you can use for compliance records and professional development.
How does this training help my organisation beyond compliance?
It goes further than meeting legal duties under RIDDOR by showing how investigations can improve safety culture, reduce costs associated with accidents, and enhance business resilience.
Need to know more?
Head to our FAQ section for more answers to your questions.
Download our Incident and Accident Investigation Training Brochure
