Incident Investigation Techniques: Professional 5-Day Training Course

Course Overview

This comprehensive Incident Investigation Techniques training program delivers specialized expertise for HSE and operations professionals across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Oman, GCC countries (UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain), and Africa. The course covers systematic investigation methodologies, root cause analysis, human factors, evidence collection, report writing, and corrective action implementation essential for preventing incident recurrence and driving continuous safety improvement in oil & gas, petrochemical, construction, mining, and industrial sectors.

With the Middle East and Africa operating high-hazard facilities where effective investigations reduce incident recurrence by 70-90%, this training addresses critical competencies for professionals at Saudi Aramco, SABIC, PDO (Petroleum Development Oman), ADNOC, Ma’aden, Qatar Energy, Dangote, meeting Saudi Civil Defense requirements, OSHAD regulations, OSHA standards, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 industrial safety excellence and operational integrity.

Target Audience

• HSE Managers leading investigation teams across Saudi Arabia, Oman, GCC, Africa

• Safety Engineers conducting incident investigations

• Operations Supervisors participating in incident analysis

• Investigation Team Leaders coordinating multi-disciplinary reviews

• Plant Managers ensuring investigation quality and follow-through

• HR Managers addressing human factors and disciplinary aspects

• Maintenance Managers investigating equipment-related incidents

• Compliance Officers ensuring regulatory reporting and adherence

Day 1: Investigation Fundamentals & Planning

Morning Session: Investigation Principles & Objectives

• Investigation definition: systematic process identifying causes, preventing recurrence

• Incident types: fatalities, injuries, near-misses, property damage, environmental releases, process safety events

• Why investigate: learning opportunities, regulatory compliance, liability management, continuous improvement

• Investigation objectives: determine facts, identify root causes, recommend corrective actions, prevent recurrence

• Regulatory requirements: Saudi Civil Defense Law, MOMRA, GOSI reporting, Aramco SAEP standards

• Oman Civil Defense, UAE OSHAD Framework, GCC reporting obligations

• International standards: OSHA 1904, API RP 754, ISO 45001, CCPS guidelines

• Investigation timing: immediate response, preserving evidence, initiating within 24 hours

• Investigation levels: Tier 1 (major/catastrophic), Tier 2 (serious), Tier 3 (minor)

• Resource allocation: investigation depth based on actual/potential severity

• Legal considerations: privileged vs. non-privileged investigations, evidence handling, attorney involvement

Afternoon Session: Investigation Planning & Team Formation

• Investigation team composition: leader, technical experts, operations, maintenance, HSE

• Team selection criteria: competence, objectivity, availability, authority

• Avoiding bias: independence, no direct involvement, diverse perspectives

• Team roles: leader (coordination, decision-making), members (data collection, analysis), scribes (documentation)

• Kickoff meeting: scope definition, information sharing, task assignments, timelines

• Investigation plan: objectives, scope boundaries, resources needed, milestones

• Immediate actions: securing scene, medical response, notifications, preservation

• Scene security: controlling access, preventing contamination, documenting initial conditions

• Evidence preservation: photography, video, physical evidence collection, chain of custody

• Notification requirements: regulatory authorities (Civil Defense, MOMRA, GOSI), corporate management

• Regional considerations: multi-lingual workforce, cultural sensitivity in GCC/Africa

• Workshop: Developing investigation plan for industrial incident scenario

Day 2: Evidence Collection & Analysis

Morning Session: Scene Investigation & Evidence

• Scene assessment: initial walkthrough, hazard identification, safety measures

• Photography and videography: comprehensive documentation, scale references, multiple angles

• Physical evidence: equipment, tools, materials, PPE, samples, fragments

• Chain of custody: labeling, tracking, secure storage, preventing tampering

• Measurements: distances, dimensions, environmental conditions (temperature, wind, lighting)

• Witness identification: present at incident, arrived immediately after, heard/saw relevant information

• Interview techniques: open-ended questions, active listening, avoiding leading questions

• Interview sequencing: individual vs. group, immediate vs. delayed, multiple sessions

• Witness statements: documenting verbatim, written vs. recorded, review and signature

• Equipment examination: preserving as found, detailed inspection, testing, failure analysis

• Environmental data: weather, process conditions, alarms, control system data

• Records review: maintenance logs, training records, procedures, previous incidents

Afternoon Session: Data Organization & Timeline Development

• Data management: organizing evidence, categorizing information, identifying gaps

• Timeline reconstruction: chronological sequence of events, minute-by-minute for critical periods

• Timeline tools: spreadsheets, visual charts, software (Kelvin TOP-SET, RCA tools)

• Pre-incident conditions: equipment status, personnel, operations, deviations from normal

• Event sequence: triggering event, propagation, response actions, final outcome

• Post-incident response: emergency actions, mitigation efforts, recovery activities

• Process data analysis: DCS trends, alarm logs, historian data from refineries/petrochemicals

• CCTV footage: extracting relevant segments, synchronizing with timeline

• Gap identification: missing information, conflicting accounts, unknowns requiring investigation

• Verification: cross-checking data sources, confirming accuracy, resolving discrepancies

• Workshop: Timeline construction exercise using multi-source evidence

Day 3: Root Cause Analysis Methodologies

Morning Session: Causal Factor Analysis

• Causation models: domino theory, Swiss cheese (Reason), bow-tie, AcciMap

• Direct causes vs. root causes: symptoms vs. underlying systemic failures

• Causal factor identification: immediate causes, contributing factors, root causes

• 5-Why technique: iterative questioning, drilling down to organizational factors

• Application: asking “why” minimum 5 times, avoiding stopping at superficial answers

• Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram: categorizing causes (people, equipment, materials, methods, environment, management)

• Brainstorming causal factors: team participation, capturing all possibilities

• Change analysis: comparing normal vs. incident conditions, identifying deviations

• Barrier analysis: failed defenses, why barriers didn’t prevent incident

• Human factors: error types (slips, lapses, mistakes, violations), performance shaping factors

• Latent conditions: organizational weaknesses, management systems, culture

Afternoon Session: Advanced RCA Tools

• Fault Tree Analysis (FTA): logic diagram, top event, intermediate events, basic events

• Boolean logic: AND gates, OR gates, calculating probabilities

• Event and Causal Factor Charting: graphical representation, conditions and events

• Apollo RCA: comprehensive method, Realitycharting software, cause-and-effect relationships

• TapRooT®: standardized process, root cause tree, corrective action helper

• Kepner-Tregoe: problem analysis, decision analysis, structured approach

• MORT (Management Oversight & Risk Tree): systematic, comprehensive, process safety focus

• Tool selection: incident complexity, severity, available time, team expertise

• Human Performance Improvement (HPI): understanding error likely situations, system design

• Management system gaps: procedures, training, communication, resources, supervision

• Organizational factors: culture, priorities, decision-making, competing pressures

• Workshop: Applying multiple RCA tools to case study (Saudi refinery incident)

Day 4: Human Factors & Corrective Actions

Morning Session: Human Factors in Incidents

• Human error statistics: 70-90% of incidents involve human performance factors

• Error types: skill-based (slips, lapses), rule-based (mistakes), knowledge-based (violations)

• Performance shaping factors: time pressure, fatigue, stress, training, procedures, supervision

• Cognitive limitations: attention, memory, decision-making under pressure

• Situational awareness: perception, comprehension, projection failures

• Communication failures: language barriers (critical in multi-national GCC workforce), clarity, verification

• Teamwork issues: coordination, hierarchy, speaking up, challenge authority

• Fatigue: shift work, overtime, heat stress in GCC (45-50°C), circadian rhythm

• Normalization of deviance: gradual acceptance of risk, erosion of safety margins

• Production pressure: schedule vs. safety, management priorities, perceived trade-offs

• Just culture: balancing accountability and learning, distinguishing error from recklessness

• Individual accountability: when discipline appropriate, fair and consistent application

Afternoon Session: Developing Corrective Actions

• Hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, PPE

• Effective corrective actions: addressing root causes, preventing recurrence, feasible implementation

• SMART criteria: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound

• Avoiding weak actions: “retrain,” “remind,” “be more careful” without systemic change

• Engineering solutions: design changes, interlocks, automation, inherently safer design

• Administrative controls: procedures, permits, supervision, management systems

• Behavior-based actions: training, competency verification, leadership engagement

• Action prioritization: severity, likelihood of recurrence, cost-benefit, implementation timeframe

• Responsibility assignment: clear ownership, resources, authority, deadlines

• Verification mechanisms: how effectiveness will be measured and confirmed

• Tracking systems: corrective action logs, status monitoring, escalation for delays

• Effectiveness review: post-implementation assessment, measuring actual impact

• Workshop: Developing comprehensive corrective action plan with hierarchy of controls

Day 5: Reporting, Communication & Learning

Morning Session: Investigation Report Writing

• Report structure: executive summary, incident description, investigation process, analysis, findings, recommendations

• Executive summary: concise overview for senior management, key facts, critical findings

• Writing principles: clear, factual, objective, avoiding blame language

• Incident description: what happened, when, where, who involved, equipment, consequences

• Investigation methodology: team composition, tools used, data sources, limitations

• Analysis section: timeline, causal factors, root causes, supporting evidence

• Findings: direct causes, contributing factors, systemic issues, management system gaps

• Recommendations: corrective actions, responsibility, resources, timelines, priority

• Graphics and visuals: photos, diagrams, timeline charts, cause-and-effect diagrams

• Attachments: witness statements, technical reports, data logs, evidence photos

• Report review: accuracy, completeness, legal review, management approval

• Confidentiality: protecting privileged information, attorney-client privilege considerations

Afternoon Session: Lessons Learned & Organizational Learning

• Presenting findings: management briefings, workforce communications, contractor notifications

• Communication strategies: appropriate detail for audience, emphasizing learning not blame

• Regulatory reporting: Saudi GOSI, Civil Defense, MOMRA submissions, deadlines

• Sharing across organization: similar facilities, corporate-wide, industry forums

• Industry sharing: GCC Industrial Safety conferences, API, IOGP databases (anonymized)

• Learning culture: psychological safety, encouraging reporting, celebrating near-miss identification

• Near-miss programs: proactive hazard identification, low-threshold reporting, rapid response

• Trending and analysis: identifying patterns, common causal factors, emerging risks

• Performance indicators: investigation quality metrics, corrective action completion, recurrence rates

• Investigation quality assurance: auditing investigations, ensuring methodology consistency

• Investigator training: building competency, certification programs, continuous development

• Technology tools: investigation software, databases, mobile apps, AI-assisted analysis

• Continuous improvement: applying lessons to risk assessments, procedures, training, design standards

• Regional best practices: Saudi Aramco investigation excellence, ADNOC learning culture

• Final exercise: Mock investigation from initial response through report presentation

• Group presentations and expert feedback

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Plan and organize investigations assembling teams, defining scope, allocating resources

• Collect and preserve evidence systematically securing scenes, documenting findings

• Conduct effective witness interviews obtaining accurate information, avoiding bias

• Apply root cause analysis methodologies (5-Why, fishbone, FTA, Apollo, TapRooT®)

• Analyze human factors understanding error mechanisms, performance shaping factors

• Develop effective corrective actions applying hierarchy of controls, ensuring implementation

• Write comprehensive investigation reports clear, factual, supporting recommendations

• Communicate findings effectively to management, workforce, regulators

• Drive organizational learning preventing recurrence, sharing lessons, improving systems

Course Delivery & Certification

• Format: Interactive lectures, case studies, hands-on exercises, mock investigations, group workshops

• Real cases: Actual incidents from GCC/Africa industries (anonymized), lessons learned

• Materials: Comprehensive manual, RCA templates, interview guides, report examples, investigation checklists

• Certification: Professional certificate recognized across KSA, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Africa

• Language: English (Arabic support available)

• CPD Credits: Continuing professional development for HSE professionals

• Locations: Riyadh, Dhahran, Jubail (KSA), Muscat (Oman), Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Lagos, Cairo, Johannesburg

Why This Course is Critical

Poor investigations miss root causes, resulting in 60-80% incident recurrence rates. Effective investigations prevent future incidents, save lives, protect assets worth billions. Regulatory compliance (Saudi Civil Defense, OSHAD) requires thorough investigations. Legal liability increases with inadequate investigations. Learning organizations (Saudi Aramco, Shell, ExxonMobil) attribute low incident rates to rigorous investigation and lesson implementation. GCC Vision 2030 demands world-class safety performance requiring investigation excellence.

This training delivers proven methodologies from CCPS guidelines, OSHA best practices, Saudi Aramco investigation standards, addressing regional challenges: multi-cultural workforces, language barriers, hierarchical reporting structures, building investigation capability supporting zero-harm goals and operational excellence.

Investigate thoroughly. Find root causes. Prevent recurrence.