What’s the biggest challenge you face when investigating workplace accidents or near misses?

Our online poll reveals your thoughts on what gets in the way of an effective investigation.

Even with good intentions and procedures in place, accident investigations can be difficult to get right. Time pressures, incomplete information and “surface level” answers often get in the way of real learning.

We asked our followers on LinkedIn to vote in an online poll to find out what the biggest challenge is when it comes to investigating accidents and incidents.

The results of the survey reveal that by far the largest obstacle to effective investigations was gathering reliable information, with nearly half of the respondents citing that as their answer.

The poll found that the biggest challenge was:

• Gathering reliable information: 49 per cent
• Turning findings into improvement: 23 per cent
• Identifying the root cause: 19 per cent
• Managing time effectively: 9 per cent.

Our Accident Investigation training gives delegates the practical skills and knowledge necessary to conduct thorough accident and incident investigations. The one-day course, which can be delivered via virtual classroom or in-company, explores the principles of accident investigation, human factors and the techniques needed to identify causes and solutions, supported by practical exercises and real-life case studies. Find out more here.

We’ve also developed a free guide to accident and incident investigation. There’s been an accident at work - what now? offers step-by-step advice on what to do and when and lists the key things to consider at each stage. Download the guide here.