IOSH Investigating Incidents 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Why should workplace incidents be investigated?
- Only to comply with insurance requirements
- To identify root causes, prevent recurrence, comply with legal duties, and improve safety management (Correct answer)
- Only to find someone to blame
- Only when the HSE requests an investigation
Correct answer: To identify root causes, prevent recurrence, comply with legal duties, and improve safety management
Incident investigations serve multiple purposes: identifying root causes (not just immediate causes), preventing recurrence, meeting legal requirements (RIDDOR), gathering evidence, improving safety systems, learning lessons, and demonstrating due diligence. The aim is prevention, not blame.
Question 2: What is the difference between an 'immediate cause' and a 'root cause' of an incident?
- They are the same thing
- An immediate cause is the direct trigger; a root cause is the underlying systemic failure that allowed the incident to happen (Correct answer)
- An immediate cause is always human error; a root cause is always equipment failure
- Root causes are less important than immediate causes
Correct answer: An immediate cause is the direct trigger; a root cause is the underlying systemic failure that allowed the incident to happen
The immediate (direct) cause is what directly triggered the incident (e.g., a spill on the floor). The root cause is the underlying systemic failure that allowed the conditions to exist (e.g., no cleaning schedule, inadequate supervision, poor training). Addressing root causes prevents recurrence.
Question 3: What does RIDDOR stand for?
- Risk Identification, Diagnosis and Determination of Occupational Risk
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (Correct answer)
- Regulatory Inspection and Documentation of Dangerous Operations Report
- Review of Industrial Disasters and Determining Operational Responsibility
Correct answer: Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations
RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. It requires employers, the self-employed and those in control of premises to report certain workplace incidents to the HSE.
Question 4: Which of the following is reportable under RIDDOR?
- A minor cut requiring a plaster only
- A fracture (other than to fingers, thumbs or toes), amputation, or an injury causing incapacitation for more than 7 consecutive days (Correct answer)
- All first aid cases
- Any absence from work regardless of cause
Correct answer: A fracture (other than to fingers, thumbs or toes), amputation, or an injury causing incapacitation for more than 7 consecutive days
RIDDOR-reportable injuries include: deaths, specified injuries (fractures other than fingers/thumbs/toes, amputations, crush injuries, loss of sight, burns, scalping, loss of consciousness), over-7-day incapacitation, occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences.
Question 5: Within what timeframe must a RIDDOR-reportable death or specified injury be reported?
- Within 30 days
- Without delay — by the quickest practicable means, followed by a written report within 10 days (Correct answer)
- Within 6 months
- At the next annual safety review
Correct answer: Without delay — by the quickest practicable means, followed by a written report within 10 days
Deaths and specified injuries must be reported without delay by the quickest practicable means (usually by telephone to the HSE). This must be followed by a written report (online Form F2508) within 10 days. Over-7-day incapacitation injuries must be reported within 15 days.
Question 6: Why is it important to investigate 'near misses'?
- It is a waste of time investigating events where no one was hurt
- Near misses reveal hazards and control failures that could cause serious harm in different circumstances (Correct answer)
- Near misses are required to be reported to the HSE
- Near misses only happen in high-risk industries
Correct answer: Near misses reveal hazards and control failures that could cause serious harm in different circumstances
Near misses are valuable learning opportunities. They reveal hazards and failures in controls without the cost of actual injury. Investigating them identifies weaknesses that can be corrected before a similar event causes serious harm. The same root causes underlie both near misses and accidents.
