Safety and risk

Human factors in incident investigation

Understand and apply specific Human Factors principles and method to help determine the causes of error and non-compliance and develop effective improvements.

1 day

Next available: London, 05 Nov 2025

Course	Location & Date
Human factors in incident investigation

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Members:
£1,095.00 £985.50 Plus vat

Non Members:
£1,350.00 £1,215.00 Plus vat

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Summary

Understand and apply specific Human Factors principles and method to help determine the causes of error and non-compliance and develop effective improvements.

It is recognised good practice to learn from experience, including near misses and incidents, for the sake of improving safety. It is common practice to apply one or more form of root cause analysis.

However, in practice many investigations still attribute events to error or non-compliance and apply consequence management to individuals. The analyses do not go deep enough, do not adequately identify human factors issues or the context of behaviour. Investigators can be biased in their search for evidence and assessment of causes.

Incident investigation can be undermined by attributing incidents to human error, blaming the individual and overlooking the underlying human factors that contributed to actions and behaviours.

This course goes far beyond the traditional misconception that error is a cause of incidents. It provides specific Human Factors principles and method to help determine the causes of error and non-compliance and develop effective improvements.

Who should attend?

This course is designed for anyone who investigates incidents including safety and risk professionals, managers and engineers.

How will I benefit?

After the course you will be able to:

• Understand key Human Factors principles and concepts for incident investigation
• Apply key Human Factors methods in incident investigation
• Develop effective actions and recommendations for error and non-compliance
• Understand where Human Factors methods may add value to other existing investigation methods

Contributes 7 CPD hours

Key topics

Human Factors issues, principles and concepts

• Error as a symptom of flaws in safety management
• Blaming or learning from events
• Investigators’ bias
• Human Factors principles and concepts of incident investigation and consequence management
• Human Factors Methods

Basic Human Factors root causes analysis

• Advanced Human Factors root causes analysis (Human Factors 5 whys, Human Factors of Advanced Cause and Effect analysis and causal trees)
• Mapping the unfolding mindset – reconstructing what people saw, heard, thought and did (timelines)
• Human Factors bow ties and barrier analysis (barrier analysis – CIEHF guidance, Tripod – Energy Institute)
• Investigating fatigue
• Accimaps (deeper causes)

Determining improvements and actions

• Applying ALARP
• Effective Human Factors improvements
• Human Error and Violation Decision Tree

Meet our trainers

These trainers regularly teach Human factors in incident investigation .

Michael Wright

Michael is a Chartered Human Factors Specialist and Psychologist with 37 years’ global experience helping high-risk industries manage human factors and safety through expert training and guidance.

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At a glance

Duration:

1 day
Location:

London
CPD Hours:

7
UK-Spec:

B, E

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Available dates for Human factors in incident investigation

1 day course

London: 05 Nov 2025

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Non-members: £1,350 +VAT

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