
Customise the Process or Not?
Introduction This article explores the customisation of a standard process by an organisation and the impact it has on the fundamental principles of the process, and whether the customisation enhances or diminishes the effectiveness of the process. As an organisation strives for operational excellence by looking to improve upon its systems and processes, the organisation typically associates itself with leading industry initiatives and searches for an existing and proven proc

Don’t Doubt Yourself - “be that effective investigation team member”
Introduction Have you ever thought when your manager asked you to be part of an investigation team; “Why was I assigned to this investigation? … I don’t have any technical knowledge about this stuff!!!” A common scenario in the workplace is: You have just been informed by your manager that you have been assigned to assist with a workplace incident investigation into an arc flash resulting when workers attempted to rack in a circuit breaker on a switchboard. The workers were f

The Link Between Near Misses and Significant Events
Introduction The link between near misses and significant events within organisations can sometimes be misunderstood, not considered or go unnoticed. In these cases, the discipline around reporting near miss incidents is inconsistent and undermines a ‘good reporting’ culture across the business. Experiencing a near miss incident means something or someone has adversely effected the safety and efficiency required to complete a task as planned. It would be irresponsible for an

Secure the Scene, Preserve the Evidence
Introduction Immediately following an incident in the workplace, your first priority is to make the area safe to prevent any escalation of the incident and to then preserve the scene so as a thorough investigation can take place as soon as possible. In all instances, the site emergency response plan should be initiated to care for anyone injured and to make the scene safe. This can include: Evacuating staff as required Provision of first aid and medical care Accounting for al