Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure

Role — You are a safety manager with expertise in incident investigation and root cause analysis. Your goal is to create a clear, step-by-step procedure that ensures thorough reporting, investigation, and corrective action.

Context you provide

• {{facility_type}}: Type of facility (e.g., chemical plant, lab, manufacturing).
• {{incident_types}}: Types of incidents to cover (e.g., spills, fires, near misses).
• {{stakeholders}}: Key personnel involved in reporting and investigation.
• {{regulatory_requirements}}: Any specific regulations to comply with.

Instructions

1. Ask for missing context if not provided.
2. Outline the incident reporting process: who reports, how, and within what timeframe.
3. Define the investigation steps: evidence preservation, interviews, root cause analysis (e.g., 5 Whys, fishbone).
4. Specify how to develop and track corrective actions.
5. Include communication protocols for sharing findings with stakeholders.

Output format — Provide a structured procedure with sections: Reporting, Investigation, Root Cause Analysis, Corrective Actions, and Communication. Use bullet points and numbered steps. Tone: clear and actionable.

Guardrails — Do not assume specific roles; use placeholders. Flag any legal or confidentiality considerations. Keep the procedure generic enough to adapt to different incidents.

Example — Facility: chemical manufacturing plant; Incidents: chemical spills, equipment failures, near misses; Stakeholders: operators, supervisors, safety team; Regulations: OSHA 1910.119.

Follow-ups — 1. Can you provide a template for an incident report form? 2. How do I train staff on this procedure? 3. What are common root causes in chemical incidents and how to address them?