Accident investigation procedures need to be overhauled to reduce the number of people killed and injured at work.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said investigations had to identify the root cause of accidents, rather than finding someone to take the immediate blame.

As part of European Week for Safety and Health at Work, RoSPA has issued a ten-point check list:

  • Is everyone in the organisation committed to learning from safety failures?
  • Is every employee empowered to report accidents promptly?
  • Are there clear criteria to help decide on the scale of the investigation?
  • Are employees at all levels involved in a team-based investigation approach?
  • Are the investigation team members suitably trained for the task?
  • Do existing procedures allow for gathering the necessary data?
  • Are structured methods used to identify the circumstances of the accident?
  • Are the immediate and underlying causes of the accident investigated?
  • Are investigation results and recommendations for action communicated to all concerned and is implementation tracked?
  • Does the organisation regularly review investigation procedures?

    • The 2025 Insurance Times Awards took place on the evening of Wednesday 3rd December in the iconic Great Room of London’s Grosvenor House.

    Hosted by comedian and actor Tom Allen, 34 Gold, 23 Silver and 22 Bronze awards were handed out across an amazing 34 categories recognising brilliance and innovation right across the breadth of UK general insurance.
    Many congratulations to all the worthy winners and as always, huge thanks to our sponsors for their support and our judges for their expertise.

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