We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies.
Customize Consent Preferences
We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.
The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ...
Always Active
Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.
No cookies to display.
Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.
No cookies to display.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
No cookies to display.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
No cookies to display.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.
If you work in Environment, Health, Safety, and Quality (EHSQ), you’ve likely encountered difficult people—employees who resist safety protocols, supervisors who dismiss concerns, or even executives who prioritize production over compliance. While these interactions can be frustrating, handling them effectively is essential for maintaining workplace safety and operational success. When faced with difficult individuals, it’s common to blame their actions on their character, especially if the behavior is consistent. This tendency is influenced by a cognitive bias called the fundamental attribution error. We often jump to the conclusion that someone’s behavior reflects their personality, failing to consider the situational factors […]
An effective workplace accident investigation and root cause analysis includes collecting information to understand the context in which the accident took place, and developing a chronological timeline that leads up to the accident. What it boils down to is: “Can you prove it?” This is one way you can reduce the possibility of investigator bias clouding the investigation. It also ensures you understand what happened before you dive into the root cause analysis and find out why it happened. Collecting information can feel like an arduous task, but putting a little structure in place makes it easier. Getting Started with […]
Precision and consistency are critical in Root Cause Analysis (RCA). When analyzing incidents, evaluating risks, or making decisions, variability in judgment can lead to significant consequences. Daniel Kahneman’s (2021) book Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment, co-authored with Olivier Sibony and Cass R. Sunstein, sheds light on an often-overlooked factor. Let’s explore the core concepts of Noise and how they relate to your work as an investigator, safety professional, or RCA expert. What Is Noise, and Why Should We Care? Kahneman’s insights into noise directly align with our commitment to improving consistency and accuracy in decision-making processes. He distinguishes noise […]
When an incident occurs, uncovering the truth is essential for understanding what went wrong and preventing future problems. Yet, investigators often encounter dishonesty during interviews. Why do people lie in safety investigations, and how can we address it? Understanding the psychology behind dishonesty can shed light on this challenge and help investigators navigate these conversations effectively. The Reasons Behind Dishonesty People typically lie for a reason, even in high-stakes scenarios like safety investigations. Here are some common psychological motivations why people lie: 1. Fear of Consequences Fear is one of the most significant drivers of dishonesty. Employees may worry about […]
As the holiday season rolls around, it’s hard not to think about Santa’s infamous “Naughty” and “Nice” lists. But have you ever considered how Santa gathers his intel? Does he rely on solid incident investigation interview techniques, or is it all just hearsay and guesswork? In the world of root cause analysis, investigative interviewing plays a vital role in determining whether you’ve been “nice” by solving problems effectively or “naughty” by letting them spiral out of control. Here’s how you can ensure your incident investigation interview skills land you on the “Nice” list: 1. Ask Open-Ended Questions Santa knows better […]
U.S. historical accounts suggest that “talk turkey” referred to the bartering between colonists and Indians over wild turkeys. Over time, the phrase “let’s talk turkey” evolved to mean “let’s speak frankly.” As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s easy to get distracted by the turkey. And the cranberry sauce. And the pumpkin pie. But let’s talk frankly for a moment about investigation interviews! Are you approaching investigation interviews the same way every time hoping for a different result? Stop the insanity! Below, are five things to think about when you conduct an interview to help break that cycle. 5 Things You Didn’t Know […]
Planning a site visit allows incident investigators to approach the visit with a clear focus and strategy. By outlining specific objectives, investigators can ensure they capture all critical information. A well-planned site visit leads to a more thorough, accurate investigation, helping to identify the root cause and implement effective corrective actions. Site visits are important. When you are part of an investigation team, seeing spatial arrangements, environmental factors, and the condition of equipment or tools at the site leads to more accurate interpretations of witness statements and documentary evidence. Site visits facilitate the collection and documentation of evidence through photographs, sketches, […]
Nonverbal communication is significant because it reveals how we feel (sometimes despite what we say). It also provides us with information about how other people feel about us. Most of us are not formally trained in nonverbal communication but life experiences teach us many positive and negative non-verbal cues informally. For example, have you ever met someone and felt like you didn’t like them but couldn’t pinpoint why? Maybe they were saying all the right things, but they threw off negative non-verbal cues that you picked up. So, you stepped away from the experience feeling like you didn’t like the […]
In our quest to navigate the complexities of life, we often rely on mental models—cognitive frameworks that help us understand the world and make decisions. These models simplify complex information and enable us to draw conclusions based on our experiences and knowledge. In this article, we’ll explore mental models, their significance, the science behind them, various types, and how we can use them to enhance our decision-making processes. I wrote about Assumption Traps last week. If you missed it, be sure to read it here. What Are Mental Models? Mental models are internal representations of how things work in the […]
This time of year, it’s all fun and games until someone is haunted by investigation interviewing mistakes! It’s a little scary when the interviewee sits across from you staring blankly, offering very little information. However, with a little pre-planning, interviews feel much more manageable, and you get better information too. Following are four tips that are easy to incorporate into your process. Avoid These Four Investigation Interviewing Mistakes Being unprepared. Coming across as disorganized sets a negative tone for the entire interview. Gather everything you know about the incident and construct a timeline of events (a SnapCharT®) beforehand to help […]
