Process Safety Incident Investigation

Programme Summary

Investigate process safety events by tracing the physical sequence, failed barriers and organisational conditions that allowed loss of control. Participants preserve evidence, build timelines and test competing explanations using a fictional loss of containment case. The programme develops technically grounded recommendations and learning actions while separating investigation skills from specialist forensic analysis, emergency response and legal determinations of responsibility.

Training Objectives

1 Structure investigations around major hazard learning; 2 Preserve and evaluate technical event evidence; 3 Trace failed barriers and organisational contributors; 4 Test causal explanations before recommending actions; 5 Prioritise effective prevention and learning verification.

Learning Outcomes

1 Prepare a process incident investigation plan; 2 Build a traceable event and barrier timeline; 3 Distinguish confirmed causes from unresolved hypotheses; 4 Develop technically linked corrective actions; 5 Present an evidence based process safety report.

Target Audience

Process Safety Engineers; Incident Investigators; Operations Engineers; Maintenance Engineers; HSE Managers.

Target Industries

Oil and Gas Processing; Petrochemical Manufacturing; Chemical Manufacturing; Bulk Fuel Storage; Industrial Gas Production; Power Generation.

Course Contents

• Module 1 Process Incident Investigation Scope: Actual and high potential event significance; Learning objectives team competence and independence; Emergency forensic and legal interface boundaries.
• Module 2 Evidence Preservation and Planning: Plant records samples photographs and control data; Witness accounts and time synchronisation; Evidence integrity access and specialist needs.
• Module 3 Event Sequence Reconstruction: Operating states changes and initiating events; Physical mechanisms and escalation pathways; Distinguishing facts assumptions and missing information.
• Module 4 Barrier Analysis: Preventive mitigative and supporting controls; Availability effectiveness and common cause issues; Why expected protection did not function.
• Module 5 Human and Organisational Factors: Procedures workload competence and communication; Maintenance change and management decision influences; Avoiding unsupported operator error conclusions.
• Module 6 Causal Testing: Competing explanations and technical consistency; Evidence needed to confirm or reject hypotheses; Uncertainty and limits of investigation conclusions.
• Module 7 Actions and Learning: Higher order prevention and barrier strengthening; Action ownership priorities and verification; Applying learning to similar assets and processes.
• Module 8 Investigation Workshop: Building an event and barrier timeline; Evaluating cause and action relationships; Presenting a concise report with evidence limitations.

Assessment

• 40 single best answer questions, including applied scenarios; one mark per question.
• 60 minute invigilated digital examination with identity verification. Approved accessibility adjustments preserve the assessed competence.
• Supplied reference pack and calculator permitted; external internet and AI prohibited.
• Individual applied assessment (30 minutes): Analyse a fictional process incident, prepare an event and barrier timeline and write justified causal findings with prioritised preventive actions and verification requirements.
• Assessment criteria: Accurate event reconstruction and evidence use; Sound barrier and systemic cause reasoning; Effective actions and transparent limitations.
• Pass each component separately: 30/40 written marks (75%) and at least 70% on the applied task.
• All mandatory criteria must pass: Preserve original evidence and distinguish uncertainty.
• Individual results and feedback are provided. One reassessment may follow coaching under the published enrolment terms.

Certification

• Successful learners receive a TQCSI Arabia digital Certificate of Successful Completion.
• The certificate records the learner name, exact programme title, teaching hours, completion date and unique verification reference.
• Verified identity, full attendance and separate written and applied passes are required; all mandatory critical criteria must be met.
• Proposed issue target: within 30 calendar days of approved results and settlement of applicable fees.
• Records process safety investigation learning; it does not confer forensic authority, legal decision rights or emergency response competence.
• Attendance confirmation may record completed hours for unsuccessful learners; it does not certify successful completion.

Programme Profile

Number of daysNumber of daysNumber of days

222

Total teaching hoursTotal teaching hoursTotal teaching hours

12 hours; breaks, pre course work and formal final assessments excluded.12 hours; breaks, pre course work and formal final assessments excluded.12 hours; breaks, pre course work and formal final assessments excluded.

Delegates allowedDelegates allowedDelegates allowed

Maximum 20 delegates.Maximum 20 delegates.Maximum 20 delegates.

Training prerequisitesTraining prerequisitesTraining prerequisites

Process industry experience, basic incident investigation knowledge and familiarity with process safety barriers are required.Process industry experience, basic incident investigation knowledge and familiarity with process safety barriers are required.Process industry experience, basic incident investigation knowledge and familiarity with process safety barriers are required.

Pre course assignment and assessmentPre course assignment and assessmentPre course assignment and assessment

Review a fictional loss of containment incident pack for 30 minutes and identify evidence needing preservation or expert review.Review a fictional loss of containment incident pack for 30 minutes and identify evidence needing preservation or expert review.Review a fictional loss of containment incident pack for 30 minutes and identify evidence needing preservation or expert review.

End of course assessmentEnd of course assessmentEnd of course assessment

40 question written exam (60 minutes) and individual applied task (30 minutes).40 question written exam (60 minutes) and individual applied task (30 minutes).40 question written exam (60 minutes) and individual applied task (30 minutes).

Passing criteriaPassing criteriaPassing criteria

75% written and 70% applied, passed separately; full attendance. All mandatory criteria must pass.75% written and 70% applied, passed separately; full attendance. All mandatory criteria must pass.75% written and 70% applied, passed separately; full attendance. All mandatory criteria must pass.