IOSH Managing Safely Practice Test

Which step is NOT part of the structure for an incident investigation?

1. Information gathering

2. Signing off incident reports

3. Action planning

4. Communicating findings

The correct answer is: Signing off incident reports

Signing off incident reports is not typically considered a direct step within the structure of an incident investigation. An incident investigation aims to analyze and understand the causes of accidents or near misses, and the structure often includes stages such as information gathering, action planning, and communicating findings. Information gathering involves collecting data and evidence about the incident, which is crucial for determining what happened and why. Action planning refers to developing strategies to prevent a recurrence of the incident, focusing on corrective actions and improvements based on the investigation's findings. Communicating findings entails sharing the results of the investigation with relevant stakeholders, ensuring that lessons learned are documented and disseminated effectively. While signing off incident reports is important for formalizing the process and ensuring accountability, it is generally considered a procedural step rather than a core component of the investigative structure itself. This distinction highlights the primary focus of incident investigations, which is understanding and preventing future incidents, rather than merely completing and approving reports.