Incident Investigation
Why Investigation Recommendations Fail (And How to Fix Them)
GJ
Glenn Jones
Applied Latitude Consulting
The Illusion of Closure
An investigation is only as good as the corrective actions it produces. Too often, recommendations are vague ('improve training') or unenforceable ('remind staff to be careful'). These actions are signed off in the safety system, creating an illusion of closure while the underlying risk remains unchanged.Practical Action
Apply the SMART criteria relentlessly to every corrective action. More importantly, assign an effectiveness verification date 90 days after implementation. If the action hasn't changed behaviour in the field, reopen the finding.Disclaimer: This article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Approaches should be adapted to your specific regulatory and operational context.
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