Incident Investigation and Root Cause Analysis

Comprehensive Incident Response Services

Incident investigations are challenging given the random and often extreme nature of the events. Little is known at the outset, and the investigation depends on the physical evidence collected along with interviews and documentation. We offer comprehensive capabilities related to accident investigations. The typical scope of work centers on root cause analysis, but to facilitate this are activities ranging from evidence management; modeling of blast, fire and structural properties; as well as laboratory analyses.

Clients call us from around the world for incident investigation/RCA support when they:

• Have a major accident or incident and need additional investigation expertise, technical expertise, regulatory interface support, and/or personnel
• Know they will face issues with regulators, insurance companies, the public, the media, or customers
• Know there is the potential for litigation
• Have a chronic issue that they need assistance to effectively solve
• Want an outsider's view

We can help you effectively and efficiently improve performance while reducing the impact of an incident on your organization through the following incident response services:

• Evidence and Incident Scene Management – including incident scene documentation and access control management; evidence identification, collection and storage
• RCA – involving analysis of data for cause; identification of casual factors, root causes, and recommendations; report development; tailored presentations
• Technical Analyses – including fire/explosion analyses; structural analyses; human factors; equipment inspections; mechanical integrity; process safety compliance
• Documentation Management – managing investigation-related document library and responding to external group requests

RCA Training 

ABS Group offers a complete training solution for your organization's investigation and RCA needs. From simple to robust, we tailor the training to the needs of your organization and your personnel. We offer training for root cause analysts, front-line supervisors supporting investigations and managers performing reviews. We have provided investigation and RCA training to more than 10,000 individuals through our worldwide, multi-language public and onsite Training Center courses and webinars. We provide ongoing support through our online resources, Root Cause Analysis Handbook and program support services.

Visit our Root Cause Analysis/Incident Investigation Training page for more information.

RCA Software Solutions

ABS Group has teamed with EXP to provide a comprehensive incident management system to identify and record information immediately when an incident occurs and facilitate the complete incident lifecycle to closure. The EXP software integrates ABS Group's SOURCE™ investigation techniques, including the Root Cause Map™ and SOURCE™ Investigator's Toolkit. The web-based software provides multi-language and mobile interfaces.

The incident management system module can be purchased as a stand-alone or integrated with EXP's integrated compliance management suite, which includes: auditing, training, documentation management, management of change, observations and risk for environmental, health, safety and quality issues.

Program Support Services

Whether improving an existing program or developing a new one, ABS Group can assist your organization with investigation/root cause program improvement services through:

• Program development services – Our team will work with your organization to develop or improve any or all aspects of your investigation program.
• Coaching services – We can review ongoing investigations from your analysts and provide detailed feedback to your investigators for continual improvement regardless of the investigation system you are using.
• Software system improvements – If you are looking to improve your homegrown software solution, we can provide guidance for changes to improve the overall effectiveness.

Investigation-Related Support for Legal Professionals

We frequently provide incident response and cause analysis services to attorneys, solicitors, and barristers acting as internal or external counsel for our customers. We routinely deal with regulators, insurance companies, other attorneys, and other third-parties involved in complex investigations. We use our investigation protocols to gain necessary agreement between all parties to move the investigation along efficiently.

We can also provide expert witness services related to process safety management, mechanical integrity, hazard analyses, management of change, training, and incident investigation.