# Investigate a workplace safety incident or near miss

A structured investigation that establishes the facts, finds root and contributing causes, and sets corrective actions without blaming individuals.

- Topic: Projects & Operations
- Framework: RTF
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Plan, Research, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/investigate-a-workplace-safety-incident-or-near-miss

## Prompt

```text
Help me investigate a safety incident or near miss.

**What happened:** [FACTUAL DESCRIPTION - when, where, task being done]
**Outcome:** [injury / damage / near miss - no names or medical details needed]
**Witness statements or notes:** [PASTE SUMMARIES]
**Conditions:** [equipment, environment, time in shift, staffing, procedures in place]
**Immediate actions already taken:** [WHAT WE DID]

Work through:
1. A factual timeline. Separate facts from assumptions; mark gaps as [FIND OUT].
2. Questions I still need to ask, and of whom.
3. Causes at three levels: immediate (what directly caused it), underlying (procedures, training, equipment, layout, workload), and organizational (planning, supervision, culture). Use a 5 Whys or fishbone approach.
4. Why existing controls didn't stop it.
5. Corrective actions using the hierarchy of controls (eliminate, substitute, engineer, administrative, PPE) - prefer stronger controls. For each: owner, due date, how we'll check it worked.
6. A short summary for leadership and a lessons-learned note for the team.

Rules: focus on systems, not blame. Don't conclude "human error" without asking why the error was possible. If anyone needs medical attention, that comes first. Check whether this event must be reported to a regulator under local law and our safety policy, and involve our safety professional.
```

## What to fill in

- FACTUAL DESCRIPTION - when, where, task being done
- PASTE SUMMARIES
- WHAT WE DID
- FIND OUT

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.