Accident Investigation
Accident & Incident Investigation Auckland
Independent, on-site investigation of workplace accidents, incidents, and near misses. We identify the root cause, help you meet your WorkSafe notification duties, and deliver a written report with corrective actions to prevent it happening again.
An accident investigation is the process of establishing why a workplace incident happened, not just what happened. It goes beyond the immediate cause to identify the root cause, the system failures that allowed it to occur, and the corrective actions needed to prevent a recurrence. Under sections 56 to 58 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, PCBUs must notify WorkSafe of notifiable events and preserve the incident scene.
Something has happened and you need help now
Call Reuben directly. We can be on site quickly and guide you through the process from the start.
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When You Need an Investigation
Not every workplace incident requires a formal investigation by an external consultant, but some situations are too serious or too complex to handle internally.
- A worker has been injured and you need to understand why it happened, not just what happened
- A notifiable event has occurred and you need to notify WorkSafe under sections 56 to 58 of HSWA 2015
- A near miss has revealed a gap in your controls that could have resulted in serious harm
- You have had repeated incidents in the same area or involving the same task
- A client, principal, or prequalification scheme is asking for an investigation report
- WorkSafe has contacted you and you need independent support
An independent investigation also protects you. If WorkSafe investigates later, your own documented investigation shows you took the incident seriously and acted on the findings.
What the Law Requires
The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 sets out specific obligations when a workplace incident occurs.
| Obligation | What it means | HSWA reference |
|---|---|---|
| Notify WorkSafe | You must notify WorkSafe as soon as possible after becoming aware of a notifiable event (death, notifiable injury or illness, or notifiable incident) | Section 56 |
| Preserve the scene | You must not disturb the incident scene until authorised by a WorkSafe inspector, except to assist an injured person, remove a health and safety risk, or as authorised by an inspector | Section 57 |
| Keep records | You must keep records of all notifiable events for at least five years | Section 58 |
| Review controls | Following an incident, your risk assessments and controls should be reviewed and updated to prevent recurrence | Section 36 (general duty) |
We help you meet all of these obligations, including preparing and submitting the notification to WorkSafe on your behalf.
What You Receive
On-site investigation
Reuben visits the site, examines the scene, interviews the people involved, and gathers the evidence needed to establish what happened and why.
Written investigation report
A documented report covering the sequence of events, the immediate cause, the root cause, contributing factors, and findings against each area examined.
Corrective actions
Specific, prioritised recommendations for preventing the incident from happening again, using the hierarchy of controls.
WorkSafe notification support
If the incident is a notifiable event, we help you prepare and submit the notification to WorkSafe and guide you through your obligations around scene preservation and record keeping.
Don't wait to get help
The sooner the investigation starts, the better the evidence. Get in touch and we can talk you through what needs to happen.
Get in touch
How It Works
1
Initial call
You tell us what has happened. We advise on your immediate obligations, including whether this is a notifiable event and what needs to happen with the scene.
2
On-site investigation
Reuben visits the site to examine the scene, photograph evidence, review relevant documentation, and interview the people involved and any witnesses.
3
Root cause analysis
We work back from what happened to establish why it happened. The immediate cause is rarely the full story. We identify the system failures, missing controls, or procedural gaps that allowed the incident to occur.
4
WorkSafe notification (if required)
If the incident is notifiable, we help you prepare the notification and submit it to WorkSafe on your behalf, and advise on your scene preservation and record-keeping duties.
5
Investigation report and corrective actions delivered
You receive a written report documenting the full investigation, the root cause, and specific corrective actions to prevent a recurrence.
6
Follow-up
We walk you through the findings and, if you need help implementing the corrective actions or updating your health and safety system, we can scope that work separately.
What Counts as a Notifiable Event?
Under HSWA 2015, you must notify WorkSafe as soon as possible after becoming aware of any of the following.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Notifiable death | Any death of a person that is caused by, or related to, work carried out by a PCBU |
| Notifiable injury or illness | Amputation, serious head injury, serious eye injury, serious burn, spinal injury, loss of bodily function, serious lacerations, admission to hospital as an inpatient for immediate treatment |
| Notifiable incident | Uncontrolled escape or spillage of a substance, uncontrolled implosion or explosion, uncontrolled fire, escape of gas or steam, electric shock, fall or release of anything from height, collapse of a structure, interruption of a main ventilation system in a mine or tunnel |
If you are not sure whether your incident is notifiable, call us and we will help you work it out. Getting it wrong in either direction creates problems: failing to notify when required is a breach of the Act, and over-reporting wastes time and can trigger unnecessary scrutiny.
Who Investigates
Your investigation is carried out by Reuben Brooker, Lead Consultant at Health & Safety Consultants Auckland, with more than 15 years of experience in workplace health and safety.
Reuben visits the site, conducts the investigation, writes the report, and walks you through the findings. You deal with one person from start to finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Call us as soon as possible after the incident. The sooner the investigation starts, the better the evidence. We will discuss timing on the initial call and prioritise urgent situations.
The legal duty to notify sits with the PCBU, but we help you prepare and submit the notification. We also advise on your obligations around scene preservation and record keeping so you do not inadvertently breach the Act.
Yes. A near miss is an incident where no one was harmed, but the potential for serious harm was present. Investigating near misses often reveals the same root causes that lead to actual injuries. Fixing them before someone gets hurt is far cheaper and less disruptive than investigating after the fact.
Root cause analysis is the process of working back from an incident to identify the underlying system failures that allowed it to happen. The immediate cause of an accident (a wet floor, a missing guard) is rarely the whole story. The root cause is the reason the floor was wet or the guard was missing: a failed process, a gap in training, or a control that was never implemented.
The fee depends on the complexity of the incident. We confirm a quote after understanding what happened and what is involved. Call us first and we will talk you through it.
Yes. Having your own independent investigation alongside a WorkSafe investigation is standard practice. Your investigation documents what happened from your perspective and demonstrates that you took the incident seriously and acted on the findings.
You receive the written report with corrective actions. We walk you through the findings. If you need help implementing the recommendations, updating your risk register, or reviewing your broader health and safety system, we can scope that as a separate piece of work such as a gap analysis or risk assessment.
Sources
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, sections 56 to 58: duties to notify WorkSafe of notifiable events, preserve the incident scene, and keep records. legislation.govt.nz
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, section 36: primary duty of care requiring every PCBU to ensure health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable. legislation.govt.nz
- WorkSafe New Zealand, notifiable events: guidance on what constitutes a notifiable event and how to notify WorkSafe. worksafe.govt.nz
- WorkSafe New Zealand, investigations policy: how WorkSafe decides whether to investigate and what it looks for. worksafe.govt.nz
Something has happened. Get help now.
Call us or get in touch online. We will talk you through your obligations and, if needed, get Reuben on site.
Get in touch
Last reviewed: September 2026