Tripod Beta Incident Root Cause Analysis

This 2-day course is designed for participants to be aware of the requirements of incident investigation and learn how to build a timeline of events leading to incidents, then use the tripod beta methodology to analyze the agents, objects and events in incident analysis. 

The course is highly interactive, switching regularly between input sessions using a presentation style and group work where participants will be involved in a variety of different activities (discussing, analyzing, applying, comparing, categorizing, etc.).

The course also aims to equip participants with the skills to analyze failed barriers, and to employ IncidentXP software as a platform on which to practise these skills. The software will be provided to each user to install on his/her own laptop, on a 30-day free trial basis.

Tripod Beta is based on an accident causation theory that was developed jointly by Manchester University in the UK and Leiden University in the Netherlands. It takes its name from the association of the three prime elements: unsafe acts, underlying causes and, the accident itself. It acknowledges that human error usually features as a trigger to accidents but the methodology focuses on the organizational deficiencies that lead to human error.

The benefits in using Tripod Beta include:

• Terminology and concepts compatible with those used in common risk management tools.
• Investigation and analyses to be carried out in a thorough, methodical and verifiable manner.
• A shorter investigation since the ongoing analyses focuses the investigator’s line of enquiry.
• Concise reports following a consistent format.

By the end of the course, the delegate will be able to:

• Understand the background to human errors and violations;
• Be able to construct an incident timeline or storyboard in advance of analysis;
• Understand and apply the Tripod Beta methodology;
• Be able to analyse causation for barrier failures;
• Be competent in building Tripod diagrams using the IncidentXP software;
• Produce recommendations and reporting, and;
• Be able to link Tripod Beta barrier failures to bowties – Learning from Incidents.

Who Should Attend?

• This course is designed for accident investigation team leaders and team members, line managers and supervisors, contract holders, reliability and maintenance managers, HSE advisors, safety officers and supervisors, quality assurance managers, insurance assessors, regulatory officers.

Day 1

Module 1 – Incident Fact Finding and Building Incident Timelines

• Why Investigate Incidents
• Investigation and Fact Finding
• Defining the Scope
• Building the Incident Timeline
• Demo of the Incident XP – creating timeline stamps and actors
• Exercise – creating a timeline using the IncidentXP

Module 2 – Introduction & Tripod History

• Incident Causation
• Early Barrier Thinking
• The Swiss Cheese Model
• Tripod History
• Tripod Theory of Incident Causation
• Basic Risk Factors

Module 3 – The Tripod Beta Methodology

• Tripod Trio
• Tripod Core Diagram
• Definitions
• Tripod Beta Tree
• Pre and Post Events
• Combined Nodes
• Barriers
• Incident Causation Path (Immediate Cause, Precondition, Underlying Cause, BRF)
• Practical Examples of Incident Analyses using Tripod Beta

Day 2

Module 4 – The IncidentXP Software

• Step by step Tripod diagram building using examples
• Incident Timelines
• Trios
• Barriers
• Barrier states
• Tripod causation assessment
• Actions/Recommendations
• Reporting

Module 5 – Linking Tripod Beta with Bowtie – Learning from Incidents

• Linking Tripod Beta diagrams with Bowties using the IncidentXP software
• Creating Bowtie-templated Tripod Beta diagrams
• Linking failed barriers in the Tripod Beta diagram to Bowties

Module 6 – Syndicate Exercises

• Building incident timelines and Tripod Beta trees with actions/recommendations. Client company example may be used as well as trainer-provided example.