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Risk and Incident Management

Practical risk management and incident investigation training that helps organisations prevent incidents, strengthen controls, and support continuous improvement.

Treating risk management as a paperwork exercise and incident investigation as a search for someone to blame can prevent organisations from effectively managing risks and identifying what needs to change to prevent future incidents. IMPAC's training develops the skills and knowledge needed to manage risks, investigate incidents, understand underlying causes, and identify opportunities for improvement.

Our Courses

IMPAC Training

Category overview

Writing "PPE" as the only risk control or "human error" as the only cause of an incident may complete the paperwork, but it rarely explains the risk or prevents the next incident. Understanding risks, implementing effective controls, and learning from incidents allows organisations to identify gaps, make meaningful improvements, and prevent future incidents.

Drawing on more than 25 years of experience, IMPAC's trainers use discussions, practical activities, and workplace examples to help learners connect risk management and incident investigation to the realities of their own workplace. The focus is on practical application, helping participants identify risks, understand controls, investigate incidents, and recognise opportunities for improvement.

Whether you are responsible for managing risks, evaluating the effectiveness of controls, or learning from incidents after they occur, IMPAC's courses help people move beyond paperwork and compliance to make informed decisions, identify opportunities for improvement, and prevent future incidents.

Key Focus Areas

What this training covers

Understanding Risk

Develop the ability to identify and assess workplace risks, understand how harm can occur, and recognise the factors that influence risk.

Understanding Controls

Develop an understanding of the hierarchy of controls and the role effective controls play in eliminating or minimising risk. Learn how controls can be monitored and reviewed to ensure they remain effective.

Looking Beyond Human Error

Build the skills needed to investigate incidents in a structured and objective way. Learn how to identify underlying causes and contributing factors rather than focusing solely on individual actions.

Learning and Improving

Learn how information from risk assessments, incidents, near misses, audits, and workplace observations can be used to identify gaps, improve systems, and help prevent future incidents.

Available Courses

Our Risk and Incident Management courses

View Full Course Catalogue

Working with New Zealand's legal framework

Applicable Safety Regulations & Standards

Managing risks and investigating incidents includes understanding relevant legislation, standards, and guidance. Relevant legislation and guidance may include:

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) — The primary health and safety legislation in New Zealand, requiring PCBUs to identify and manage risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable.
Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 — Regulations that support the management of workplace risks, including requirements relating to risk management, control measures, and workplace health and safety arrangements.
AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018 — An internationally recognised risk management standard adopted in Australia and New Zealand, providing principles and guidance for managing risk and supporting informed decision-making.
WorkSafe New Zealand Guidance — Guidance documents that provide practical information and good practice expectations for managing risks, investigating incidents, and improving workplace health and safety performance.

NZQA Unit Standards

Several courses within this category include NZQA unit standards, including:

US 17601 — Produce an occupational health and safety incident investigation
US 19522 — Undertake job safety analysis
US 30265 — Apply health and safety risk assessment to a job role

Who Should Enrol

Industries and Roles

Health and Safety Professionals

People responsible for identifying and managing risks, supporting investigations, and improving health and safety systems within their organisation.

Managers and Supervisors

Leaders who play a key role in identifying workplace risks, implementing controls, responding to incidents, and supporting safer day-to-day operations.

Executives, Directors, and Senior Leaders

Leaders responsible for governance, oversight, and ensuring effective systems are in place to manage risks, investigate incidents, and support organisational learning.

Workers and Health and Safety Representatives

Workers and HSRs who contribute to risk management, participate in investigations, identify hazards, and support safer ways of working in their workplace.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Not every incident requires a complex investigation. The level of investigation should reflect the actual or potential consequences of the event and the opportunity to learn from it.

The Bow Tie methodology is a visual risk management tool used to understand hazards, controls, and potential consequences. It helps organisations identify the controls needed to prevent incidents and reduce the impact if they occur.

The Defences Model is an incident investigation model used to examine the barriers and controls that were in place before an incident occurred. It helps organisations understand how and why those controls were unable to prevent the event.

Yes. In addition to training, IMPAC provides consulting services to support organisations with risk management, including Bow Tie development, and incident investigations.

ICAM (Incident Cause Analysis Method) is an incident investigation methodology used to identify the underlying causes and contributing factors that influence an event. It helps organisations look beyond the immediate incident and identify opportunities to improve systems, controls, and ways of working.