What to expect in a post-incident interview
Post-incident interviews aren’t the same as giving a statement. RSSB’s Barbara Smith explains what you can expect at yours.
If you’re ever involved in an incident or accident, you might be asked to give a statement or attend an interview. Giving a statement seems like the expected and normal thing to do. But the word ‘interview’ can put the wind up many of us.
A statement is an uninterrupted account of the events and is usually given as close to the incident or accident as possible. An interview, on the other hand, is where questions are asked, or the individual’s memory is probed further.
This can feel like an interrogation if not handled correctly. Interviewing is a skill: the interviewer must build up a picture of what happened. This will help the organisation/s involved learn lessons and put measures in place to prevent it from happening again.
A good interviewer will put the interviewee at ease as soon as possible. This way they can build a relationship of trust and get the best recall of the incident or accident. A good safety culture will also massively help by encouraging the free sharing of information.
The interviewer should set the tone of an interview before you even attend. This might be as simple as them:
giving as much notice as possible; as the interviewee, you may wish to be accompanied
checking for and accommodating special needs
choosing an appropriate location—one that’s accessible, private, and comfortable.
Some other things the interviewer should do to make you feel at ease are:
dress appropriately for the type of interview. If they don’t normally wear a shirt and tie, they shouldn’t start now.
offer some water or refreshments.
welcome you as the interviewee and introduce themselves.
clarify the purpose of the interview to establish the facts and learn lessons.
choose the language they use carefully. Their choice of words shouldn’t make you feel intimidated, suspicious or defensive.
refrain from expressing personal opinions or conclusions; objectivity is critical to avoid bias.
use open-ended questions to gather comprehensive information.
tell you that they will be taking notes or recording the interview.
If you’re still feeling nervous or become upset at recalling events, the interviewer will have factored this in. They will have allowed plenty of time for the interview to incorporate breaks and address any concerns you might have.
At the end of the day, the interview is about gathering facts to make sure the causes of an incident are found and acted upon. That way, the railway gets safer and the chances of a similar incident happening are reduced.