ICAM Facilitator Basic Course

Upon completion

Upon successful completion of the ICAM Facilitator Basic Course, participants will be issued a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment by OHSA Occupational Health Services Australia (RTO 31092).

This course maps directly to the following official units of competency, which are critical for safety professionals operating in high-risk industries such as mining, construction, aviation, and energy:

• BSBWHS416  Contribute to workplace incident response.
• RIIWHS301E  Conduct safety and health investigations.

WHY ACCREDITATION MATTERS

Holding these specific units of competency ensures that your incident investigation processes meet Australian regulatory and legislative standards. It demonstrates to regulators, employers, and stakeholders that your site’s safety responses are grounded in robust, defensible, and industry-standard methodologies.

What You Will Master

As a safety professional in a high-risk industry, you need practical tools, not just textbook theory. In this ICAM Facilitator Basic Course, you dive deep into proven, globally recognised investigation methodologies. We equip you with the exact frameworks industry experts use to uncover root causes, implement effective controls, and prevent devastating repeat incidents on your worksite.

Throughout this intensive training, you will master the following core components:

• The Swiss Cheese Model: You will apply Professor James T. Reason’s renowned Human Error framework to understand how organisational defences fail and allow hazards to become active incidents.
• PEEPO Data Collection: You will confidently use the PEEPO matrix (People, Environment, Equipment, Procedures, Organisation) to gather comprehensive, unbiased evidence straight from the incident scene.
• Timeline Construction: You will build clear, chronological event timelines that reveal exactly where and how critical safety breakdowns occurred.
• The 5 Whys Analysis: You will cut through surface-level excuses and drill down to genuine root causes using this simple yet highly effective questioning technique.
• Active Failures vs. Latent Conditions: You will identify the crucial differences between frontline human errors and the hidden, systemic organisational flaws that set your team up to fail.
• Corrective Action Implementation: You will develop realistic, high-impact recommendations that align with SafeWork Australia guidelines to permanently improve your site’s safety culture.

Ready to elevate your incident response capabilities? This foundational course gives you everything you need to start facilitating investigations immediately. Furthermore, once you conquer these basic principles, you can seamlessly upgrade your expertise by enrolling in our advanced ICAM Lead Incident Investigation Course.

Who Should Attend the ICAM Facilitator Course?

We designed this foundational course specifically for frontline leaders, operational staff, and safety personnel who need to step up during workplace incidents. If your organisation relies on you to investigate safety breaches, identify underlying root causes, and protect your workforce from future harm, this training provides your essential starting point.

This practical training directly benefits professionals in roles such as:

• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and dedicated Safety Officers.
• Site Supervisors and Line Managers who oversee daily frontline operations.
• Operations and Project Managers are accountable for site-wide safety culture.
• Union Officials and safety inspectors are responsible for regulatory compliance.
• Career-driven workers looking to upskill and transition into a formal Work Health and Safety (WHS) position.

Because the ICAM methodology scales perfectly to complex environments, we highly recommend this training for professionals operating within high-risk sectors, including mining, civil construction, aviation, rail transport, oil and gas, and heavy manufacturing.

ESSENTIAL ENROLMENT PREREQUISITES

To ensure you can successfully manage the coursework and meet national accreditation standards, please verify that you meet the following criteria before you book your spot:

• Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years of age to participate.
• Language and Literacy: You need a minimum Grade 10 level of English reading and writing proficiency. Incident investigation requires clear, accurate, and defensible reporting.
• Visa Compliance: Due to strict government regulatory frameworks, OHSA cannot accept enrolments from individuals currently holding an international student visa. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact our support team prior to enrolment.

Your Step-by-Step Curriculum

The ICAM Facilitator Basic Course strips away the fluff and focuses strictly on the practical application of incident investigation. We structure the training in a sequential manner, walking you through the exact steps you will take when responding to a real-world workplace incident.

When you enrol in this course, you will progress through the following core modules:

1- MASTERING ICAM FRAMEWORK

You kick off the training by exploring Professor James T. Reason’s globally recognised Swiss Cheese Model of human error. You will understand how organisational defences break down and why blaming the frontline worker rarely prevents future incidents.

2. INITIAL RESPONSE & SCENE MANAGEMENT

When an incident occurs, the first few hours are critical. You will learn how to safely secure an incident scene, manage initial notifications, and preserve fragile evidence before it disappears or becomes contaminated.

3. EVIDENCE COLLECTION WITH PEPPO MATRIX

You will deploy the PEEPO data collection matrix to ensure you never miss a vital piece of the puzzle. We teach you how to systematically gather evidence across five key areas:

• People (Witness statements and interviews)
• Environment (Weather, lighting, and workspace conditions)
• Equipment (Tools, machinery, and PPE involved)
• Procedures (Work permits, SWMS, and documented policies)
• Organisation (Leadership culture, training, and rosters)

4. TIMELINE CONSTRUCTION & THE 5 WHYS

Data is useless without context. You will learn how to sequence your PEEPO data into a logical, chronological timeline. From there, you will apply the “5 Whys” methodology to drill down through surface-level symptoms and expose the deeper issues.

5. PINPOINTING ROOT CAUSES

You will analyse your timeline to clearly differentiate between Active Failures (the immediate errors made at the time of the incident) and Latent Conditions (the hidden organisational flaws that allowed the incident to happen).

6. DELIVERING CORRECTIVE ACTIONS & REPORTING

Finally, you will translate your findings into high-impact, actionable recommendations. You will learn how to draft clear incident reports and implement robust administrative and engineering controls that permanently eliminate the risk from your worksite.

What You Need to Get Started

We want you to succeed and walk away with your nationally accredited statement of attainment without any administrative delays. Because OHSA operates under strict Australian regulatory frameworks, you must meet a few baseline requirements before you begin your ICAM Facilitator Basic Course.

Please review the following checklists to ensure you are fully prepared for your training.

GENERAL (RTO) ENROLMENT REQUIREMENTS

Regardless of how you choose to complete your training, every student must meet these baseline standards:

• Age & Literacy: You must be at least 18 years old and possess a minimum Grade 10 level of English reading and writing proficiency. You will need to write clear, accurate incident reports as part of your assessment.
• Unique Student Identifier (USI): You must supply a valid USI at the time of enrolment. If you do not have one yet, you can easily create your USI (Unique Student Identifier).
• Visa Conditions: As outlined previously, OHSA cannot process enrolments for individuals currently holding an international student visa due to government compliance regulations.
• Photo Identification: You must present a valid, government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license or passport) to your trainer or upload it to your student portal prior to commencing the course.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ZOOM & ONLINE STUDENTS

If you choose our flexible, self-paced ICAM Facilitator Online or our live ICAM Facilitator Zoom delivery, you take responsibility for your digital learning environment. Ensure your setup includes:

• A reliable desktop computer or laptop (tablets and smartphones do not support the full assessment functionality).
• A stable, high-speed broadband internet connection.
• A working webcam and microphone (mandatory for Zoom classes and identity verification).
• A modern web browser (we highly recommend Google Chrome for the best experience).

REQUIREMENT FOR FACE TO FACE STUDENTS

If you join us in person at our Brisbane, Gold Coast, or Perth facilities, we provide all your learning materials, workbooks, and catering. You simply need to:

• Arrive 15 minutes early to complete your sign-in process.
• Wear neat, casual clothing and enclosed footwear (standard workplace health and safety protocols apply in our training centres).

Do you have questions about your eligibility or need help retrieving your USI? Reach out to us today at 1300 647 200 or email info@ohsa.com.au, and we will guide you through the process!

Frequently Asked Questions

• What does ICAM stand for, and why is it important? ICAM stands for the Incident Cause Analysis Method. Industry leaders globally recognise it as the premier framework for investigating workplace incidents. Instead of finding someone to blame, the ICAM process helps you uncover systemic organisational failures, ensuring you fix the root cause and prevent the incident from ever happening again.
• How long does the ICAM Facilitator Basic Course take to complete? If you choose our face-to-face or live Zoom delivery, you will complete the intensive training in just one day (8:00 am to 4:30 pm). If you prefer ultimate flexibility, our self-paced online portal allows you to log in and complete the modules around your work schedule.
• Can I complete the ICAM Facilitator training online? Yes! We offer a fully self-paced online version of this course starting from $595. You receive the exact same nationally accredited curriculum and support from our expert trainers, simply delivered through our interactive digital learning platform.
• Do I need any prior safety qualifications to enrol? No prior safety qualifications are necessary to start this course. You only need to be at least 18 years old, possess a basic Grade 10 level of English literacy, and have a valid Unique Student Identifier (USI). Please note that government regulations prevent us from enrolling individuals on an international student visa.
• What is the difference between the Basic Facilitator and Lead Investigator courses? We designed the Basic Facilitator course for frontline workers, supervisors, and safety reps who need to participate in or facilitate standard workplace investigations. If you need to manage complex, multi-causal incidents or lead a dedicated investigation team, you should explore our advanced ICAM Lead Incident Investigation Course
• Will I receive a recognised certificate? Absolutely. Upon successful completion of your assessments, OHSA issues you an official Statement of Attendance and a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment for the following accredited units: This certificate includes two critical units of competency:

BSBWHS416 – Contribute to workplace incident response
RIIWHS301E – Conduct safety and health investigations.

• How much does the ICAM Facilitator training cost? We offer tiered pricing to suit your preferred learning style. The self-paced online course costs $595. Our live, instructor-Zoom classes and our face-to-face training in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, just $695.
• Is this specific course suitable for my industry? Yes, the ICAM methodology is highly adaptable and scales to any environment. We heavily recommend this training for professionals operating in high-risk sectors heavily regulated by SafeWork Australia, including mining, civil construction, aviation, rail transport, and heavy manufacturing.
• What is the PEEPO methodology taught in this class? PEEPO is an essential data collection matrix you will master during the course. It guides you to systematically gather evidence across five critical areas: People, Environment, Equipment, Procedures, and Organisation. This ensures you never overlook vital clues at an incident scene.
• How do I get my Unique Student Identifier (USI) to enrol? The Australian Government requires every student undertaking nationally recognised training to have a USI. Creating one takes less than five minutes and is completely free. You can generate or look up your 10-digit number right now on the official Australian Government USI portal.