Practical Examples of How Universities Can Contribute to Accident Investigation

After an accident occurs, an investigation is conducted using the investigative processes respective to an organisation. We argue that a critical next step for safety is to continue to conduct post-report research. At the conclusion of many of these investigations, reports (e.g., Australian Transport Safety Bureau, 2008; Australian Transport Safety Bureau, 2019) often state that further research into certain areas is required or would be useful. Sometimes the organisation has capacity to conduct additional research or safety studies internally but often resources limit the amount of research projects that can be done. This is where a university collaboration can offer assistance to examine research areas in greater detail. Furthermore, university partners can be involved in the training of investigators and the investigation itself. They are therefore integral to the lifecycle of an investigation.