Episode 207 - Occupational Safety - Interviewing Employees After an Incident

Dr. Ayers focuses on one of the most critical — and most mishandled — parts of incident investigations: interviewing employees in a way that uncovers truth without blame. The episode emphasizes that the goal of interviews is learning, not fault‑finding.

  🧠 Key Themes 1. The Purpose of the Interview Is Understanding, Not Blame

Employees shut down when they feel interrogated. Dr. Ayers stresses that interviews should:

• Build trust

• Encourage openness

• Focus on conditions and systems

• Avoid blame‑seeking questions

Psychological safety drives honesty.

  2. Set the Tone Before Asking Questions

A good interview begins with:

• Explaining the purpose (“We’re here to learn, not punish”)

• Reassuring the employee

• Creating a calm, private environment

• Making it clear they are not in trouble

Tone determines the quality of information.

  3. Ask Open‑Ended, Non‑Leading Questions

Effective questions include:

• “Walk me through what happened.”

• “What made this task difficult?”

• “What conditions were different today?”

• “What normally happens when you do this job?”

Avoid yes/no questions and anything that implies blame.

  4. Focus on Systems, Not Individuals

Dr. Ayers reinforces that incidents are rarely caused by a single action. Interviews should explore:

• Training

• Tools and equipment

• Procedures

• Work environment

• Production pressure

• Communication

The goal is to understand the system that shaped the behavior.

  5. Listen More Than You Talk

Ayers emphasizes:

• Let employees finish

• Don’t interrupt

• Don’t jump to conclusions

• Take notes

• Ask clarifying questions only after they finish their story

Listening reveals root causes.

  6. Close the Interview With Respect

End by:

• Thanking the employee

• Summarizing what you heard

• Explaining next steps

• Reinforcing that the goal is prevention

This builds trust for future investigations.

  🚀 Leadership Takeaways

• Interviews must be psychologically safe to be effective.

• Open‑ended questions uncover system failures.

• The goal is learning, not blame.

• Listening is the investigator’s most powerful tool.

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