MISSION: ICAM

Cam, a top investigator for the Incident Causation Analysis Method (ICAM) task force set up by Safety Wise, is assigned to analyse a high-profile workplace incident that resulted in catastrophic failures and multiple casualties. However, when critical evidence disappears and his entire investigation team is implicated, Cam finds himself framed for negligence.

Branded as the responsible party, Cam must go rogue to uncover the incident's root cause, exposing systemic failures and organizational blind spots. With the help of a covert team of safety experts, engineers, and human factors specialists, he must reconstruct the sequence of events, challenge falsified reports, and reveal the true accountability behind the disaster—all while evading corporate cover-ups and legal shutdowns.

As he delves deeper, Cam uncovers a hidden agenda: the incident was no accident—it was a deliberate act of procedural sabotage. Now, against the clock, he must complete his ICAM investigation, present irrefutable evidence, and ensure that real safety reforms are implemented before another disaster strikes.

With high-stakes interviews, high-tech forensic analysis, and thrilling document extractions, Mission: ICAM proves that the real impossible mission is uncovering the truth in a world that wants to hide it.

It sounds like a good plot for a movie series, doesn't it? Oh, hang on! I think something similar has been done before....

HOW FAR FROM REALITY IS IT THOUGH?

So, let's break it down a bit and explore some of the themes in the movie plot above and how they apply in the real world based on our experiences undertaking investigations.

Investigators Implicated- Yep. Seen that a few times. By implicated, I mean that often, the people tasked to assist us are involved somehow. They may be a supervisor or manager for example. This has significant flow on as it can create a conflict of interest, or it may provide an opportunity for the investigation to be steered a particular way.

Organisations should utilise third-party, independent services for high-potential and serious incident investigations. When selecting investigation team personnel, be sure to include the independent investigator in the selection process. Once things like a PEEPO Mk1 are completed, this may provide insight into who may be involved.

Disappearing Evidence—Yep. It happens. Whether it's deliberate or not is not for me to judge, but most commonly, policies and procedures can't be located, or when they're handed over, we discover they're the wrong version or similar.

Organisations need to ensure they have some form of document control to ensure the latest versions are available and in use. We recently undertook an investigation, and multiple people from different departments all referred to a different version number of the same document, claiming it to be the correct one!

Covert teams—Um, no. As cool as it sounds, and some of the technology they use in these movies is pretty cool, it doesn't work that way. Let's not forget: We're not here to spy on people or to trip them up. We want to understand what contributed to the incident and how we can prevent it from recurring. Spying and covert stuff do nothing to build trust and rapport with staff and contractors.

Team of safety experts, engineers, and human factors specialists- Yep, sort of. We often utilise on-site exercise to assist. We're expert investigators with different skill sets, but we can't and don't wear multiple hats. If a site doesn't have the required expertise, we'll look for it and make recommendations. An example is fire forensics and similar specialist areas- we've undertaken multiple investigations with their assistance.

A deliberate act of procedural sabotage—Sabotage? Nah, not really. Disregard for procedures? Yeah, sure. However, a good investigation aims to identify what led to that occurring and what needs to be implemented to prevent it from happening again. This could include issues around conflicting goals, time pressure, cost vs. budget issues, lack of training, rostering, fatigue, etc.

Against the clock- This is a big one for us and I've written about it before and done videos on this issue. Investigations can be incredibly complex and we cannot predict how long it will take. Sure, we may have experience in similar types of incidents that could provide some guidance, but every investigation is different. And often, we find ourselves going down a rabbit hole we just didn't expect. 

The other challenge with time pressures, which are often put in place by senior managers and executives, is that investigators can become more focused on the clock and not explore every aspect of what led to the incident. "Near enough is good enough" can kick in, when in reality it's not!

High-stakes interviews—every interview is important. High-stakes? Maybe...

A poorly conducted interview can slant an investigation, resulting in poor outcomes. The interview process drives so many things throughout the investigation.

High-tech forensic analysis- Let's be real. This isn't an episode of CSI. We don't wear sunglasses inside. We don't use a torch outside. And disappointingly, the song, Who Are You doesn't play whenever we get out of the car or walk in the room. However... as mentioned above, specialist expertise may need to be brought in to assist. Investigators shouldn't just wing it and think they know everything. Seek guidance and support as required.

Thrilling document extractions- yeah, nah. There's nothing thrilling about trawling through multiple policies, procedures, training records, work permits and other documentation! But there is so much stuff that could help with an investigation in these docs that it is a necessary thing to do. Don't skip it, don't shortcut it.

CONCLUSION

The world of incident investigation may not involve high-speed chases or daring heists, but the stakes are just as high. Mission: ICAM reimagines the thriller genre through the lens of ICAM analysis, where uncovering systemic failures and exposing hidden truths is the real impossible mission. By blending investigative rigour with high-stakes corporate intrigue, this story highlights the challenges faced by safety professionals who strive to prevent disasters before they happen. Ultimately, the most significant action isn’t in the field—it’s in the pursuit of truth, accountability, and lasting change.

Want to know more? Check out our suite of courses at https://www.safetywise.com/courses/icam or our free resources, including videos to download, sample reports, templates and other stuff at https://www.safetywise.com/resources