LECTURE 2:

ACCIDENT CAUSATION

Sherrie Mae S. Medez

Safety Management
Adamson University Chemical Engineering Department
2nd sem AY 2010-2011
OUTLINE

• Accident vs Incident
• Heinrich’s Domino Theory
• Ferrels’ Human Error Model
Ferrels
• Petersen’s Accident / Incident Model
• Epidemiological Models
• Systems Models
• Multiple Causation
 ACCIDENT vs INCIDENT
• INCIDENT
• A definite and separate act, occurrence or event

• ACCIDENT
• Any unplanned and uncontrolled event caused by
human, situational, or environmental factors, or any
combination of these factors which interrupts
p the work
process, which may or may not result in injury, illness,
death, property damage, or other undesired events,
but which has the potential to do so
so.
ACCIDENT

http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/1
327621469045121708IdERse
HEINRICH’S DOMINO THEORY

• The Domino Theory was developed when

Herbert W. Heinrich was working for the
T
Travelers
l IInsurance Company
C iin 1929
• Discovered that, out of 75,000 industrial
accidents:
• 88% Caused by Unsafe Acts
• 10% Caused by Unsafe Conditions
• 02% Are Unavoidable
 HEINRICH’S DOMINO THEORY
Axioms of Industrial Safety

• Injuries result from a completed series of factors, one of which

is the accident itself

• Accidents occur only as a result of an unsafe act by person

and/or a physical or mechanical hazard

• Most accidents are from unsafe behavior of people

• Unsafe acts do not always result in an accident/injury

• Reasons why people do unsafe acts can aid in corrective

action
 HEINRICH’S DOMINO THEORY
Axioms of Industrial Safety

• Severity of accident is largely fortuitous, & the cause is largely

preventable

• Accident prevention techniques are analogous with best quality

& production techniques

• Management should assume responsibility for safety as it is in

the best position to get results

• Supervisor is key person

• Direct costs and Hidden costs

 HEINRICH’S DOMINO THEORY
A id t F
Accident Factors
t in
i Accident
A id t Causation
C ti
 HEINRICH’S DOMINO THEORY
Accident Factors in Accident Causation
 HEINRICH’S DOMINO THEORY
Accident Factors in Accident Causation
 FERRELL HUMAN ERROR MODEL
• Considers that accidents are the result of a causal chain of
initiating incidents and that human error underlies all
initiating incidents

• Driven by:
• Overload
– mismatch between the load and the capacity of the
person at the time of the action
p
- Environmental Factors (noise, distractions)
- Internal Factors (pressure, worry)
- Situational Factors (unclear instructions, risk
level)
 FERRELL HUMAN ERROR MODEL
• Driven by:

• Inappropriate Response/Compatibility
- Identify Hazard but Not Correct
- Remove Safeguards or
- Ignore Safety

• IInappropriate
i t Activities
A ti iti
- Do tasks w/o Requisite Training
- Misjudging
j g g Risk
- Degree of Task
PETERSEN’S ACCIDENT /
INCIDENT CAUSATION MODEL

Source:
http://www.set.ait.ac.th/people/kusumo/
aitcem/OSH/Download/Chp_03_Natur
e%20of%20Accidents.pdf
 EPIDEMIOLOGICAL MODELS
• Considers the studyy of environmental factors that
concern industrial hygiene as it could lead to
diseases, sicknesses, and other forms of health
impairment

Source:
http://www.set.ait.ac.th/people/kusumo/
aitcem/OSH/Download/Chp_03_Natur
e%20of%20Accidents.pdf
 SYSTEMS MODELS
• Deals with the components
p of a system
y and
examining these components and their
interrelationships in detail
• The
Th 3 interacting
i t ti components: t MAN,
MAN MACHINE,
MACHINE and
d
ENVIRONMENT
Successful

Source:
http://www.set.ait.ac.th/people/kusumo/
aitcem/OSH/Download/Chp_03_Natur
e%20of%20Accidents.pdf
 SYSTEMS MODELS
• Deals with the components
p of a system
y and
examining these components and their
interrelationships in detail
• The
Th 3 interacting
i t ti components: t MAN,
MAN MACHINE,
MACHINE and
d
ENVIRONMENT
Unsuccessful

Stressors

Accident

Source:
http://www.set.ait.ac.th/people/kusumo/
aitcem/OSH/Download/Chp_03_Natur
e%20of%20Accidents.pdf
 MULTIPLE CAUSATION

• Accidents occur because of a sequence of

actions brought about by a combination of
contributing factors
REFERENCES
• Colling,
g, David A. (1990).
( ) Industrial Safetyy
Management and Technology. USA:
Prentice Hall.

• Hadikusumo, Dr. BHW. Nature of

Construction Accidents and Accident
Causations.