Lesson 2: Causation

Accident prevention is the basis for most safety management systems, so it would be reasonable to assume that safety management is effective, there should be no accidents. Finding out how accidents happen is at the core of establishing controls to prevent these accidents.  This seems like a simple process, however accidents are complex events and are often the result of more than one failure.

Over the years, there have been many models to explain accident causation; although they are diverse, they do have some common themes - accident/incident investigation.

Loss causation models are important in that they guide companies in preventing accidental loss. There are many models to choose from, however the model below is one of the most easiest to understand. It was developed from a domino model and reflects the direct management relationship with the causes and effects of accident loss.  It incorporates arrows to show the interactions of the cause and effect sequence.

©iStock

This model shows that Basic Causes are listed in two major categories: personal factors and job factors.

Personal Factors include such things as:

• inadequate training
• lack of experience
• not enough practice
• various types of stress

Job Factors include:

• unclear assignment of responsibility or inadequate instructions
• inadequate maintenance
• inadequate tools, equipment and/or materials
• inadequate work standards
  

This model shows that injuries are caused by one or two factors: substandard practices and/or substandard conditions.

Substandard Practices occur due to:

• failure to secure an area
• removing safety devices
• horseplay
• using alcohol or drugs
• using defective equipment

Substandard Conditions occur from:

• a messy worksite
• noise exposure
• defective tools, equipment, or materials
• lack of guards or barriers
• high or low temperature exposure