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Each year, work-related accidents cost almost $50 billion in lost wages, medical expenses, insurance costs, and indirect costs.
ACCIDENT CAUSATIONACCIDENT CAUSATION
indirect costs.
The number injured in industrial place accidents in a typical year is 7,128,000. 3 per 100 persons per year.
There is an accidental workplace death about every 51 minutes, and one injury every 19 seconds.
WhWhy d d o accidents happen?id h?
To prevent accidents we must know why they happen.
ACCIDENT CAUSATION
The most widely known theories of accident causation are:
The domino theory. ThThe human factors theory. h f t th The accident/incident theory. The epidemiological theory. The systems theory. The combination theory. The behavioral theoryThe behavioral theory.
DOMINO THEORY OF ACCIDENT CAUSATION
After studying 75,000 industrial accidents, Herbert W. Heinrich of Travelers Insurance concluded in the 1920s, thatthat 88% of industrial accidents are caused by unsafe88% of industrial accidents are caused by unsafe acts committed by fellow workers.
Heinrich’s study laid the foundation for his Axioms of Industrial Safety , and his now outdated domino theory of accident causation Some of today’s more widely accepted theories can beSome of today s more widely accepted theories can be traced back to Heinrich’s theory.
Heinrich’s 10 Axioms of Industrial Safety
- Management should assume responsibility for safety because it is in the best position to get results. 9 9. The supervisor is the key person in the prevention of The supervisor is the key person in the prevention of industrial accidents.
- In addition to the direct costs of an accident (for example, compensation, liability claims, medical costs, and hospital expenses), there are also hidden or indirect costs.
Any accident prevention program that takes all ten axioms into account is more likely to be effective than a program that leaves out one or more.
Heinrich’s Domino Theory
According to Heinrich, there are five factors in the sequence of events leading up to an accident: Ancestry and social environmentAncestry and social environment - character traitscharacter traits that lead people to behave in an unsafe manner can be inherited, or acquired as a result of social environment. Fault of person - negative traits, inherited or acquired, are why people behave in an unsafe manner and why hazardous conditions exist. Unsafe act/mechanical or physical hazardUnsafe act/mechanical or physical hazard - actsacts by people, and mechanical/physical hazards are the direct causes of accidents.
Heinrich’s Domino Theory
Accident - typically, injury accidents are caused by falling or being hit by moving objects. InjuryInjury - typical injuries resulting from accidents includetypical injuries resulting from accidents include lacerations and fractures.
Injuries are caused by the action of preceding factors. Removal of the central factor (unsafe act/hazardous condition) negates the action of the preceding factors and prevents accidents and injuries.
See “Domino Theory in Practice” on textbook page 36.
HUMAN FACTORS THEORY OF CAUSATION
Attributes accidents to a chain of events, ultimately caused by human error.
Inappropriate Response and Incompatibility
Workstation incompatibility - incompatibility of a person’s workstation with regard to size, force, reach, feel & similar factors can lead to accidents and injuries.
Inappropriate Activities
Human error - can be the result of inappropriate
activities— such as when a person undertakes
a task that he/she doesn’t know how to do. SSuch inappropriate activities can lead to h i i i i i l d accidents/injuries.
See “Human Factors Theory in Practice” on textbook page 36.
ACCIDENT/INCIDENT THEORY OF CAUSATION
An extension of the human factors theory was developed by Dan Petersen, introducing… Ergonomic traps; Decision to err; Systems failuresErgonomic traps; Decision to err; Systems failures.
See the entire chart on page 37 of your textbook.
ACCIDENT/INCIDENT THEORY OF CAUSATION
Following are just some of the different ways that systems can fail, according to Petersen’s theory: Management does not establish a comprehensiveManagement does not establish a comprehensive safety policy. Responsibility and authority with regard to safety are not clearly defined. Safety procedures such as measurement, inspection, correction, and investigation are ignored or given insufficient attentioninsufficient attention. Employees do not receive proper orientation. Employees are not given sufficient safety training.
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL THEORY OF CAUSATION
See “Epidemiological Theory in Practice” on textbook page 39.
SYSTEMS THEORY OF ACCIDENT CAUSATION
A system is a group of regularly interacting & interrelated components that form a unified whole.
The systems theory of accident causation views a situation in which an accident may occur as a system comprised of the following components: Person (host); Machine (agency); Environment.
Likelihood of an accident occurring is determined by how these components interact. Changes in the patterns of interaction can increase or reduce the probability of an accident.
SYSTEMS THEORY OF ACCIDENT CAUSATION
• As a person interacts
with a machine within
an environment, three
After collecting information by observing & noting current circumstances, a person weighs risks & decides whether to
activities take place:
risks & decides whether to perform the task.
See “Systems Theory in Practice” on textbook page 41.
SYSTEMS THEORY OF ACCIDENT CAUSATION
• As a person interacts
with a machine within
an environment, three
If information was right & the risk assessment accurate, the task will probably be accomplished without accident
activities take place:
accomplished without accident.
See “Systems Theory in Practice” on textbook page 41.
COMBINATION THEORY OF CAUSATION
Often the cause of an accident cannot be adequately explained by one model or theory. According to the combination theory the actual causeAccording to the combination theory, the actual cause may combine parts of several different models. Safety personnel should avoid the tendency to try to apply one model to all accidents.
See “Combination Theory in Practice” on textbook page 43.
BEHAVIORAL THEORY OF CAUSATION
This theory of accident causation & prevention is often referred to as behavior-based safety (BBS). has seven basic principles:has seven basic principles: Intervention that is focused on employee behavior; Identification of external factors that will help understand and improve employee behavior. Direct behavior with activators or events antecedent to the desired behavior, and motivation of the employee to behave as desired with incentives and rewardsto behave as desired with incentives and rewards. Focus on the positive consequences that will result from the desired behavior as a way to motivate employees.
BEHAVIORAL THEORY OF CAUSATION
- This theory of accident causation & prevention is often referred to as behavior-based safety (BBS). has seven basic principles:
- • Intervention that is focused on employee behaviorIntervention that is focused on employee behavior.
- Identification of external factors that will help understand and improve employee behavior.
- Direct behavior with activators or events antecedent to the desired behavior
- Focus on the positive consequences from the desired behavior as a way to motivate employees
- AApplication of the scientific method to improve attempts at li i f h i ifi h d i behavioral interventions.
- Use of theory to integrate information rather than to limit possibilities.
- Planned interventions with the feelings and attitudes of the individual employee in mind.
BEHAVIORAL THEORY OF CAUSATION
An innovative, practical application of standard behavioral theory to the field of occupational safety. Positive reinforcement in the form of incentives andPositive reinforcement in the form of incentives and rewards is used to promote the desired (safe) behaviors.
- And discourage undesirable (unsafe) behaviors.
Proponents use the “ABC” model to summarize understanding human behavior & developing interventions when behavior is undesirable (unsafe)interventions when behavior is undesirable (unsafe).
“A” stands for activators or antecedent events that precede
behavior— “B” & “C” refer to consequences following
behavior, or produced by it. See “Behavioral Theory in Action” on textbook page 44.
Warning Signs
Safety & health professionals should be alert to the warning signs of clinical depression in employees. Persistent dreary moods (sadness anxietyPersistent dreary moods. (sadness, anxiety, nervousness) Sleeping on the job or persistent drowsiness. Sudden weight loss or gain; Chronic physical problems. General loss of interest, restlessness, inability to concentrate, or irritability. Forgetfulness or an inability to make simple decisions. Persistent feelings of guilt; Feelings of low self-worth. Focus on death or talk of suicide.
Warning Signs
Safety & health professionals who recognize any or all of these symptoms in an employee should get the employee into the hands of competent mental health professionalsinto the hands of competent mental health professionals right away.
Approach the employee’s supervisor & recommend referring the employee to the company’s employee assistance program (EAP) or HR department.
If the supervisor is uncomfortable, or does not know how to go about it recommend that he/she use the statementgo about it, recommend that he/she use the statement suggested by the Society for Human Resource Management:
“ I’m concerned that recently you’ve been late to work often and are not meeting your performance objectives.” “I’d like to see you get back on track ”“I’d like to see you get back on track.” “I don’t know whether this is the case for you, but if personal issues are affecting your work, you can speak confidentially to one of our employee assistance counselors.” “The service was set up to help employees.” “Our conversation today and appointments with the counselor will be kept confidential.” “Whether or not you contact this service, you will still be expected to meet your performance goals.”
MANAGEMENT FAILURES AND CAUSATION
A leading cause of accidents in the workplace is failure of management to ensure a safe & healthy work environment.environment. The level of management with the most direct, hands- on, day-to-day responsibility for workplace safety & health is the supervisory level.
Supervisors should be assigned responsibility for the work environment and for the safety of employees in theirenvironment and for the safety of employees in their units. Safety & health professionals should be readily available to help supervisors fulfill this responsibility.
