702 Effective Accident Investigation

Accident Theories

Domino Theory

The first "domino" might be a unique condition, like a spill on a floor. This leads to the next "domino," such as an unsafe action like failing to clean up the spill. Eventually, the series of conditions and actions cause an accident – the final "domino." The idea is that if we remove or fix one of these "dominoes," especially the early ones, we can stop the whole chain and prevent accidents.

Common Sense Theory

The Common Sense Theory is based on a single assumption: accidents are caused by a lack of common sense.

The term "common sense" refers to the practical knowledge that most people share and understand. However, it's not as universally common as the name suggests. Each person develops their own understanding based on their education, training, and past experiences.

Believing that employees lack common sense often leads to blaming them when accidents happen. This 'common sense' excuse implies that the employees are the problem. The suggested solution is simply advising them to use common sense – which is hardly effective. This mindset results in temporary fixes that only tackle the apparent causes of accidents, ignoring deeper issues. Over time, this approach can be costlier to implement and maintain.

Systems Theory

The Systems Theory adopts a comprehensive approach to accident investigation. It acknowledges that accidents stem from complex interactions among various unique surface-cause factors like the environment, materials, equipment, people, and safety management system root causes. This theory is grounded in the understanding that accidents are never the result of a single event or factor.

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