Recommend System Improvements
The surface causes for accidents actually represent the symptoms of underlying safety management system weaknesses.
The behaviors and conditions that caused the accident are typically the effects of deeper root causes. This is a fact.
As an accident investigator, your first assumption should be that root causes have contributed to an accident, and your job is to find them. Accidents solely the result of a 'personal failure' will be rare in most organizations.
Efforts should be made to improve safety management system components for long-term workplace safety. Examples of improvements include:
- Including 'safety' in a mission statement.
- Clarifying responsibility and accountability in the safety policy.
- Implementing checklists with safety checks in work processes.
- Incorporating hands-on practice into safety training.
- Revising purchasing policy to consider safety alongside cost.
- Expanding the safety inspection process to involve all supervisors and employees.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
7-5. The behaviors and conditions that caused the accident are, themselves, usually the effects of _____.
You forgot to answer the question!