ACCIDENT

CAUSATION,
THEORIES AND
CONCEPTS
• Domino Theory
• Human Factors Theory
• Accident / Incident Theory
• Epidemiological Theory
• Systems Theory

Theories of Accident
Causation
Domino Theory
Herbert Heinrich - as a
pioneering
occupational safety
researcher, whose 1931
publication Industrial
Accident Prevention: A
Scientific
Approach [Heinrich,
1931]
• Engineering – Control hazards through product
design or process change
• Education – Train workers regarding all facets
of safety – Impose on management that attention
to safety pays off
• Enforcement – Insure that internal and external
rules, regulations, and standard operating
procedures are followed by workers as well as
management.

Heinrich’s Domino Theory – Corrective

Action Sequence (The three “E”s)
 Attributes accidents to a chain of
events that were ultimately the
result of human error.

Human Factors Theory

OVERLOAD - The work task is beyond the
capability of the worker
1. Includes physical and psychological
factors
2. Influenced by environmental factors,
internal factors, and situational factors
INAPPROPRIATE WORKER RESPONSE
- To hazards and safety measures (worker’s
fault)
- To incompatible work station
(management, environment faults)
• INAPPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES
- Lack of training and misjudgment of
risk But the structure of this theory is
still a cause/effect format.
Extension of human factors theory. Here the
following new elements are introduced:
• Ergonomic traps – These are incompatible work
stations, tools or expectations (management failure)
• Decision to mistaken – Unconscious or conscious
(personal failure)
• Systems failure – Management failure (policy,
training, etc.)

ACCIDENT/INCIDENT
THEORY
 –This field studies relationship
between environmental factors
and disease
- Current trend includes a
broader perspective of
industrial hygiene issues.
–Industrial Hygiene concerns
environmental issues that can
lead to sickness, disease,
impaired health.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL THEORY
Two key components:
1 Predisposition characteristics
• tendencies may predispose worker to
certain actions
2 Situational characteristics
• peer pressure, poor attitude, risk taking
 • Accident arise from
interactions among human,
machines and the environment
-System is a group of interacting
and interrelated components that
form a unified whole.
Host (People) Agent
(Machinery) Environment

SYSTEM THEORY
 BEHAVIORAL THEORY
• Self-efficacy — A judgment of one’s ability to
perform the behavior.
• Outcome Expectations — A judgment of the
likely consequences a behavior will produce. The
importance of these expectations (i.e.,
expectancies) may also drive behavior.
• Self-Control — The ability of an individual to
control their behaviors.
• Reinforcements — Something that increases or
decreases the likelihood a behavior will continue.
• Emotional Coping — The ability of an
individual to cope with emotional stimuli.
•Observational Learning — The
acquisition of behaviors by observing
actions and outcomes of others’ behavior.
THANKS YOU 