Lecture 5

Theory of accident
 Theories in safety management
1. Heinrich (1931)-Domino theory
2. Vincoli (1994)-Uses domino theory
3. Peterson (1971)-Non domino based management model
(Multiple causation theory)
4. Human Error Theories
5. Behavioral model & Human factor model
6. Goal-freedom-alertness theory
7. Ferrell's theory –Accident Causation Model
8. Abdelhamid & Everett (2000)- Accident root cause tracing
model
9. Hinze- Distraction theory
 Domino theory by Heinrich (1931)
 He propagated the domino theory to explain the causation of accidents.
 According to Heinrich, accidents are the result of a chain of sequential
events.
 He compared these events with dominoes. When one of the dominoes
falls, it triggers the collapse of the next domino, and the next, and so on.
 The five dominoes used by Heinrich are:
 Social environment and legacy,
 Fault of person,
 Unsafe act and/or unsafe condition,
 Accident,
 Injury.
 Vincoli(1994)

 One updated model was given by Vincoli, the dominoes are as per below;
 Management: Loss of control
 Origins: Basic causes
 Immediate causes: Symptoms
 Contact: Incident
 Loss: People and/or property
 Lack of control by management initiates the process that eventually results in
incidents.
 Failure of management to fulfil its responsibility leads to basic causes from which
incidents arise.
Multiple causation model by Peterson (1971)

 Root causes of accidents often relate to the management system

 A number of causes and sub-causes combined together in random fashion
are responsible for an accident,
 It is not possible to attribute the causation of an accident to a single cause as
suggested simplistically in the domino theory.
 By using this model, the investigator would recommend improved
inspection procedures, improved training, better definition of
responsibilities, and pre-job planning by supervisors.
 Behavioral model & Human factor model

 Supporters of the behavioural model believe that accidents are caused

mainly due to the fault of workers.
 The behavioural models are based on the accident proneness of a person.
 It says that accidents are not randomly distributed and certain characteristics
inherent in a person make him/her accident-prone. Under a similar set of
circumstances, an accident prone person is more likely to be involved in the
accident than a person, who is not accident-prone.
 The theory emanates from the analysis of accidents of a large population, in
which the majority of people have no accidents, small percentages have one
accident, and a very small percentage (‘accident repeaters’) has multiple
accidents.
 Goals-freedom-alertness theory’

 Safe work performance is the result of a psychologically rewarding work

environment.
 Accidents are viewed as low-quality work behaviour occurring in an unrewarding
psychological climate, which does not contribute to a high level of alertness.
 Management should let a worker have a well-defined goal and give the worker a
freedom to pursue that goal.
 The result will be worker focusing on the task that leads to that goal.
 The worker’s attentiveness to the job will reduce the probability of being involved
in an injury.
 A worker who knows what to do on a job will be well focused on the task to be
performed and, therefore, will be safe.
 Human Factor Model by Ferrel (1980)

 Ferrel developed the accident causation model based on a causal chain of

human factors.
 He believed that accidents are caused due to human errors that result from;
 Overload beyond the capacity of a human being
 Incorrect response by the person
 Performing an improper activity due to either lack of awareness or
deliberately taking the risk.
 He emphasized overload and incompatibility factors.
 Cause tracing model by Abdelhamid &
Everett (2000)
 Accidents occur due to one or more of the three root causes;
 Failing to identify an unsafe condition that existed before an activity
was started, or that developed after an activity was started
 Deciding to proceed with a work activity after the worker identifies
an existing unsafe condition,
 Deciding to act unsafe regardless of initial conditions of the work
environment.
 In this model, a series of questions are asked in a systematic manner to find out why
the accident occurred, how the root cause of the accident developed, and how it
could be eliminated.
 Hinze’s Distraction theory
 To explain accident causation in situations, where there is an existence;
 A recognized safety hazard or a mental distraction
 A well-defined work task
 She defined hazard as:
 A physical condition with an inherent quality that can cause harm,
 The preoccupation with work-related or non-related issues such as approaching
deadline, anticipated parties, or death in the family.
 The lower the distractions from a known hazard, the greater is the probability of
completing a task safely. On the other hand, the higher the level of focus on the
distractions posed by the hazard, the lower is the probability of achieving the task
safely.
 Under similar hazardous and well defined situations, the worker with more heavy
mental baggage (mental distraction) has the maximum chances of not completing the
task in a safe manner.
Foundation of a major injury
THANK YOU
 Quiz 2 ( ___ marks)
Explain the difference between safety program and
safety system.
As per the first presentation Identify and list the major
potential hazards in over head power lines.