Accident

Definition:
1. An undesired and unexpected disturbance of the
normal completion of the work process, which is
generally brought about by the combination of internal
or external factors of a technical, physical, or social
nature and which leads to injuries (Neuloh, et. al, 1957).
2. An unplanned, not necessarily injurious or damaging
event that interrupts the completion of an activity and is
invariably preceded by an unsafe act and/or an unsafe
condition or some combination of unsafe acts and/or
unsafe conditions (Tarrants 1980).

Accident

3. An unplanned and uncontrolled event that is not

necessarily injurious or damaging to an individual,
property, or to an operation. Any unplanned event that
interrupts or interferes with the orderly progress of a
production activity or process (Confer & Confer, 1994).
4. An accident is an undesired event that causes damage
or injury. An incident is an undesired event that might
have caused damage or injury (Harms-Ringdahl, 1993).
5. That class of events which involves a low level of
expectedness, avoidability and intention (Suchmann
1961).

Accident
Generic definition:

As a generic definition, an accident

may be defined as: an unplanned
event that has the potential to
cause adverse consequences
.
Potential

ACCIDENT

Adverse
consequences

safety-lines1998

Occupational Safety
Safety concerns:
Prevention of injuries to workers in
workplaces
Prevention of injuries to general public
Prevention of diseases in workplaces
Prevention of damages to property
Prevention of any thing else which may
adverse effect on employees or
organization

Accident
Accident causation theories and Models
Single Domino theory
1. A sequence of events happen in fixed series to cause
the final event (Heinrich, 1931))
2. Updated Domino theory (Birds and Loftus, 1976)
Accident Models:
Houston Model (1977)
Three input factors: 1. Target
3. trigger

2. driving force

Accident
The Houston Model:
Target

Contact Process

Driving force
Trigger

Injury or
damage to
target

Preventive
Adoptive
action
reaction
The development of the accident is determined by:

1. The probability of occurring of all input factors

2. The efficiency of the driving force to reach the target
3. Ratio of damage done to the target under the actual conditions to
standard conditions

Accident

The Advisory committee on the Safety of Nuclear Infrastructures

(ACSNI) Model
personal
Organizational
system
Environment
machine

Man

Accident
The ACSNI Model provides a
general framework to be used for
identifying latent failures that could
lead to serious errors.
The Bellamy and Geyer Model:
This model include the
consideration of socio-technical
background to accident causation.

Accident
Impact
Mitigation
Accidental release
Engg. reliability
Operator reliability
Communication, information
and feedback control
Organization and
Management

System climate