Workplace Accidents: Situational or Systemic?
In the workplace, EHS teams aim to improve safety outcomes and decrease the likelihood of workplace accidents. In some organizations, these efforts focus on the individual, citing the specific situation as the cause of an incident. However, although accidents are relatively rare, near misses are much less so. The absence of an accident does not always indicate an absence of risk. When you combine both near misses and accidents, similarities can be found, and more systemic causes can be identified.
What Causes Accidents to Occur?
According to some of the earliest accident theories by W.H. Heinrich in 1931, 88% of all accidents are caused by unsafe acts of people, 10% by unsafe actions, and 2% by “acts of God”. Heinrich’s theory has underpinned much of traditional safety management, and has informed many safety procedures and processes for the past 80 years. This has caused safety professionals to focus on changing the actions of individuals.
In the chilling example of the Eddie Adams Weyerhaeuser arc flash incident, the fatality occurred even though thorough processes and well-placed signage were present. Those interviewed after the incident suggested that part of beginning work should include a self-check; asking yourself “Am I ready to be focused, am I ready to go in and do my job, and do it safely?” The interviewees speak to how constantly jumping into action, even if it is well-intentioned and meant to help others, can be dangerous.
The arc flash example points to unsafe acts by an individual as the cause of the accident. However, the video does not provide a full picture of the situation. It does not speak to the workplace culture, nor to the safety attitudes of management and other employees. What expectations were set by management? Were rules routinely bent in the name of speed? How much emphasis was put on following safety protocols by team members?
These kinds of questions point to the work of Dr. W. Edwards Deming. Dr. Deming theorizes that the majority of workplace accidents are caused by the system itself, not by the actions of individuals. Any work system has continual factors that Deming labels as “common causes”. These common causes are responsible for the majority of all outcomes in a workplace, including safety outcomes. An example of common causes in workplace safety is fear. Fear in the workplace reduces communication between management and employees, as workers can fear retribution for speaking up, impact to job stability, or anger from management if production is slowed due to a safety concern. And when safety concerns are raised, workers can be concerned that they will be ignored or overridden.
Effective Accident Prevention
Research shows that even the most accident-prone workers can have fewer accidents in a safer work environment. Therefore, addressing the work environment is a key part of creating a safer workplace. Some of the situational causes of workplace accidents can include:
The speed of production or layout of the job process
The quality and amount of safety training administered
Workplace safety culture or attitudes of supervisors toward safety
The maintenance of equipment or the work environment itself
Switching the focus from the worker to the environment also helps management focus on the causes of the outcomes, instead of the outcomes themselves, meaning that accidents can be prevented before they happen.
Unsafe workplace practices can often continue purley because they go unrecognized. Identifying systemic causes of accidents is the first step in reducing the number of accidents in the workplace. From there, both a health and safety policy and program can be created that addresses these causes. Using a methodology such as the Hierarchy of Hazard Control to create a safety program can help focus efforts and identify the items that will have the biggest impact on workplace safety.
Once safety protocols and processes are established, training workers and training management and supervisors is an important next step. This includes ensuring that workers are provided with protective equipment and are trained on its proper usage.
After all of the above has been completed, the work to maintain a safe working environment is not finished. Ongoing monitoring of safety measures, as well as learning from experiences will help to maintain high safety standards and reduce workplace accidents. Also, ensuring adequate staffing levels and keeping the workplace orderly will both help prevent future incidents and keep employees safe.
Creating a safer workplace is of benefit to both employees and the organization. Safer workplaces means fewer injustice among employees, and fewer injuries for employees means lower costs for the system. By shifting the focus from outcomes (the worker’s actions) to the cause (the systemic environment) helps create a culture of proactive safety instead of retroactive adjustments.
Want to read more?
Check out these posts for more about creating a safe workplace:
Near Misses
Near misses play a huge part in safety planning, however they often go unreported. Why are near misses going unreported, and how can management address this?
Safety Culture
Culture in the workplace is a major determinant of safety. Looking at culture can help you reduce incidents and protect your team.
Risk Perception
Risk perception and behaviour go hand-in-hand. Knowing more about how risk perception influences safety will allow you to address things before they become a problem.