Accident Causation Theory and Model

Incident

Any unplanned or undesired event that results in harm to people, damage to property or loss to process

Herbert W. Heinrich

Person who introduced the Domino Theory

Frank E. Bird

Person who introduced the Loss Causation Model.

Accident Causation Models

Model developed to assist safety officers or safety committees to investigate and identify the causes of the occupational accidents effectively

Bird's Loss Causation Model

A model consisting of five elements (lack of control, basic causes, immediate causes, incident loss) in a domino-based sequence of event leading to eventual loss

Heinrich's Domino Theory

A model consisting of five elements (social environment and ancestry, fault of person, unsafe acts, accidents, injuries) in a singular sequential linear causation trend of accident

Unsafe act

Include factors pertaining to the worker, such as improper attitude, lack of knowledge, lack of skills and inadequate physical and mental conditions

Unsafe condition

Include improper guarding of other hazardous work elements and degradation of equipment through use and unsafe procedures

Multi-causation Accident Model

The understanding and finding that an accident or incident is not caused by a single cause, but caused by multiple causes

Incident Prevention

To avoid workers from being injured, and as a result, suffer financial loss, disability, extreme pain and even death