Posted By osh Hi all, I am looking for OSH models / theories/ approaches which target organisational, work environment and systems level interventions. I have covered the other side of the scale in regards to ‘active failures’, Reason’s Swiss cheese model of human error. I have also had a look at Heinrish’s domino theory which basically states ‘88% of injuries are due to ‘unsafe acts’ and only 10% due to ‘unsafe conditions’. (The remaining 2% are ‘Acts of God’ i.e. were unpreventable).’ Now is anyone able point me in the right direction for the more ‘systems level interventions’? Even if you can't help feel free to give me your opinion on these approaches!

Posted By osh Thanks for the reply, I did a bit of a Google search and from what I could see (I am at work so just skimmed through it) when I searched for the ‘hale and hale’ model is that it was based on behavioural safety. Were there are range of models / theories? Whilst I was searching I also came across: http://www.monash.edu.au...c/IPSO/safebk/Appx_A.pdf which I kind of what iI am after. Thanks in advance for your help. BTW don't go to far out of your way looking as I know how busy we all are!

Posted By Merv Newman OK, here we go and it's a bit heavy for friday evening - Cooper maintains that there are three main categories of accident causes - A) Technical (machines, equipment, tools etc ie Latent Failures according to Proff Jim Reason (he of the "swiss cheese" theory)). B) Managerial (lack of or failures in safety management systems. C) Human (behavioural problems or failures). In my humble opinion, most accidents will have all three of these causal categories as primary or secondary (immediate or underlying, if you like) causes. The suggestion that 96% of injuries involve human factors as either a primary or secondary cause is one that I can accept. But the human factor does not necessarily relate to blaming the injured person. If you look at the various and successive "domino" theories (heinrich, weaver, adams, bird and loftus) they speak of possible errors at the strategic (board/senior management) level, at the tactical (day-to-day management of production) level, at the operational (first line supervisor) and at the human level (employee, operator, eventual victim). The fifth "domino" is usually "defensive systems" such as ppe. If there are no effective "knock-down stops" between any of these levels then errors committed at higher levels will result in injuries at the lower levels. And errors occurring at the low levels will also result in injuries at that level. As for objectivity. It don't happen. A priori, managment blame anyone at a lower level than themselves. Workers blame anyone at a higher level than themselves. S'life, innit. Merv