• You’ve carefully thought

out all the angles.

• You’ve done it a thousand
times.
• It comes naturally to you.
• You know what you’re
doing, it’s what you’ve been
trained to do your whole
life.
• Nothing could possibly go
wrong, right?
Think again!
 Accident Causation Theories
1. Domino Theory – H.W. Heinrich
2. Human Factors Theory
3. Accident/Incident Theory
4. Epidemiological Theory
5. System Theory
6. The Energy Release Theory – Dr. William
Haddon, Jr.
7. Behavior Theory
8. Combination Theory
 1. Domino Theory
Accident is one factor in a sequence
that may lead to an injury.

• When one falls, the linkage required

for a chain reaction is completed
• Each factor is dependent on the
preceding factor
H.W. Heinrich
 2. Human Factor Theory
Human errors categorized as:

• Overload beyond capability both

physical & psychological
• Inappropriate response to hazards,
safety measures, incompatible works
station
• Inappropriate activities due to lack of
knowledge & skills
 3. Accident/Incident Theory
Extension of Human Factor Theory:

• Ergonomic traps – incompatible work

station, tools or expectations
(management failure)
• Decision to err
• Systems failure – policy, training, etc.
 4. Epidemiological Theory
Studies relationship between
environmental factors and diseases
and used to study causal factors in
a relationship.

Heat stress – caused by prolonged

exposure to extreme heat
 5. Systems Theory
Accidents arise from interactions
among humans, machines, and the
environment.

Not simply chains of events or linear

causality, but more of a complex
types of causal connections.
 Elaborated Insights
• too complex traffic system but
driver limited capacity to process
information.

• safety margins that allows the

driver to incur error without being
hurt too seriously.
 6. Energy Release Theory
William Haddon a medical doctor, in 1966 imposed
the following regulations for new cars:

1.Seat belts for all occupants

2. Energy-absorbing steering column
3. Penetration-resistant windshield
4. Dual braking system
5. Padded instrument panel
6. All measures correspond with the energy and
barrier concept
 7. Behavioral Theory
Often referred to as Behavior-Based Safety (BBS)
with 7 basic principles:

1. Intervention
2. Identification of internal factors
3. Motivation to behave in the desired manner
4. Focus on the positive consequences of
appropriate behavior
5. Application of scientific method
6. Integration of information
7. Planned interventions
 8. Combination Theory
• Accidents may/may not fall under
any one model
• Result from factors in several
models
• One model cannot be applied to all
accidents