Accident analysis models and methods: guidance for safety professionals

Accident analysis models and methods provide safety professionals with a means of understanding why accidents occur. Choosing an analysis technique is, however, not a simple process. A wide range of methods are available; each offering various theoretical and practical benefits and drawbacks. Furthermore, individuals engaged in accident investigation are subjected to various factors, e.g. budgetary and time constraints, which can influence their selection and usage of an analysis tool. This report is based on an extensive review of the accident analysis literature and an interview study conducted with 42 safety experts and has two aims. Firstly, it provides an overview of the available analysis techniques and the factors influencing an individual’s choice and usage of these methods. The intention is to provide the reader with information that may enable them to make a more informed selection of analysis tool. The second aim is to present an analysis model currently used in industry. The intention is to provide the reader with a validated method that can be readily employed, if undertaking a detailed assessment of the available techniques is not practicable.