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Public safety investigations-A new evolutionary step in safety enhancement?

John, Stoop LU and Roed-Larsen, Sverre (2009) European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL 2007) In Reliability Engineering & System Safety 94. p.1471-1479
Abstract
A historical overview highlights the evolutionary nature of developments in accident investigations in the transport industry. Based on a series of major events outside transportation, the concept of accident investigations has broadened to other domains and to a widening of the scope of the investigation. Consequently, existing investigation boards are forced to adapt their mandates, missions and methods. With the introduction of social risk perception and application of the concept of safety investigation in the public sector, a change of focus towards the aftermath and non-technical issues of a more generic nature emerges. This expansion has also gained the interest of social sciences and public governance, generating new underlying... (More)
A historical overview highlights the evolutionary nature of developments in accident investigations in the transport industry. Based on a series of major events outside transportation, the concept of accident investigations has broadened to other domains and to a widening of the scope of the investigation. Consequently, existing investigation boards are forced to adapt their mandates, missions and methods. With the introduction of social risk perception and application of the concept of safety investigation in the public sector, a change of focus towards the aftermath and non-technical issues of a more generic nature emerges. This expansion has also gained the interest of social sciences and public governance, generating new underlying models and theories on risk and responsibility. The evolutionary development of safety investigations is demonstrated by the various organisational forms which shaped accident investigations in different countries. Underneath these organisational differences, a need for a common methodology and a reflection oil fundamental notions is discussed. In particular differences among human operator models, the allocation of responsibilities in design concepts and methodological issue are elaborated. The needs and opportunities for a transition from accident prevention towards systems change are indicated. At present, the situation is ambiguous. Ail encompassing inventory can only provide a general oversight over emerging trends and lacks analytic rigor on specific topics. The societal dimensions, institutional changes at the level of governance and control and the powers that advocate or challenge investigations are not yet fully described. Therefore, in the conclusions a small number of critical challenges and threats are identified that should be open to scrutiny in order to facilitate a new, evolutionary step in safety enhancement. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Reliability Engineering & System Safety
volume
94
pages
1471 - 1479
publisher
Elsevier
conference name
European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL 2007)
conference location
Stavanger, Norway
conference dates
2007-06-25 - 2007-06-27
external identifiers
  • wos:000267955300012
  • scopus:67349122277
ISSN
0951-8320
DOI
10.1016/j.ress.2009.02.016
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6d9d055c-23fd-4bd5-b1ae-940064e3f0cb (old id 1461942)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:25:14
date last changed
2022-01-30 03:53:57
@article{6d9d055c-23fd-4bd5-b1ae-940064e3f0cb,
  abstract     = {{A historical overview highlights the evolutionary nature of developments in accident investigations in the transport industry. Based on a series of major events outside transportation, the concept of accident investigations has broadened to other domains and to a widening of the scope of the investigation. Consequently, existing investigation boards are forced to adapt their mandates, missions and methods. With the introduction of social risk perception and application of the concept of safety investigation in the public sector, a change of focus towards the aftermath and non-technical issues of a more generic nature emerges. This expansion has also gained the interest of social sciences and public governance, generating new underlying models and theories on risk and responsibility. The evolutionary development of safety investigations is demonstrated by the various organisational forms which shaped accident investigations in different countries. Underneath these organisational differences, a need for a common methodology and a reflection oil fundamental notions is discussed. In particular differences among human operator models, the allocation of responsibilities in design concepts and methodological issue are elaborated. The needs and opportunities for a transition from accident prevention towards systems change are indicated. At present, the situation is ambiguous. Ail encompassing inventory can only provide a general oversight over emerging trends and lacks analytic rigor on specific topics. The societal dimensions, institutional changes at the level of governance and control and the powers that advocate or challenge investigations are not yet fully described. Therefore, in the conclusions a small number of critical challenges and threats are identified that should be open to scrutiny in order to facilitate a new, evolutionary step in safety enhancement. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{John, Stoop and Roed-Larsen, Sverre}},
  issn         = {{0951-8320}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1471--1479}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Reliability Engineering & System Safety}},
  title        = {{Public safety investigations-A new evolutionary step in safety enhancement?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ress.2009.02.016}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ress.2009.02.016}},
  volume       = {{94}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}