Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Implementing recommendations from accident investigations: a case study of inter-organisational challenges

Cedergren, Alexander LU (2013) In Accident Analysis and Prevention 53. p.133-141
Abstract
Abstract in Undetermined
In many industries, a national accident investigation board conducts investigations following major accidents. For safety improvements to be achieved, however, it is essential that the recommendations presented in these investigations are followed by necessary actions. In this paper, challenges related to implementation of recommendations from accident investigations are studied. The theoretical framework providing the foundation for the study lies at the intersection between systems safety, risk governance, and implementation research. Empirical data for the case study was collected from the Swedish railway sector. The first part of the paper presents an analysis of the extent of recommendations that have not... (More)
Abstract in Undetermined
In many industries, a national accident investigation board conducts investigations following major accidents. For safety improvements to be achieved, however, it is essential that the recommendations presented in these investigations are followed by necessary actions. In this paper, challenges related to implementation of recommendations from accident investigations are studied. The theoretical framework providing the foundation for the study lies at the intersection between systems safety, risk governance, and implementation research. Empirical data for the case study was collected from the Swedish railway sector. The first part of the paper presents an analysis of the extent of recommendations that have not resulted in implemented actions. The second part consists of an interview study aiming at providing a deeper understanding of the difficulties related to transforming these recommendations into actual changes. Two key factors that give rise to challenges to implementation of recommendations are identified. The first factor is related to the different actors' views on their own and other stakeholders' roles in the implementation process, and can be described as a trade-off between being insider and outsider to the industry. The second factor is related to the scope of the accident investigations and their recommendations, and can be described as a trade-off between micro-level and macro-level factors. The opportunities for implementing recommendations, and achieving safety improvements at the industry level, are affected by the ways in which the different stakeholders manage these trade-offs at the local level. This study thus mainly contributes by highlighting the importance of co-ordinating the various actors involved in the implementation process, and the results show that challenges to implementation to a large extent arise in the interactions between these actors. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Accident Analysis and Prevention
volume
53
pages
133 - 141
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000317539600017
  • scopus:84873903445
  • pmid:23416681
ISSN
1879-2057
DOI
10.1016/j.aap.2013.01.010
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a8fd0b67-8933-4e83-b793-ac06cb40952e (old id 3411201)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:15:46
date last changed
2022-02-17 08:21:44
@article{a8fd0b67-8933-4e83-b793-ac06cb40952e,
  abstract     = {{Abstract in Undetermined<br/>In many industries, a national accident investigation board conducts investigations following major accidents. For safety improvements to be achieved, however, it is essential that the recommendations presented in these investigations are followed by necessary actions. In this paper, challenges related to implementation of recommendations from accident investigations are studied. The theoretical framework providing the foundation for the study lies at the intersection between systems safety, risk governance, and implementation research. Empirical data for the case study was collected from the Swedish railway sector. The first part of the paper presents an analysis of the extent of recommendations that have not resulted in implemented actions. The second part consists of an interview study aiming at providing a deeper understanding of the difficulties related to transforming these recommendations into actual changes. Two key factors that give rise to challenges to implementation of recommendations are identified. The first factor is related to the different actors' views on their own and other stakeholders' roles in the implementation process, and can be described as a trade-off between being insider and outsider to the industry. The second factor is related to the scope of the accident investigations and their recommendations, and can be described as a trade-off between micro-level and macro-level factors. The opportunities for implementing recommendations, and achieving safety improvements at the industry level, are affected by the ways in which the different stakeholders manage these trade-offs at the local level. This study thus mainly contributes by highlighting the importance of co-ordinating the various actors involved in the implementation process, and the results show that challenges to implementation to a large extent arise in the interactions between these actors.}},
  author       = {{Cedergren, Alexander}},
  issn         = {{1879-2057}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{133--141}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Accident Analysis and Prevention}},
  title        = {{Implementing recommendations from accident investigations: a case study of inter-organisational challenges}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/1694352/4392755.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.aap.2013.01.010}},
  volume       = {{53}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}