A Comparative Study of Accident and near Miss Reporting Systems in the German Nuclear Industry and the Norwgian Offshore Industry

A basic assumption in modern safety management is that accidents are preventable through effective feedback control; i. e. through mechanisms by which information about accidents and near misses is utilised as a basis to increase the level of safety. In spite of their popularity, however, previous research has shown that it is frequently difficult to make Accident and Near Miss Analysis Systems (ANMAS) work according to intentions. The present paper presents results from a comparative study of ANMASs in the German nuclear industry and the Norwegian offshore industry. Both industries have a strong emphasis on incident recording and analysis. However, there are important differences between the two industries regarding what events are understood as “incidents”, what information on incidents is collected, how the information is processed, and how corrective actions are developed and implemented. These differences are analysed in light of distinctive features of the two industries (e.g. risk scenarios, technology, organisation), legislative factors, and social and cultural variables. It is argued that although different industry sectors may have a lot to learn from each other regarding how to handle accident and near miss reporting, the efficiency of a particular ANMAS must be evaluated relative to the industry's frame conditions.