Accident perceptions: Their implications for accident investigations

There are at least five distinct perceptions of the nature of the accident phenomenon. Each perception results in an accompanying body of assumptions, principles and rules of procedure that - taken together - seem to constitute five differing theoretical bases for accident investigation. In addition to influencing accident investigations, these perceptions seem also to influence views about safety and the nature of safety programs, safety research, and other safety matters: 1) Single Event Perception [This perception treats an accident as a single event, or perhaps assumes that an accident can be simplified by thinking of it as a single event]; 2) Chain-Of-Events Perception [This view treats an accident as a chain of sequential events]; 3) Determinant Variable or Factorial Perception [Thorndyke's gathering of data in such a way that statistical comparisons will permit fair estimates of the influence of a variable in a particular factor on the probability of an accident]; 4) The Logic Tree Perception [This perception presumes that converging chains of events lead to an undesired event] and 5) The Multilinear Events Sequence Perception [The perception of accidents as a segment of a continuum of activities]. This paper discusses each of these and provides implications for accident investigation.