Organizational/Systemic Failure: Root Cause Analysis

The best case scenario for the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) approach to safety is when used to investigate a “close call”. In our experience, these are infrequently reported. Most commonly, an RCA is conducted when a fatality/injury/other significant damage has occurred, making it a posteriori. It is a necessary step to be taken to prevent … More Organizational/Systemic Failure: Root Cause Analysis

Organizational/Systemic Failure: Malignant/Dismissive Authority

In 1956, a handful of people died in the Arundel Park fire. “Several of the sample population indicated that when they entered the hall after observing the fire from outside the building, they warned their friends and suggested they leave but were laughed at, their warning apparently disregarded.” People have a difficult time interpreting indirect … More Organizational/Systemic Failure: Malignant/Dismissive Authority

Systemic Organizational Failure Root Cause: Safety as a Standard, Part 2

In the previous post, I discussed OSHA relative to its reliability as a standard on which to judge the applicability of safety concepts. One way of looking at the field of safety is how to implement OSHA standards effectively, comprehensively, intelligently, and organically. With any type of measurement, whether quantitative with a ruler or qualitative … More Systemic Organizational Failure Root Cause: Safety as a Standard, Part 2

Systemic Organizational Failure Root Cause: Safety as a Standard, Part 1

Systems Thinking generally is evaluating a larger thing by not just the function of individual parts but also how they interact as a whole. “Thing” can be just about anything; we are interested in the multi-dimensional interaction of people, equipment, government, environment, and money flow that comprises a single organization’s place in its market. These … More Systemic Organizational Failure Root Cause: Safety as a Standard, Part 1