The Blame Machine: Why Human Error Causes Accidents - Softcover

R. B. Whittingham

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0750655100 ISBN 13: 9780750655101

Publisher: Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann, 2003

Synopsis

The Blame Machine describes how disasters and serious accidents result from recurring, but potentially avoidable, human errors. It shows how such errors are preventable because they result from defective systems within a company. From real incidents, you will be able to identify common causes of human error and typical system deficiencies that have led to these errors. On a larger scale, you will be able to see where, in the organisational or management systems, failure occurred so that you can avoid them.

The book also describes the existence of a 'blame culture' in many organisations, which focuses on individual human error whilst ignoring the system failures that caused it. The book shows how this 'blame culture' has, in the case of a number of past accidents, dominated the accident enquiry process hampering a proper investigation of the underlying causes.

Suggestions are made about how progress can be made to develop a more open culture in organisations, both through better understanding of human error by managers and through increased public awareness of the issues. The book brings together documentary evidence from recent major incidents from all around the world and within the Rail, Water, Aviation, Shipping, Chemical and Nuclear industries.

Barry Whittingham has worked as a senior manager, design engineer and consultant for the chemical, nuclear, offshore oil and gas, railway and aviation sectors. He developed a career as a safety consultant specializing in the human factors aspects of accident causation. He is a member of the Human Factors in Reliability Group, and a Fellow of the Safety and Reliability Society.

* Increases safety by showing how to remove blame and how to develop foolproof safety systems
* Draws together documentary evidence of real accidents to demonstrate the different types of human error, and preventative actions
* Covers a range of disciplines - occupational psychology, engineering, safety of major installations

About this title

Book Description:

Understand how to improve safety by focussing on systems, not people

About the Author:

R.B.Whittingham is an author and chemical engineer with 40 years experience in plant and technical management, design engineering and safety consultancy in the chemical, oil and gas, railway, aviation and nuclear industries. He has a special interest in the role of human error in accident causation and the use of human reliability analysis to predict the likelihood and causes of potentially dangerous errors. He has been involved in the development of safety cases and risk assessments for major facilities including the Channel Tunnel, London Underground's Jubilee Line Extension, Sellafield Nuclear Reprocessing Plant and many other major hazard installations such as chemical plants, nuclear power stations and offshore oil and gas platforms. More recently he has undertaken human reliability assessments of Airport Fire Service response to aircraft accidents and of airport ramp operations. He has been involved in the preparation of a Risk Model of potential fire and evacuation scenarios at major UK airport terminals and has carried out human factors research for the Health and Safety Executive. He is a Fellow of the Safety and Reliability Society, has authored over 30 technical papers and articles and conducts seminars and training courses in human reliability and safety management.

About this edition

• Publisher: Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0750655100
• ISBN 13: 9780750655101
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 271