Accident Causation -  Substandard Conditions  

Direct causes   

The basic assumption here is that events that lead to the consequences that we see are more often than not triggered by someone doing something (the “act”) in a certain environment (the “condition”). Because of this we divide the direct causes in: (1) causes that are related to a person and an act, and (2) causes that are related to the actual (work) environment or conditions.  

Direct causes of accidents/incidents are divided in two main categories: 

• Substandard (or unsafe) ACTS  
• Substandard (or unsafe) CONDITIONS  

SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS/SITUATIONS, such as: 

• Improper guards or barriers  
• No or inadequate or personal protection  
• Defective tools, equipment or materials  
• Proper tools not available  
• Congestion / restricted action  
• Lack of adequate housekeeping  
• Inadequate warning systems  
• Fire or explosion hazards  
• Excessive noise  
• Inadequate ventilation  
• Substandard lighting  
• Inadequate design of workplace  
• Exposure to chemicals  
• Exposure to radiation  
• Hazardous atmospheric conditions: fumes, dusts, vapors  
• Other  

Improvement actions can be generated form this level and will be entered into the action “module” for follow-up until completion. 

The level of direct causes may have to be by-passed - in case of incidents that have little or no relation to safety – in order to arrive at the basic causes that have a much wider area of application. 

Direct causes exist because of underlying causes: the basic or root causes.