Citation

Tombs S. Ind. Crisis Q. 1991; 5(1): 59-74.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Industrial Crisis Institute - Bucknell University)

DOI

10.1177/108602669100500103

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In this article, I consider at length the ideology of accident proneness, which is most fundamentally based upon the claim that the majority of industrial accidents are caused through operator error. Once the concept has been defined and its origins noted, the main body of the paper is devoted to outlining its practical effects, as the consequences of its predominance in terms of attitudes and practices concerning health and safety for employers and workers are considered. It is shown how this ideology is used variously, loosely, but functionally; in particular, its predominance prevents serious consideration of measures which might have lasting effects in terms of improved accident prevention. Finally, the practical means and consequences of its transcendence in the management of safety and health in the chemical industry are considered.