Understanding Accident Proneness: Can Someone Explain What It Really Means?

Please, can anyone explain what accident proneness is?

Sir,

I would like to try at least.

By accident analysis, we could find or trace a person who is regularly being injured, or a place where regular similar types of accidents or injuries are observed. Then we can say that this place or person is accident-prone.

For example, suppose some person is transferred from HR to maintenance. As he is not used to using tools and acquainted with other jobs, then very frequently he will get injured, and if it continues for a long time. Suppose he is shifted again to some other department, and the same scenario continues, then he is an accident-prone person. Maybe he is not physically fit, or there is a lack of knowledge. So, identifying his training needs and potential, he can be shifted.

The same is the case with a place also. If a walkway is there, and very frequent slip and trip reports come from that area, it is an accident-prone area. So, we can search for what is the reason for slipperiness, is there a leakage or something?

I have just tried to make an attempt. Please rectify me.

Regards,
Hansa Vyas

Dear Kesav Pillai,

My comments on Accident Proneness:

Commonly, we can say or understand that the frequency of accidents is high or the chances of accidents occurring are high. However, when we relate this term to a person, we can say that the person is more exposed to accidents, maybe because of their behavior, overconfidence, excitement, etc.

I hope my idea is somewhat clear.

With regards,
Dipil

Dear Friends,

Please see the attachment. There are two workers who are assigned to do the same kind of work every day, such as lifting an average weight and placing it at a specified location. Sundays are holidays. Every Monday, both A and B report for work on time and start work normally. Within a few minutes, B is taken to the medical center with an injury to his foot from the weight he was handling. He then takes the next 5 days off on medical leave. The following Monday, he returns to work, only to experience the same kind of accident/injury, requiring another trip to the hospital. This cycle continues for this accident-prone individual, B.

Do you agree with this assessment or not? Please share your views. Together, we can learn more about accident proneness in a simple way.

Regards,
Kesava Pillai

There are industrial shoes that workers are required to wear while on duty. Additionally, they must wear headgear and other necessary safety equipment. It is important to establish a system to monitor compliance with these safety measures before labeling someone as accident-prone.

Dear Sir, in such a condition as you stated, before determining a person's accident proneness, we must check whether he is capable of performing this job or not. How can we establish such a system? By conducting screening tests during the employment selection process or through similar means.

Only then can we draw any conclusive judgments. The cartoon clearly illustrates that Person A is physically capable of lifting, whereas Person B is not fit enough for the task.

I look forward to receiving further comments from you.

With regards,
Dipil Kumar V

In Australasia, the majority of safety practitioners, safety lecturers, and senior management believe that the term "accident-prone" is a fallacy. Therefore, we do not condone or sanction its use. From management's viewpoint, it focuses attention on individuals and blame rather than on system or process failures. This perpetuates accidents, creating industrial problems, poor morale, etc. Employees likewise don't feel an obligation to work safely if they believe they will suffer accidents.

The concept of being accident-prone was seen as an early safety model shortly after the First World War and in the early 1950s but was discounted for many of the reasons mentioned above.

Hope this is helpful.

Regards

All that is about accident-prone individuals.

Thanks, Mr. Ron, you are absolutely right. The capabilities and limitations of individuals differ, which affects their behavior. Because of this, in a group, some individuals will have a greater share of accidents and are usually termed accident-prone. Upon inspection, it becomes evident that this is not only the case with accidents but also with failures, inefficiency, poor output, poor timing, and often causing headaches for co-workers and supervisors.

In a Nutshell: PHYSICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND PSYCHOPHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN INDIVIDUALS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A CERTAIN MODE OF BEHAVIOR OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TERMED ACCIDENT-PRONE!

Correction: SELECTION, PLACEMENT, TRAINING

Regards, Kesava Pillai