MODULE 2

Accident Causation: Unsafe Acts and

Unsafe Conditions

MICHAEL BRYAN H. PESCOS

 OBJECTIVES OF THE MODULE

- To become aware of what causes accidents in the workplace

- To learn about terminologies on safety & health – accidents and illnesses

and many more.
 BASIC PRINCIPLES

ACCIDENT
• Is an undesired event that RESULTS IN harm to people,
damage to property or loss to process.

• It is usually a contact with a source of energy above the

threshold limit of the body or structure.
 BASIC PRINCIPLES

SAFETY
• Freedom from accident.

• Is the control of accidental loss.

 What is Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)?

• Occupational Safety - deals with understanding the causes of accidents at work

and ways to prevent unsafe act and unsafe conditions in any workplace. Safety at
work discusses concepts on good housekeeping, proper materials handling and
storage, machine safety, electrical safety, fire prevention and control, safety
inspection, and accident investigation.

• Occupational Health - is a broad concept which explains how the different

hazards and risks at work may cause an illness and emphasizes that health
programs are essential in controlling work-related and/or occupational diseases.

• Industrial Hygiene - discusses the identification, evaluation, and control of

physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards
 ACCIDENT CAUSATION
Refers to the factors that are the primary reasons behind an accident.

Heinrich Accident Causation Model: Domino Theory

 BASIC PRINCIPLES

HAZARD
• A condition or practice with the potential
for accidental loss.

Unsafe/Substandard Condition

Unsafe/Substandard Act
 BASIC PRINCIPLES

RISK

- The chance of physical or personal loss

serious problems
 ACCIDENT

UNSAFE UNSAFE
ACT CONDITION
 UNSAFE ACTS
• Horse playing
• Smoking in non-smoking areas
• Using substandard or defective
tools
• Non wearing of PPE’s
• Driving without license
• Reporting to work under the
influence of liquor or drugs
UNSAFE CONDITIONS
• Slippery and wet floors
• Dusty work area
• Congested plant lay-out
• Octopus wiring
• Scattered objects on the floor/work
area
• Poor storage system
• Protruding nails and sharp objects
 Two Causes
Unsafe Act of Accident

Unsafe Act
A violation of an
accepted safe
“standard” which
could permit the
occurrence of an
accident.
 Unsafe
Condition

Unsafe Condition
A hazardous physical
condition or circumstance
which could permit the
occurrence of an accident.
If NO CONTROL measure
is applied, it will lead to
accident.
 UNSAFE UNSAFE
MAN
ACT CONDITION
88% 10%
PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT

UNCONTROLLED 2%
FACTORS

NON-PREVENTABLE
ACCIDENT
 WORKSHOP NO.1

UNSAFE ACTS

&

UNSAFE CONDITIONS
 SUMMARY POINTS

- Definitions for accidents/incidents/hazards are important for a safety officer to understand as they
journey into correcting them
- Two types of hazards according to where it originates from are Unsafe Acts and Unsafe conditions,
which combined, causes 98% of accidents in the workplace.
- Identifying them and evaluating where these are in our workplace can improve the H&S performance
of a construction site
END