ABSTRACT

This chapter concerns different methods for accident risk data collection and analysis. It also focuses on how to accomplish reliable and comprehensive data collection and analysis, taking the knowledge and motive structure of reporters and investigators into account. There are different means of collecting data on accident risks. Risk analysis offers an opportunity to collect data on accident risks before they have occurred. There were filters in the data collection at the six companies that prevented certain types of data on accident risks from being documented: reports on lost-time accidents; near-accident reporting; workplace inspections. These different filters narrowed the scope of the companies' ability to learn from their experiences. The filters limited the types of accident prevention, the remedial actions that were undertaken, and their timing. In designing safety information systems, people must be aware of these filters as well as biases.