A systemic framework for work accident analysis in judicial procedures

Abstract

This article intends to demonstrate the need for changing analytical methods used in work accidents for judiciary purposes. It proposes to replace the commonly used simplistic model of unsafe act performed by workers, which has been used to invoke admission of guilt on the part of the victim of an accident, without attacking its root cause or preventing future events. The systemic framework for work accident analysis aims to shift the focus of the investigation, analyzing in a broad sense and carefully investigating circumstances by using a sociotechnical approach, especially when it comes to evaluating human performance in real work circumstances, as opposed to the evaluation based on prescribed tasks. Ergonomic modeling techniques are used for a better understanding of real work situations. We use a real accident to demonstrate how an accident analysis report performed by a legal expert witness, using a systemic framework, was able to prevail in the labor court. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.