Accident statistics: analysis

Fisher et al. (1991) Biokinetic Model A modified biokinetic model for uranium was developed for inhaled soluble uranium based on human data from an accidental release of uranium hexafluoride in Oklahoma. Urinary excretion data from 31 exposed workers were used to test two previously published compartmental models for inhalation exposure to uranium (ICRP 1979 Wrenn et al. 1989). Urinary uranium was measured periodically for 2 years following the accident. Statistical analysis showed that the Wrenn et al. (1989) model produced a better fit to the excretion data than the ICRP (1979) model. 

One useful by-product of improved PSM and ESH management can be a reduction in non-incident- or non-accident-related downtime. This arises because the improved systems provide the vehicle for improved mechanical integrity, better understanding of the design and operation and better statistical analysis of performance. 

Insurance costs also depend on the safety precautions taken. When a homeowner buys fire insurance the cost depends on the type of construction and the nearness and effectiveness of fire protection equipment, as well as the value of house and its furnishings. To determine the effect of these factors a statistical analysis is made of the factors contributing to fire losses. Insurance companies are noted for not losing money, and so rates also depend on the past record of those insured. In determining automobile insurance rates the age and the number of previous accidents and traffic... 

Trend analysis can be confused or invalidated by a sample that is too small. If the charting or analysis is limited only to major incidents, there will often be too few within a period to arrive at meaningful conclusions. For example, a facility with one thousand employees may experience only one or two serious incidents per year, and several years worth of data would be needed to make any meaningful statistical analysis. Minor incidents and near misses can be as useful in trend analysis and preventive prediction as major incidents. All process incidents should be reported, classified, and investigated as appropriate. The severity of an incident is frequently more a function of chance than actual fundamental system differences among accidents and near misses. 

A number of different approaches have been taken by researchers examining the relationship between accident statistics and employee job tenure (how long the employee has worked in the job). In some studies, researchers have formed groups of employees based on their job tenure and compared accident rates across the groups. Unfortunately, not all studies that have used this group comparison approach to study the relationship between job tenure and accidents have attempted to control for employee age across the groups. Other studies have used job tenure as a predictor variable in regression analysis or simply correlation analysis in an attempt to find associations between an employee s job tenure and accidents. 

Chen Juan, Zhao Yaojiang. Statistical analysis and enlightenment of Chinese coal mine accidents in the past ten years [J], Beijing State Production Safety Supervision Administration, 2012, (3) 137-139. 

Cheng Liangping.2007. Development analysis on information management system of casualty accident statistics. Industrial Safety and Environmental Protec-tion (3) 56-57. 

A statistical analysis of coal gas explosion accidents in China... 

This article finds some common indicator elements in those accidents written reports in China Coal Mine Accidents and Expert Comments Collection with a statistical analysis. Through analysis and summary, ten component elements which have impacts on the selection of coal mine... 

Zhao Dai-Ying, Nie Bai-Sheng. Statistical Analysis of China s Coal Mine Particularly Serious Accidents. Procedia Engineering, Volume 26, 2011, Pages 2213-2221. 

By the multidisciplinary theory and method of statistical analysis and case analysis, basic characteristics and rule of coal-gas dynamic disasters accidents in coal mines during 2001-2012 period were studied and the incentive control on ignition source of direct causes of gas explosion accidents were analyzed, so as to explore the approaches from the control of ignition sources for governance coal-gas dynamic disasters. 

ABSTRACT In recent years, coal mine accident happened frequently in our country. Based on the statistics about coal mine accident and accident mechanism analysis, the paper find out the main reason that lead to coal mine accident happened frequently in our country. Based on the existing accident model, it put forward coal mine accident human error model. And make detailed factor analysis and effective analysis for the model. Then, from the angle of team, the paper put forward team safety management mode for coal mine enterprises and the corresponding safety control measures. It is a new safe management thought for China s coal mine industry. 

A statistic analysis about the coal and gas outburst accident in the 13 years, from 2000-2012, is made in this article. There were 253 documented coal and gas outburst accidents, in which some workers died, on the website of the State Production Safety Supervision Administration, based on which, the 13-years change characteristics of the coal and gas outburst accident are analyzed in this paper. 

Outburst accident in the past 13 years conducted an annual statistical analysis, is shown in Figure 2. 

The evaluation of the current status of OHS at Estonian workplaces is performed using statistical data derived from National Labour Inspectorate (NLI) as well as Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat). Additionally, visits to enterprises from different industries were performed focusing on data about risk assessment and its quality as well as the characterization of occupational accidents occurred. Analysis of safety level in a company of the clothing industry is presented as an illustration. 

In the industrial field, the accidents situation depends on a wide variety of causes (i.e. diversification and complexity in production processes and technologies, human factors, organizational aspects, no application of safety procedures) that are often very difficult to indentify and to analyze. This is the reason why today aproactive approach to safety problems becomes a key factor. The Risk Assessment approach is aheady known and consohdated but the problem that is not yet solved is related to the indicators used in order to identify the risk priority. Usually these indicators are based on evaluator s experience and expertise, and not necessary deriving from statistical analysis. It depends on the fact that work injuries data are often not usable to characterize a specific risk category by a statistical approach it s a fact mainly due to the amount and typology of the available data and, consequently, to the lack of relationships between injuries and root causes. 

One contractor s analysis of marine-related accidents is given in Box 3.1. This analysis suggests that accidents statistics in coastal engineering are similar to those experienced in general construction. However, this analysis does not convey whether competency levels on these operations are any different to general construction. 

Other areas of concern include increases in the number of aircraft fires and the mrniber of accidents caused by metal fatigue and corrosion, which International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers president Winpisinger (1988, pg. 365) attributes to reduced maintenance and inspection efforts however, this observation is not based on a statistical analysis. Finally, an Office of Technology Assessment (OTA, 1988) report raises concerns regarding ... 

Empirical evidence on this subject is mixed. A statistical analysis of airline data from 1963 to 1970 (pre-deregulation) by Golbe (1986, pg. 305) finds that safety [measured by accident rates] and profits have no significant relationship. Thus, it does not appear that profit-reducing changes in regulation... 

Studies of accident rates in the railroad industry during the 1960s documented a correlation between financial health and accident rates, with better financial health generally associated with lower accident rates (Golbe, 1983). This relationship was strongest for those railroads that were unprofitable. Statistical analysis of unprofitable railroads found that as financial losses decreased, so did accident rates for profitable railroads, the relationship between profits and accident rates was generally insignificant. ... 

Develop and implement comprehensive motor carrier safety and loss control program. Conduct and monitor accident reporting and investigation. Inspect facilities, equipment, and property for existing or potentially hazardous conditions. Recommend corrective/preventive measures to reduce risk. Analyze and update safety policies, procedures, and plans to promote a safe working environment and increase safety awareness. Identifies, monitors, evaluates, and tracks all safety activities through audits and statistical analysis. 

The retrospective statistical analysis of accident data tests mainly for correlations. The observed effects need therefore not be causally related. A causal relationship has still to be proven, e.g., by controlled experiments [16]. 

National accident statistics and verbal accident descriptions were retrieved from the Finnish Federation of Accident Insurance Institution s (FAII) database. The FAII database allows restricted access to researchers. An open coding approach (Strauss and Corbin 1998) was used to summarize and synthesize the accident statistics and descriptions data. The analysis covered all accidents that occurred to road transportation sector employees somewhere other than in truck cabs, and which were reported to insurance companies in Finland in 2006. 

Accident statistics will be useful in identifying uncontrolled risks as they will present- if properly analysed from a causal viewpoint-data indicative of where control action should have been taken to prevent recurrence. Ideally, an analysis of all injury, damage and near-miss accidents should be undertaken, so that underlying trends may be highlighted and effective control action - both organisational and physical in nature - taken. 

Risks may be identified through employee identification of them, safely inspections, analysis or accident statistics, and near miss incident audits, checklists and reports. This is not an exhaustive list, however. Once risks are identified, review the process involved from Step 1, within the selected department (Step 2), then evaluate and apply risk control principles in consultation with the department supervisor, employees and health and safety representatives (where they exist). 

What defines how safe we are Is it aceidents, ineidents, and negative events Lets talk about accidents. The commercial aviation system has the lowest accident rate of any transportation system in terms of miles travelled. That s the good news. However, because there are so few aecidents, they earmot be used for statistical analysis. There are more incidents than accidents, which make incidents a better somce of data, and there are more negative events than incidents. Close calls, near misses, and complaints can all be used as a data somce if they are reported and recorded. However, we still lack knowledge of what really occurs in normal operations. 

Ford, G. and Matthews, A. (2002), Analysis of Australian Grade Crossing Accident Statistics, Paper Presented at the 7th International Symposium on Rail-Road Highway Grade Crossing Research and Safety, Melboirme Monash University. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2005), Railroad Safety U.S. Department of Transportation. 

---